In August 2020, the Liberty Rifles and 1st Section hosted an immersive soldier life experience event portraying the Bedford Virginia Artillery and Company F, 21st Georgia Infantry in Orange County, Virginia in the Summer of 1862. We recreated the training of the Ben Hill Infantry to serve as artillerymen if their regiment captured a battery, or in the event of emergency.


Impression Guidelines:
Company F, 21st Georgia Infantry, Summer 1862

GENERAL

Appearance and clothing should generally be worn—this is after all the low point in terms of adequate supplies of clothing, shoes, equipment, etc. for troops on active service in Virginia.  Dirty is good, but be subtle about it—don't go overboard and show up caked in mud.  A dirty frock and freshly issued Georgia Relief and Hospital Association pants, or a new jacket with busted pants are both fine ways to go. Hair should be kept relatively short. Lieutenant Ugie Allen described in letter to his wife that all of the men in the Ben Hill Infantry kept their hair “shingled.”

CLOTHING

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

Coat/Jacket:
-Grey jeans frock either plain or with black tape trim on the collar.
-Georgia state issue jacket. Options include copies of the untrimmed “12th Georgia jacket,” versions of this jacket with black scalloped cuff facings and/or black tape trimmed or faced collar, or non-descript grey jeans “Georgia” jackets with black scalloped cuff facings and or black tape trimmed or faced collar and epaulettes. Trim kits will be offered to those needing to appropriately trim a non-descript jacket.

Pants:
-Georgia Relief and Hospital Association pants.
-Richmond Clothing Bureau pants made of yarn dyed logwood jeans.
-Confederate military pants made of grey or brown jeans.
-Sky blue kersey U.S. Army pants if you do not have one of the above, or if you so choose. These should be present in the ranks to a limited extent.

Shirts:
-Confederate issue shirt made of cotton osnaburg.
-U.S. Army wool shirt.
-Plain citizen’s shirt made of wool flannel or printed cotton.
-Avoid overrepresented checked cotton “homespun” shirts if at all possible.

Headgear:  
-Citizen’s hat.
-Kepi made of grey domestic cloth, with or without a black band.

Footwear:
-Confederate, Georgia, U.S. Army, or citizens shoes or boots are all acceptable.

BAGGAGE:  LIGHT MARCHING ORDER!

The Ben Hill Infantry were reduced to carrying extremely little baggage by late July. Many if not most of the men had thrown away their blankets, and few found comfort in spare shirts or pairs of socks. If you have a knapsack that contains a blanket, shirt, and socks, you’re doing it wrong. If the entirety of your baggage is an oilcloth rolled up and tossed over your shoulder, or a Yankee gum blanket tucked into your belt, you’ve got the idea. If you’ve got only an oilcloth and your pard only has a blanket, even better.

Blanket:
-None.
-Confederate, U.S. Army, coverlets, and carpet are all acceptable.

Ground Cloth:
-Confederate oilcloth or U.S. Army gum blankets are equally acceptable.
-None.

Shelter Half:
-None.

Knapsack:
-None.
-Confederate “Kibler/Mexican War” or U.S. Army knapsacks are equally acceptable for those who must bring one.

Haversack:
-Confederate or U.S. Army haversacks are equally acceptable. Confederate bags must be plain cotton or painted cloth, copied off of an original, and be appropriate for 1862. Even Lieutenant Allen was carrying a Yankee haversack by this point.

Canteen:
-U.S. Army canteens of the early Philadelphia or New York styles. “Smoothside” Philadelphia canteens should have a stopper capped with a small flat tin washer and a string attachment, a leather or sewn cotton sling, and be covered in grey wool and cotton “canteen 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. Corrugated U.S. Army canteens are unacceptable. Lieutenant Allen noted that all the members of his company had picked up Yankee canteens.
-Confederate tin drum canteen.

Company Baggage:
-The Ben Hill Infantry had access to their wagon and company baggage for the first time since they began campaigning in the Valley. The company had 10 boxes containing a number of skillets, camp kettles, and mess equipment, axes and other tools, a Sibley Tent, and a number of Fly Tents. These items will be provided to the company for the event.

EQUIPMENT:

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

Belt:
-Leather belt with roller buckle. Oilcloth belts are unacceptable.
-Frame buckle belt.
-U.S. Army belt with sewn keeper. Belts with brass keepers are unacceptable.

Cartridge box:
-Confederate cartridge box
-U.S. Army cartridge box. 1864 pattern boxes are unacceptable.

Cap box:
-Confederate cap box
-U.S. Army cap box

Scabbard:
-Confederate scabbard
-U.S. Army 2-rivet scabbard. 7 and 8 rivet scabbards are unacceptable.

ARMS:

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

-.69 caliber muskets are strongly preferred, to include 1816 conversions and 1842s.
-.1855 or 1861 Springfields or Enfields in limited numbers are acceptable for those who do not have a .69 weapon.

Impression Guidelines:
Bedford Light Artillery, Summer 1862

GENERAL

Appearance and clothing should generally be in good condition. The Bedford Artillery missed the recent campaign as the battery was in Richmond being reequipped. Excessively long hair is discouraged and modern hair styles are unacceptable.  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.

Jacket:
-Richmond Clothing Bureau jacket made of logwood jeans with red trimmed collar, cuffs, and epaulettes. Trim kits will be offered to those needing to appropriately trim an untrimmed Richmond jacket. Untrimmed Richmond jackets are unacceptable.
-Non-descript grey jeans jacket with red trim of the pattern many members of 1st Section already have.
-Plain grey jeans frock if you do not have one of the above.

Pants:
-Richmond Clothing Bureau pants made of yarn dyed logwood jeans.
-Confederate military pants made of grey or brown jeans.

Shirts:
-Confederate issue shirt made of cotton osnaburg.
-Plain citizen’s shirt made of wool flannel or printed cotton.
-Avoid overrepresented checked cotton “homespun” shirts if at all possible.

Headgear:  
-“Early” Richmond artillery kepi with red broadcloth body and blue broadcloth band.
-Citizen’s hat.

Footwear:
-Confederate, U.S. Army, or citizens shoes or boots are all acceptable.

BAGGAGE

Mounted men will carry their baggage on their saddles. Drivers will strap their baggage to the off horses. Cannoneers will strap knapsacks to the carriages as much as practicable. Cannoneers must carry their haversacks and canteens.

Blanket:
-Confederate, U.S. Army, coverlets, and carpet are all acceptable.

Ground Cloth:
-Confederate oilcloth
-U.S. Army gum blanket if you do not have an oilcloth.

Shelter Half:
-None.

Knapsack:
-Confederate “Kibler/Mexican War” knapsacks are strongly encouraged. Imported British knapsacks and U.S. Army knapsacks are acceptable if you do not have the former. Bedrolls are reluctantly accepted.

Haversack:
-Cotton Confederate haversack.

Canteen:
-Confederate tin drum canteen.

Company Baggage:
The Bedford Artillery were using Wall Tents and Fly Tents in the Summer of 1862, and had a number of skillets and camp kettles. These items will be provided to the company for the event.

EQUIPMENT

Cannoneers will not wear belts or any other equipment. Mounted men may choose to wear sabers or not.