Impressions Texas units

[yellowthornoftexas]

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[ole]

Most are kinda porky there, Thorn. Which is you?

 

[ole]

Really ole? Ya gotta ask? Lol, avatar...slouch with front flipped up, best lookin feller in the bunch!!
That was the first reenactment for four of us. One had no uniform or nothing. Had such a good time went down to a sutlers and bought a basic starter cooters kit.

Oh, oh. You're getting to look a lot like me. Back off the bacon some.

 

[ole]

Well, in my OWN defense, lol I've list 5.5" since that photo! Lol

You were 6' before?

 

[Chattahooch33]

Here are a few of my unit depicting the Navarro Rifles of the 4th Texas at Antietam.

 

[Lt.Drake]

There's not many Texas units here in East Ky. Generally speaking, if a Texas unit fought at a battle around here (Like at Harrodsburg), they want us to portray them. Over the past 3 years, I think my group has represented the presence of at least five different Texas units at reenactments...

Chattahooch33, that's a good looking unit!

 

[Lt.Drake]

That is one thing about out here, there's no battles, so we "wing" it! Lol

Yep. I remember winging it in Texas...first time I've ever seen a unit dismount, sneak up and ambush the enemy, the shoot their way back to the saddle. I was holding three horses and providing covering fire for the troop to fall back and mount up.

 

[randoke]

Great pictures guys! proud Texan here.

 

[Lt.Drake]

Missing is my fiancee who took the picture, and two more troopers. This is more like the officers and NCO's of my unit. I don't even have a Sgt. anymore, Just 2 corporals, three privates and a flagbearer, and three privates who never come to events.

Also missing is my 2nd corporal's (the large fellow on the left) rifle and leathers. It was a spur of the moment photo.

 

[Dave Wilma]

What were the peculiar pieces of clothing or equipment distinctive to Texas units? Would a contemporary observer be able to tell a difference between a Texas volunteer and one from the east?

 

[Lt.Drake]

Many Texas units had unique ideas about branch of service trim and rank insignia. Whereas in the east, yellow meant cavalry and blue meant infantry, many Texas units had black trim and stripes for cavalry and even infantry. Some even used red trim.

Another thing is headgear. Environment dictates dress, and many Texans had adopted mexican-style hats to protect them from the sun and rain. You saw more wide-brimmed hats in Texas units, along with the fact that Texans seemed to be obsessed with big knives. If you look at pics of soldiers posing in their uniforms, you see more prevalence of long-bladed knives in the hands of Texans, and they carried them regularly, from my research.

It has to be remembered that Texas was still the wild frontier, and the men that came from there mirrored that to varying degrees. That's part of what made them so feared on the field of battle. There's a good chance that the Texas infantryman or cavalryman coming toward you had killed several men before the war even started, or had been fighting comanche for years before the war.

 

[Lt.Drake]

Mais bien sur, ami! You know I crawled out the bayou and joined the Rangers when I got tired of fighting gators!

And you made a good point about Texans incorporating a star into their clothing whenever and wherever possible. Most had a brass or tin star badge or pin on their hat, and you can see this in many period photographs. State pride was big back then, but Texan pride was as big as the state itself!

 

[AUG]

What were the peculiar pieces of clothing or equipment distinctive to Texas units? Would a contemporary observer be able to tell a difference between a Texas volunteer and one from the east?

It really depends on the unit - company, regiment, or brigade. As YT and Lt. Drake said, many added Texas stars to their hats or carried large Bowie knives. In 1861 each company typically marched off to war with their own uniform, or none at all. As the war progressed Hood's Texas Brigade in the East were mostly outfitted with Richmond Depot uniforms (typical in the ANV) while Granbury's Texas Brigade in the AoT was probably wearing Columbus Depot jackets (typical in the AoT), uniforms manufactured by various contractors, or homespun stuff. Wide-brimmed hats were probably preferred, though many in Hood's Texas Brigade were issued bummers and kepis.

The Trans-Mississippi was a whole different story. It really depended on what unit and when, though I've read that many units in the Trans-Miss. were issued uniforms of undyed wool manufactured at the Huntsville Penitentiary. But I imagine that the typical Texas regiment serving west of the Mississippi was outfitted with a wide variety of uniforms manufactured from different contractors, to homespun clothing of every color and cut.

 

[Lt R. Blackwell 4th Texas]

Great pics of the toughest unit ever!

 

[Lt.Drake]

My "uniform":
Black wide-brimmed slouch hat (Mexican style hat with cavalry insignia)
Homespun green checkered shirt
Gray shell jacket with black trim (You can see it in my avatar pic)
Brown canvas trousers
tall boots with noticable mexican spurs
Federal officer saber belt with Bowie knife instead of saber, colt navy, hunting knife and boot knife

I like this post, Texans crawlin outta the woodwork!!! Lol

Lovin it! Huzzah for Texas!

 

[unionblue]

Here are a few of my unit depicting the Navarro Rifles of the 4th Texas at Antietam.



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EXCELLENT LOOK and great pictures, Chattahooch33!

All the boys look fantastic!

Can I ask what year this Antietam event was? I was there for the 135th and that fog and smoke in the cornfield looks real familiar.

Sincerely,
Unionblue

 

[Lt.Drake]

Nice sack coat!

And that hat is undeniably TEXAS!

 

[Lt.Drake]

Take a look at this rough-looking Texas trooper:

Typical 18 year old boy who joined the Cavalry at the outset of war? Heh Would you believe that's a gal? Heheheh. It's my 25 year old fiance! Good impression, eh?

 

[Lt.Drake]

Awesome Gator!!!!

Thanks, pard! Told you I'd drum up a pic of my little filly sooner or later.

Haven't had time to post much lately. Fourth of July weekend with the family. I estimate 20 bucks worth of ammunition down the drain...and in the hillside behind my target range.

 

[dlavin]

Those Antietam picture were outstanding.

Wouldn't want to cross any of you though.