BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Liberty Rifles hosted this full regimental scale, hyper authentic event in the heart of Mosby Country. We portrayed the 12th United States Infantry as they and the 5th Corps moved south in the aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg, passing over the same ground upon which they had clashed with Rebels in and around Fauquier County, Virginia the previous month.

UNIT HISTORY

The creation of the 12th United States Infantry Regiment was proposed by President Lincoln in May 1861 and approved by Congress in July of that year. Raised at Fort Hamilton, New York, the 12th was composed of a large percentage of New Yorkers. Unlike volunteer units in which individual companies were raised from a single community, a Regular would find himself among men from a broader geographical area, and messes often developed based upon regional identity. While the junior officers were all new to the Army, each company was formed around a core of experienced enlisted men who had served in the pre-war Army. The regiment, on paper, was composed of 24 companies in three battalions. In practice, the regiment rarely had two full battalions and infrequently found itself serving together as a single unit.

The 1st Battalion left New York in March 1862, bound for the Sykes’ Division of Regulars in the Army of the Potomac. The battalion suffered nearly 50% casualties at Gaines Mill, including the loss of the 12th’s commanding officer, Major Henry B. Clitz. 1st Battalion would fight at Malvern Hill and 2nd Manassas before being joined by 2nd Battalion, which itself had recently been hotly engaged at Cedar Mountain, in September. The 12th U.S. assisted in holding the Middle Bridge at Antietam, lay under fire at Fredericksburg, and suffered through the Mud March. Difficulty experienced in recruiting for the Regular Army (largely due to the discipline the units were known for and large bounties offered by Volunteer organizations) prompted the disbanding of several of the 12th’s companies in March 1863, leaving eight companies serving in the field. The regiment suffered 23 casualties at Chancellorsville and began the march northward chasing Lee’s invading army on June 14. The 12th was heavy engaged at Gettysburg on July 2, taking 92 casualties. The eight companies of the 12th U.S. present in the field in July 1863, commanded by Captain Thomas S. Dunn, were as follows:

-Army of the Potomac – Major General George Meade

-V Army Corps – Major General George Sykes

-2nd Division – Brigadier General Romeyn B. Ayres

-1st Brigade – Colonel Hannibal Day

1st Battalion, 12th United States Infantry:
Company A
Company B
Company C
Company D
Company G

2nd Battalion, 12th United States Infantry:
Company A
Company C
Company D

IMPRESSION GUIDELINES

GENERAL

The idea behind these impression guidelines is to recreate the known conditions of the 12th United States Infantry based upon their 2nd Quarter Returns and inventories of effects of members of the unit killed at Gettysburg, and offer a best guess for the unknowns based upon letters and diaries from members of the unit and an understanding of how the U.S. Quartermaster and Ordnance Departments supplied troops in the field. Our goal is to create a regimental impression. All reproductions MUST BE HIGH QUALITY, utilizing correct patterns, appropriate materials, and proper construction.

Appearance and clothing should generally be worn but kept in good order—the 12th was in the middle of a hard, active campaign.  Don't go overboard and show up caked in mud—you’ll be given a brush and made to clean up and look like a professional soldier. All items worn, carried, or stowed in your gear MUST be original or a high quality reproductions. Mediocre, mainstream, or reenactor grade reproductions are entirely unacceptable.

CLOTHING

All clothing must be made with proper construction techniques, correct patterns, and 100% natural fiber cloth to closely mimic original goods.

Blouse:

-Fatigue blouse, lined or unlined. All enlistedmen outside of the band and several specific individuals contacted separately MUST WEAR A FATIGUE BLOUSE. No altered blouses, no extra buttonholes, no shortened blouses, no tucked in blouses, no reenactor grade homemade blouses with giant stitches in white thread, NO TEAL BLOUSES, NO EXCEPTIONS. *Group Buy option available.

-Commercial blouses are acceptable in limited numbers.

Corps badge:

-Sewn to the left breast of the blouse. As the 12th had recently been provided with new corps badges of the unique, rounded “First Issue” design, all participants will be mailed one prior to the event. These specific badges must be worn, and they must be worn on the LEFT BREAST. Many if not most surviving members of the regiment would purchase silver badges, but not until after Gettysburg.

NCO chevrons:

-All NCOs are encouraged to wear appropriate chevrons. If you are not wearing chevrons you must wear pants stripes. *Group Buy option available.

Pants:

-Footman pants made of sky blue kersey, Schuylkill Arsenal or contract made. Dark blue pants are appropriate only for several specific individuals contacted separately. *Group Buy option available.

-Gaiters will not be permitted.

NCO pants stripes:

-NCOs are encouraged to wear appropriate pants stripes. All corporals should have a ½” stripe on their pants and all sergeants should have a 1 ½” stripe on their pants. If you are not wearing pants stripes you must wear chevrons. *Group Buy option available.

Shirts:

-U.S. Army domet flannel or wool flannel shirts are HIGHLY ENCOURAGED. There is no excuse to not have a government issue shirt. You may carry a spare plain or printed cotton shirt, but “homespun” check shirts as a first option will be unacceptable. *Group Buy option available.

Drawers:

-U.S. Army canton flannel drawers. *Group Buy option available.

-Citizens drawers.

-None. Being seen with modern underwear is unacceptable.

Headgear:  

-Forage cap, “Type 1” or “Type 2.” NO TEAL CAPS. *Group Buy option available.

-Commercial cap.

-Low crown black citizens hats are reluctantly accepted if you have no other option. Dress Hats and light colored hats are unacceptable. Hat brass is strongly discouraged. The only acceptable decoration is a company letter worn on the front of the disc of the cap.

Footwear:

-U.S. Army bootees. *Group Buy option available.

-Citizens shoes or boots.

BAGGAGE

LIGHT MARCHING ORDER! The Regiment had placed much of its spare clothing, overcoats, and baggage in storage and the weather on march northward through Virginia proved difficult for many members of the 12th. Many members of the unit threw away excess personal effects, and by the end of the campaign virtually the entire regiment had discarded their knapsacks and blankets and wore only a gum blanket and shelter half over their shoulder.

Knapsack:

-Double bag knapsacks in limited numbers. If you have a high quality reproduction, bring it. If you do not have a high quality reproduction, do not bring a knapsack and pay special attention below. *Group Buy option available.

-None.  Leave your knapsack and blanket at home and carry a rolled shelter half and gum blanket over your shoulder.

Blanket:

-Grey or brown U.S. Army sleeping blanket may be carried in a knapsack. *Group Buy option available.

-None. As the regiment slowly discarded its baggage throughout the campaign, participants that do not have a high quality reproduction blanket (or knapsack in which to carry one) should not bring a blanket.

Ground cloth:

-Rubberized or painted ground cloth.

-None. If you do not have a high quality reproduction, do not bring one.

Shelter Half:

-“Type 2” shelter half is REQUIRED. Heavy canvas sutler row shelter halves and later “Type 3” patterns are unacceptable. Shelter Tents will be pitched using inverted muskets. *Group Buy option available.

Haversack:

-Painted haversack copied from any surviving original. *Group Buy option available.

Canteen:

-U.S. Army canteens of the “mid war” Philadelphia or New York styles. Corrugated Philadelphia canteens should have a stopper capped with a full tin cap and a string attachment, a cotton twill tape sling, and be covered in any of a variety of jeans or uniform cloth. “Smoothside” New York canteens should have a stopper capped with a domed tin washer and a chain attachment, a sewn cotton drill sling, and be covered in grey, brown, or blue jeans, or uniform cloth. If all you have is a “smoothside” canteen with a string attachment for the cork, you should endeavor to modify it to more closely approximate an 1862 Philadelphia canteen by replacing the cap on the cork with a small tin washer and making sure it has an appropriate sling. *Group Buy option available.

Regimental Baggage:

-Mess equipment in company marked boxes, tools, medical supplies, and officers’ baggage will be carried in the regimental wagons.

EQUIPMENT

All equipment shall be high quality reproductions in terms of construction and materials used.  

Neck stock:

-While members of the 12th tossed much away on their way to Gettysburg, they still had neck stocks in their knapsacks or pockets. Participants are very strongly encouraged to acquire a proper neck stock. *Group Buy option available.

Waist belt:

-Private’s belt with sewn keeper made of either waxed or bridle leather. *Group Buy option available.

-Private’s belt with keeper cut off. *Group Buy option available.

-Private’s belt with brass keeper made of bridle leather if that is your only option.

NCO belt:

-The Ordnance Return for the regiment shows that only one or two sergeants in each company wore the regulation belt. None of the sergeants in 2nd Company C wore one. If you are an Orderly or 2nd Sergeant in one of the remaining seven companies, you are encouraged to wear one. Musicians are encouraged to wear one. *Group Buy option available.

NCO and Musicians’ swords:

-The 12th’s sergeants were not carrying swords. Most of the regiment’s musicians were carrying swords and musicians are encouraged to carry them.

Cartridge box:

-1861 pattern cartridge box with plate. 1864 pattern boxes are unacceptable. *Group Buy option available.

Cartridge box belt:

-None. Every member of the regiment wore their cartridge box on their belt. Participants will not be permitted to have a box belt.

Cap box:

-Arsenal or contract made cap box. *Group Buy option available.

Scabbard:

- 2-rivet scabbards are strongly encouraged. *Group Buy option available.

- 7-rivet scabbards are acceptable. 8-rivet scabbards are unacceptable.

ARMS

All arms and bayonets shall be in EXCELLENT working order, clean, functioning, and safe.

Rifled Musket:

-Model 1855, 1861, or 1863 .58 Springfield Rifled Musket with bayonet.

-Enfield Rifled Musket with bayonet is acceptable if you do not have a Springfield.

Gun sling:

-Gun sling made of oiled leather. Gun slings are highly encouraged and all participants should endeavor to acquire one. British, canvas, and black leather gun slings are unacceptable. *Group Buy option available.

Gun tools:

-Wrench, wiper, and tompion. The 12th’s returns show most men carrying a wrench, wiper, and tompion. Many had a spare cone as well. Most sergeants carried the same, plus a ball screw, band spring and tumbler punch, and mainspring vice. *Group Buy option available.