BACKGROUND

The Liberty Rifles in conjunction with the National Park Service hosted a Living History focused on the experiences of the 15th Alabama Infantry at the Battle of Gettysburg. The 15th Alabama, of Law’s Brigade, Hood’s Division, Longstreet’s Corps, A.N.V., took part in a grueling 18 mile march before going straight into action on July 2, 1863, which culminated in their now infamous assault on Little Round Top. We recreated 4 of the 10 Companies of the 15th, matching our Company strengths to their June 1863 rosters. We camped at the Historic Slyder Farm which is a beautifully period 19th Century Farm on the battlefield, one that the 15th swept over during their advance.

The weekend had a number of programs for the public, as well as many immersive opportunities. The signature event was a recreation of the 15th’s assault against Little Round Top, in coordination with a NPS Ranger guided tour that represented the 20th Maine, and we “attacked” them on the original ground with 130 men.

UNIT HISTORY

The 15th Alabama Infantry was organized in June 1861 and composed of men from the southeastern portion of the state. The regiment served in Jackson's Division during the Valley Campaign and was bloodied at Cross Keys. Over the course of the year the regiment would be engaged at Gaines Mill, Manassas, Chantilly, Sharpsburg, and Fredericksburg. In 1863, the regiment was transferred to Law's Brigade, Hood's Division, of Longstreet's Corps, and participated in the siege of Suffolk before returning northward to join the invasion of Pennsylvania.

The companies forming the regiment were as follows:

• Co. "A", known as "Cantey's Rifles", from Russell County

• Co. "B", known as the "Midway Southern Guards", from Barbour County

• Co. "C", no nickname given, from Macon County

• Co. "D", known as the "Fort Browder Roughs", from Barbour County

• Co. "E", known as the "Beauregards", from Dale County

• Co. "F", known as the "Brundidge Guards", from Pike County

• Co. "G", known as the "Henry Pioneers", from Henry County

• Co. "H", known as the "Glenville Guards", from Barbour and Dale counties

• Co. "I", "Quitman Guards", from Pike County

• Co. "K", known as the "Eufaula City Guard", from Barbour County

IMPRESSION GUIDELINES

The idea behind these impression guidelines is to create a best guess through research and an understanding of the workings of the Confederate Quartermaster Department in Richmond. Our goal will be to create a regimental impression, this means some degree of matching types of haversacks, canteens, or knapsacks is most appropriate. The idea is to replicate the look of a regiment that was being issued clothing and equipment from the government. We're not definitively saying that the 15th Alabama had only had X, Y or Z, but what we are saying is that a Confederate regiment in this context during this period of the war didn't have 50 different unique haversacks, and 50 different “Type 2” jackets made of 50 different fabrics, etc.

Pvt. Wyman White, Co. F, 2nd USSS
“Just in front of where I was, the land was open and, as they were mostly dressed in butternut colored clothes they had the appearance of a plowed field being within closed mass formation until they got within good fighting distance to our line, when they broke into line of battle formation three lines deep.”

Captain Francis Donaldson, 71st PVI
"I counted 37 bodies, all dressed alike, in a coarse dark material with black felt hats, seemingly new, and most probably taken from a store in Gettysburg or some other town." Donaldson identifies a dead Rebel Lt. amongst the slain as an officer in the 44th Alabama Infantry.

Jacket

1. Richmond Clothing Bureau "Type 2" jacket made of vegetable dyed brown or gray jeans.  If you need to or wish to get a new jacket for this event, we HIGHLY recommend County Cloth L1 Logwood Jeans (woven specifically to match the fabric seen in four of the six surviving jeans Richmond jackets) or Ben Tart's Yarn Dyed Sumac.  Linings should be cotton osnaburg, not shirting, check, or otherwise. 

2. A frock coat of domestic cloth is an acceptable option.Oddball “commutation” uniforms or outlandish fabrics are not permitted.

Trousers

1. Richmond Clothing Bureau trousers made of vegetable dyed brown or gray jeans.

2. Other military-style trousers made out of similar domestic cloth.

Shirt

1. Confederate issue shirt made of cotton osnaburg is preferred.  The “Hollyday” pattern works very well, and the “Louisiana” pattern can be used to make a good representative example.

2. Citizen's shirts.  We're trying to limit the number of "homespun" check shirts, not because they're wrong, just very over represented in our opinion.  So if you have a nice cotton print shirt, or plain cotton or wool citizen's shirt, go with that over the homespun.  

Headgear

1. Citizen’s “slouch” hats

2. Richmond Clothing Bureau caps with bound oilcloth brims, made of domestic jeans

Footwear

1. Confederate military shoes or citizen’s shoes or boots

2. Federal Bootees

Canteen

1. Tin drum canteen on a plain webbing, sewn cotton, or leather sling is strongly preferred

2. Wooden “Gardner” pattern canteen on a plain webbing, sewn cotton, or leather sling

3. Refurbished Federal canteen with a CS-made “split” leather sling

4. Federal Issue Canteens

Haversack

1. CS haversack copied from an original government-made example. This is an easy way to create some uniformity within a company. Simple osnaburg haversacks such as the "Henry Neal" or "Goulding" bags are great options. Please avoid haversacks made of carpet, tapestry, ticking, etc.

2. Federal Haversacks

Knapsacks

Marching order should be light! Don’t carry too much baggage!

1. Isaac and Campbell knapsack

2. “Kibbler”/ “Mexican War”-style knapsack

3. "Reissued" Federal knapsacks

4. If you don't have one of these three types, go with a blanket roll.

Blankets

1. Confederate issue

2. Citizens Blankets

3. Federal Issue Blankets

Tentage

• We will be bivouacking without fly tents. 

Arms

A mix of ammunition was being issued to the 15th Alabama in the 2nd Quarter of 1863, with .58 caliber being most predominant, followed by .69 caliber, with a very small number of .54 caliber ammunition being issued.

All arms MUST be clean, oiled, and in excellent working order.

1. P-1853 Enfield Rifle Musket.

2. M-1855/1861 Springfield or Richmond

3. M-1816 Springfield converted to percussion or M-1842 Springfield.

4. M-1841 Mississippi Rifle

Accoutrements

1. Domestically-made Confederate issue cartridge box, cap box, belt, and scabbard with ANV provenance is preferred.  Plain roller buckle or frame buckle belts are encouraged.

2. Imported British cartridge boxes, cap pouches, Ball Bags, belts, and scabbards.

3. Federal accoutrements.