1800's Period Dress?

Black bowler hat, white shirt, black bow tie, brown shoes or boots, black or brown slacks, brown sport jacket, white socks.  That would be appropriate for post Civil War to about 1910.

 

 

Kent in SD

I just bought a black derby for that very purpose--to look more like a 19th century fireman. You can get them for very reasonable prices at Village Hat Shop. Try this one:

 

http://www.villagehatshop.com/...ish_derby_black.html

Dixie Gunworks has quite a bit of clothing for the period you are interested in. If you check out their website it islisted under general merchandise.

Best thing to do would be to contact one of the reenactor units going to Shiloh and ask to borrow something appropriate from their loaner chest; most every larger outfit has one. They're as interested in having people look accurate as you are. If you want to PM me, I can get some contact information for you tonight or tomorrow (actually, the Authentic Campaigner is the other window I have open right now!)

 

--Becky

There is a Civil War Recreation Soc, or something like it that could help.  And go to a BN and get NORTH AND SOUTH or like CW magazine, and check the ads.

thanks everyone.... smd4, you riding or working?

No, Unseen, I won't be on that train. I'm a fireman for a small railroad museum here in NC, and I just think it would be fun for our guests to mix it up every once in a while, and not wear the usual t-shirt and baseball hat all the time.

This lady would like to help by answering questions for you, and anyone else planning to go to the reenactment:vmurphymantuamaker@gmail.com

She was a little surprised that no one had spoken to you about clothing, since it's a history-heavy (aka "hardcore") event.

For anyone else interested in 19th century clothing, you could do worse than to take a look around her site:

http://www.themantuamaker.net/

There are also a lot of good articles here:

http://thesewingacademy.org/

And this could keep you looking for ages. The railroad map collection alone is enough to get lost in. I'm just going to put up the whole military page at the Library of Congress, and you can find the military trains and all:

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/br...tegory=War,+Military

UP 844 in civil war.  How authentic is that

Oh, they already had that discussion...at great length...and some of them weren't happy. Some were mad because the Coast Guard wouldn't let them covrr up the lifejacket chests on the steamboat. Being authentic is good, but being realistic has to come in somehow. I just don't want anyone to get yelled at when it ougt to be fun.

Oh, they already had that discussion...at great length...and some of them weren't happy. The available engines aren't from 1862, and nothing big enough to pull that size of train is. I don't think some of them get it (or ever will.)

 

Some others were mad because the Coast Guard wouldn't let them cover up the lifejacket chests on the steamboat. That isn't going to happen. The Coasties have this odd devotion to keeping people safe.

 

Being authentic is good, but being realistic has to come in somehow. I just don't want anyone to get yelled at when it ought to be fun. Borrowing period-correct clothes (or getting some that look reasonably close) goes a long way toward avoiding the angry ones.

 

(ETA rolling eyes and correct a couple of phone-post-induced typos.)