Reenactor Snow Day

[Rusk County Avengers]

Next weekend, myself and a few fellow reenactors plan on a Winter Quarters style event on one of our number's 30 acre property. Framed as a "reenactor new year" to get ready and excited for the spring season. Essentially a small gathering, mostly cavalry and an excellent photographer with his original 1890's cameras. It goes well we shoot to making it a yearly thing. Though it's not strictly CW as we've many buddies that do Mountain Man and Texas Revolution joining in. Hence a "reenactor new year" as its visionary has envisioned, and not "Civil War Reenactor New Year." His idea that I can see the logic in.

That said, winter weather came early! Ice all over the place this weekend. And getting ready for next weekend, I realized I've not tried my jean CS Greatcoat in this kinda weather, or all my accoutrements with it, and thought "Hey why not try it out now before the event?"

Good thing I did, because I learned the old "Rifleman's pouch" associated with the M1841 "Mississippi Rifle" while marvelous to me and superior to the paper cartridge in regular cloths at the range, is a royal pain in the you-know-what in full kit!

But I enjoyed today's outing in ice, and stayed surprisingly comfortable. New socks from South Union Mills I recently got may have helped. Also learned I need to trim down a belt I have, and that a "M1842" cap pouch I've long wanted and recently got for my kit, leaves much to be desired compared to later designs. (Got from a leather maker in Alabama, and I will say I'm giving him my business on leathers from now on!

I kinda shot for a late winter 1861-early 1862 when I dressed out for my "snow day" probably do so next weekend. Though the numbers of participants is dwindling. Wonder why?

Thought I'd post pictures, please disregard the chair. I had no table handy, and getting pictures was awkward as no one else wanted to come with me!

Just for fun I decided to show one of my M1851 Navy conversions some love at the range

 

[archieclement]

You should have a prairie grove vibe with the weather.

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

You should have a prairie grove vibe with the weather.

Eh, I'd say the weather and ground is spot on, however my uniform and kit is WAY off for the Prairie Grove Campaign. Outside of the "Little Rock cloth" kepi and trousers, I'd say I look nothing like a CS soldier of that campaign.

My main spur of the moment goal was to look like an average CS Volunteer in the very first winter of the war. The impression I put together today could fit in either in Virginia or Tennessee. Anywhere really if the folks at home could afford to send a greatcoat.

That said, I did recently finish making a Little Rock Depot frock coat from Galla Rock's (utterly terrible and still haunting me) pattern that I started back in the Pandemic.

We're due for another round tonight and in the morning, perhaps I could show what an Arkansas volunteer looked like in that campaign.

I know a lot of folks would disagree with me, many I've known in the campaign end of reenacting adamant those frock coats weren't worn, but Ive read several firsthand Yank accounts of them stripping brown and gray frock coats from Confederate dead to keep warm because the US Army of the Frontier under Blunt was so under supplied and bare foot. Even wearing rags.

My take a way from all the first hand accounts of that campaign was the Confederates were mostly extremely well supplied and way better armed than the Yanks. Just as hungry and without food though. Also short on ammo for they're rifle-muskets while the Yanks had plenty of ammo for their smoothbore Prussian muskets.

Fascinating campaign and if the subject turned to the Battle of Cane Hill I could go on for hours!

 

[bdtex]

That said, I did recently finish making a Little Rock Depot frock coat from Galla Rock's (utterly terrible and still haunting me) pattern that I started back in the Pandemic.

I know I have said it before, but I'm amazed at your hand-tailoring abilities and attention to details.

 

[lupaglupa]

I assume those are wool socks. As someone with deep Southern roots who lives not that far from the Canadian border, I can attest that wool socks are a key element of winter clothing.

 

[Mississippian1861]

Eh, I'd say the weather and ground is spot on, however my uniform and kit is WAY off for the Prairie Grove Campaign. Outside of the "Little Rock cloth" kepi and trousers, I'd say I look nothing like a CS soldier of that campaign.

My main spur of the moment goal was to look like an average CS Volunteer in the very first winter of the war. The impression I put together today could fit in either in Virginia or Tennessee. Anywhere really if the folks at home could afford to send a greatcoat.

That said, I did recently finish making a Little Rock Depot frock coat from Galla Rock's (utterly terrible and still haunting me) pattern that I started back in the Pandemic.

We're due for another round tonight and in the morning, perhaps I could show what an Arkansas volunteer looked like in that campaign.

I know a lot of folks would disagree with me, many I've known in the campaign end of reenacting adamant those frock coats weren't worn, but Ive read several firsthand Yank accounts of them stripping brown and gray frock coats from Confederate dead to keep warm because the US Army of the Frontier under Blunt was so under supplied and bare foot. Even wearing rags.

My take a way from all the first hand accounts of that campaign was the Confederates were mostly extremely well supplied and way better armed than the Yanks. Just as hungry and without food though. Also short on ammo for they're rifle-muskets while the Yanks had plenty of ammo for their smoothbore Prussian muskets.

Fascinating campaign and if the subject turned to the Battle of Cane Hill I could go on for hours!

While the records are sparse, there is evidence that Hindman did manage to decently equip his men before they set off for Prairie Grove. Coats of Kersey, Casinette, and Satinette show up on the same QM forms along with Caps/Hats, Carpet Blankets, Comforts and the usual underclothing. A large lot a Blue Grey Kersey that landed in Texas and was supposed to go to Richmond got mostly hijacked in the Trans-MS and there is some debate if this cloth made it to Little Rock in time to be used for Hindman or if the Kersey was Texas made goods.

 

[damYankee]

Those 1800's plastic chairs are very collectable!
I'd hold on to that

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

I know I have said it before, but I'm amazed at your hand-tailoring abilities and attention to details.

Well, thank you again. The Devil is in the details of everything in eyes.

That said! I know a lot of people who are way better than me at tailoring. I'd call myself a novice in comparison.

 

[lelliott19]

please disregard the chair.

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

Okay @archieclement here's your Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove vibes!

An ill-fitting depot frock coat, ill-fitting kepi, homemade trousers with depot accoutrements. I thought to shoot my P1853, but I've read Yank accounts of Richmond rifle-muskets being taken from the field at Prairie Grove. Something I think more than possible as Ive seen one provenanced to a Missouri soldier in Price's 1864 "raid" and Tredegar Mountain Rifles had been sent west from Richmond as the Prairie Grove campaign began. I think it safe to say there was a limited number of them around.

I don't have one, (yet) but drug out my reproduction M1855 to substitute. Chiappa charges WAY too much for what you get, though it's accurate. Even if the parts quality is junk.

Picket duty is such misery…

We had a bunch more ice fall in the night, and today is considerably colder. Somewhere around 15 degrees Fahrenheit. know I was no where near as cozy as I was yesterday.

Disclaimer- Just ignore the old Ford tractor in my little old lady neighbor's field!

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

View attachment 573417

I REALLY need to learn modern tech better. Also lose weight again!

 

[Mississippian1861]

Here are a couple of QM documents from Capt Bassnet who was nominally the QM for the 22nd Ark, but may have been acting as brigade QM at the time these were written.

 

[lelliott19]

please disregard the chair.

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

While the records are sparse, there is evidence that Hindman did manage to decently equip his men before they set off for Prairie Grove. Coats of Kersey, Casinette, and Satinette show up on the same QM forms along with Caps/Hats, Carpet Blankets, Comforts and the usual underclothing. A large lot a Blue Grey Kersey that landed in Texas and was supposed to go to Richmond got mostly hijacked in the Trans-MS and there is some debate if this cloth made it to Little Rock in time to be used for Hindman or if the Kersey was Texas made goods.

Texans we're gonna get it first, State's Rights you know.

Little Rock, like every depot, made uniforms out of the cloth they managed to get. Brown jeans frocks and jackets are well recorded.

But I think the 1863-souvenir frock picked up in Little Rock may be a great representation. I expect during the campaign brown predominanted, but the one I made is gray. I'm pretty sure some gray was mixed in the ranks since an original from only a few months later survives. Heck even photos show a stark amount of variations.

"The rebels seem to have been in possession of good arms and ammunition and plenty of it. They had good substantial clothes of the homemade factory butternut cotton and wool style. They seem to have plenty of provisions for each haversack contained several days rations of corn bread, beef, and salt. All had on nice woolen socks of the country make, a luxury much needed by us."
From the diary of Benjamin McIntyre, 19th Iowa Inf.

Taken from some of my old notes when I studied the campaign more closely. I recommend "Fields of Blood: The Prairie Grove Campaign" by Shea. That book, (which is very well and entertainingly written) really paints a surprising story of the campaign.

 

[major bill]

I am sorry but that is just not "snow". Ok perhaps a few snow flakes on some leaves, but not real "snow"?

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

I am sorry but that is just not "snow". Ok perhaps a few snow flakes on some leaves, but not real "snow"?

Actually solid ice. Sunday evening we got maybe half-inch of snow.

I'm located in Northeast Texas. By Arkansas and Louisiana. This is the Deep South, to us vanishing natives, this is apocalyptic! This is what we get. I've only ever seen it snow like further north once, back during "snowmegadon" of 2020-2021? Only time I ever saw a snow drift in Texas.

I realize to you Yanks, this ain't nothing to bat an eye at. Lord knows all the Yank carpetbaggers that have taken over our once proud State are laughing at us natives and to us been driving crazy. We typically hide from it.

A couple dozen snowflakes and you can bet all bread, eggs, and milk in stores will be gone down here!

That said, all the Californians that have also taken over are even more frightened than us Texans!

 

[Dusty]

Tuesday 1/27/26, Chambersburg, Pa.

 

[PrivateBrooke]

I REALLY need to learn modern tech better. Also lose weight again!

If it makes you feel better my trousers from last season don't fit me anymore. (The holidays were rough this year)