Confederate Guidelines

General Richard Taylor


It is expected that all clothing and equipment be of correct materials and construction and that all modern markings be removed from military armaments.

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* Note- prior to and following the battles at Mansfield and Pleasant Hill, many of Polignac’s (formerly Mouton’s) Division and Green’s cavalry were wearing captured Federal clothing and equipment seized in late 1863 and again from the battlefields at Mansfield and Pleasant Hill.  This should be most prevalent in accoutrements and to a lesser degree jackets.  Very few pairs of trousers would have remained by this time due to wear.



photos below are “Trans-Mississippi Confederate Soldiers”

Headgear:

Wide-brimmed civilian slouch hat

Shreveport or Houston Depot issued cap (kepi)

Non-descript commutation-style cap (kepi)

Jackets:

Penitentiary cloth jacket of undyed cotton jeans, undyed wool jean, or undyed kersey

Federal fatigue blouse

Shreveport produced sheeps gray jacket

“Mansfield” jacket

Tait contract jacket

Texas Quartermaster Depot jackets, primarily constructed of imported British army cloth

Civilian sack coat
Civilian or military cut frock coat

Civilian frock coat

Overshirt (preference given to plain, untrimmed overshirts)

Trousers:

Civilian pattern

Confederate Quartermaster issue (ie, Houston/Shreveport Depots or “Mansfield” trousers”)

Commutation-style jean wool trousers w/side-seam or mule-ear trousers

US foot-pattern

Shirts:

Confederate Quartermaster plain osnaburg issue

Civilian style

Federal issue

Shoes:

Confederate-issue

British “Bluchers”

Civilian style

Federal issue

Boots (two-piece body)

Misc:

Drawers, while not required, are highly recommended.

Socks should be of correct materials- wool or cotton

* Soldiers are highly encouraged to carry a minimum of one extra change of socks as well as a spare shirt and drawers if practicable.

Cartridge Box:

M1857 .58 cal Federal box

M861 .58 cal Federal box

Confederate .58 cal box

Confederate .69 cal box

Houston Depot box

Enfield rifle box

* No painted cloth boxes

Cap Pouch:

M1850 shield-front pouch

Federal variant pouch

Confederate shield-front box

Generic Confederate box

Enfield cap pouch (buff or blackened)

* No painted cloth pouches

Scabbard:

Confederate manufactured scabbard, sewn, with lead tip

Federal sewn, 2 rivet, or 7 rivet patterns

Enfield style scabbard and frog

Waist Belt:

Civilian roller buckle

English imported (snake or lion’s head buckle)

Federal issue

Forked tongue buckle

Sheet brass plate

Correct “CS” copper egg plate

* No painted cloth belts

Haversack:

Plain haversack of drill or ticking

CS oilcloth

M1851 Federal issue

“Field-made” haversack (cut up ground sheet, tent canvas, etc)

Canteen:

Tin drum

Gardner-style wooden

M1858 smoothside (with cover)

M1862 bulls-eye (with cover)

Filter style

Knapsack:

Mexican War pattern

English P1856/1857 contract bag (I&C or Ross pattern)

CS single-bag

Federal M1853/1855 double bag

French import hardpack

* A knapsack, while not required, is recommended over a blanket roll

Blanket:

Civilian style coverlet

British import white blanket

British import (NC blanket, sans NC)

Federal issue

Carpet

Groundcloth:

Confederate issue ground sheet (with correct lampblack/linseed paint)

Oilcloth

Civilian floor covering

Federal issue rubber

Long-arms:

The 15^th Texas is well-documented as early as 1863 to have carried Enfield rifles, thus, STRONG preference is given toward Enfield Rifle Muskets.  A small number of captured Springfields and Tyler Arsenal arms will be allowed.

Side-knives:

Dug relics dating to the spring of 1864 clearly show that both side knives and pistols WERE carried by troops.  Pistols are discouraged but side-knives of correct style and manufacture will be permitted, and indeed, may prove useful in camp.

Tentage:

Participants may choose to carry correct Federal issue shelter halves, however, as we are portraying troops on campaign, such items would have likely been quite rare in the ranks.  The widely-noted field practice of “stretching” blankets is encouraged.

 

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