Impressions Vivandiere impression?

Local reenactor found.

For another lively discussion on the Civil War, seek out Lisa Waltz, a retired Middleton Township police officer who has been part of the civilian division of the 28th PA Volunteer Infantry for 20 years. She portrays a Vivandier. These were battlefield nurses who followed a particular regiment. Civil War Vivandier costumes varied from regiment to regiment, usually consisting of a knee-length skirt over trousers, a tunic and a hat. All costumes, however, were well-suited to the outdoor exercise required of them for living and marching with the regiment.

Also, found associated with Coppens Zouaves (note the same text as used in the article above)
 
Not to discourage your plan, but you might consider an impression as a camp follower. Reenactor groups might find that more acceptable.

There are even a couple of examples of women disguising themselves as men and fighting in the ranks. That will throw the old-time reenactors into a little panic!
 
Not to discourage your plan, but you might consider an impression as a camp follower. Reenactor groups might find that more acceptable.

There are even a couple of examples of women disguising themselves as men and fighting in the ranks. That will throw the old-time reenactors into a little panic!

I actually have little interest in actually fighting. That's something I'd like to do for just a weekend to see what it's like, but not join a unit. Weren't camp followers usually "those" types of women? Those of quite loose morals (and quite experienced in being so)
 
I actually have little interest in actually fighting. That's something I'd like to do for just a weekend to see what it's like, but not join a unit. Weren't camp followers usually "those" types of women? Those of quite loose morals (and quite experienced in being so)

Camp followers apparently included "those" types, but also wives and women whose occupation was cook, laundress, etc. This is not my area of expertise but you often see references to camp followers in CW history texts.
 
For an idea of what inspired American Vivandieres of the ACW...

There was a gal out of Iowa a decade or so back who had put together a list of all the known Vivandieres of the Union.
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For an idea of what inspired American Vivandieres of the ACW...

There was a gal out of Iowa a decade or so back who had put together a list of all the known Vivandieres of the Union.
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These are all photos of French vivandières during the Crimean War. Regardless, the service of ACW vivandières was very similar and the 'uniforms' were generally copied from those of their French cousins. You can't go wrong modeling your reenactment persona after these photos.
 
I quite like her uniform, she looks almost too beautiful to be anywhere near a battlefield.
Yes, she is remarkably attractive, and the scenes are posed leading one to conclude that she may actually have been a model portraying these scenes for recruiting or some other purpose.
Still, she does offer us a glimpse of what a vivandière looked like.
 
In an earlier post I saw the name of Marie Tepe. My reference book spells it Tebe. And it states she was awarded tbe Kearney Cross but refused to wear it. She was warned to stay back after her clothes were found to be pierced by bullets at Chancellorsville.
 
On both Anna Ethridge and Marie Tepe the biography neither mentions the birthdates or the deathdates of either of these two. Did they both just "disappear" after the war?
 
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