The Top 5 Most Common Reenactorisms and Farbisms

Reenactorisms are things that have been established as historical truth by reenactors in the past and have been regarded as the truth without ever having been researched or challenged by anyone. Usually, reenactorisms just aren't true. Farbisms are just common inaccuracies. Today, I will try and debunk some of these myths and correct some of these misconceptions.

1.) Confederate Overcoats- We all have seen and become quite familiar with those cadet gray overcoats that mainstream sutlers try and pass of as being "Confederate Issue" overcoats. The fact of the matter is - they are just plain wrong.
If you turn to the overcoat page in Echoes of Glory (p. 150), the first thing you will notice is that not one of those coats looks the same. Every one of the overcoats on that page were all made at home and sent to the soldiers by their wives and swwethearts.
Among the many goods that were brought from England to the Confederacy were dark blue kersey overcoats. These and many other blue "English Army Cloth" goods (including trowsers) were sold to the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia by the English Contract Firm Isaac and Campbell. The Confederate government did not begin to recieve I & C army cloth until 1863, however.
There is also record of "liberated" Union sky blue overcoats being used by Confederate troops, but not in the numbers in which other overcoats were seen.
So, we know that there were homemade overcoats and English overcoats, but did the Confederate army issue any kind of overcoat that was made on their own soil? Yes, but they were not as common as one would believe. They were made of jean wool and had lay down collars rather than the Union stand up collars.
So, I would say, for authenticity's sake, stay away from any gray Confederate overcoat unless it is a homemede pattern. You are much safer to just go with a homemade gray jean wool overcoat than an issued coat, because the whole thing with "issued" greatcoats can get a little hairy.

2.) Firing By the Drum- This is one that I am sure most of you drummers out there are QUITE familiar with. Some units take it as gospel truth that firing by the drum was used frequently in battle and drill. Here is some evidence against it:
A.) Fifers and drummers were usually sent to the rear during battle. They would frequently play
songs during battles, but fifers and drummers were almost never used to relay commands in
battle because the sound of a drum is to similar to that of musket fire. That job was left to the
buglers to give "commence firing" and "cease firing" commands. Other than playing cadences
and quicksteps for the troops when they advanced, drummers usually stayed silent during battle
and stayed behind their regiment.

Now, here is some evidence for it:
B.) Similar calls appear in almost every drill manual from that time period. Most European manuals
(as well as the American drill manual that was used during the war of 1812 for training)
call for a beat to be given at each step of the loading process as a "volley" signal. This is
generally a "1-2-3-4" kind of beat (like "fire by the drum") that can be used to help a unit
produce a nice crisp volley.

So, with both of these arguments in mind, the solution can probably be found somewhere in the middle. My personal belief is that, if "fire by the drum" was used, it was ONLY used in drill and NEVER used in battle.

3.) Displaying Irish Symbolism- Here is a seriously farby issue. It has become overwhelmingly common for reenactors to wear small brass Irish harps on their hats, their coats, and just about anywhere else. Go to any event and I am sure you will see at least one. I am of Irish descent myself (and very proudly so, I might add) and I love to show my Irish pride every once and a while. But, a reenactment is not the place to do it unless your unit is one that was famously Irish (aka. the 69th New York). Look at as many original photos as you want, but you will scarcely find one with any kind of hat-brass harp in it.

4.) Tents, Tents, Tents!- This issue is just common sense. At almost every mainstream event, you see hundreds of A-tents. This is one of the most glaringly incorrect aspects of most of our events. Why? Most battles took place when the troops were on campaign. Instead of seeing rows and rows of A-tents, you would have seen shelter tents, a few shebangs, and a lot of people sleeping under the stars. A-tents were only used for semiperminent and perminent encampments. Unless a battle was historically fought by troops who were not on campaign (like Cedar Creek), leave your A-tents at home. For a good article on the subject, read "Shred The Tents and Burn The Wagons" by Mark "Silas" Tackitt.

5.) Shelter Tent Ends- Ditch that button-on end to your shelter tent. The US army didn't issue end pieces for their shelter tents during the Civil War. It wasn't until 1865 that an end flap was proposed, but none were ever made or issued. The US army never issued and end flap until 1892. My best suggestion, if you feel that you really need an end on your tent, stretch a gum blanket over one of the open ends.

Comments

[Sandy]

Wow! I was particularly interested in the part about the jackets. I thin I remember seeing old pictures of soldiers in the sky blue jackets you mentioned. There weren't a lot of them, but since blue is my favorite color, I remembered them. I can't remember where I saw the pictures because I was quite little when I saw them. Probably saw them at my grandparent's farm in Tennessee.

[Sandy]

That was supposed to be think and not "thin"... shades of Ricky Ricardo!

[william]

They were quite common. The sky blue always looks nice out on the field, too!