The following is by no means a complete listing of all quality suppliers. Before you order, talk to your pards on their experiences with various sutlers and suppliers. Read and be knowledgeable of Unit standards. Special ordered items may take from several months to more than a year to receive, especially from private individuals who may be of the highest quality but only make items in their spare time. Just as then, there may be a broad range in the quality of any vendors’ product even among respected suppliers from one lot to the next. If you receive an item that is not what you ordered or to the quality you expected some vendors will work with you while some won’t. And they all can have problems from time to time.

C&D Jarnagin can supply most of the items listed and is well known for their leather goods, brogans, tin ware, canteens and certain uniform items and is a good general supplier having an excellent catalog that may be ordered via mail, phone or E-mail. They are also pretty good to deal with if and when there is a problem.

C&D Jarnagin Co.
Route 3, Box 217, Corinth, MS 38834
Phone: 601-287-4977, Fax: 601-287-6033
http://www.jarnaginco.com

While the Jarnagin items provide a good basic impression, higher detailed (and usually more expensive) items are available from the following list of merchants that members of the Unit have had good experience with:

Uniforms of Wool or Jean Cloth/Wool can either be purchased as the finished product, unassembled kits or patterns and fabric.

Becky & Tom Nall (suppliers of quality jean wool uniforms) Mobile, AL http://www.geocities.com/cottoncityala/cottoncitytailors.html Cottoncity@aol.com	CJ Daley (supplier of quality federal gear) P.O. Box 133 Chewsville, MD 21721 301-766-7112 http://www.cjdaley.com
Tart, Brantley & Benjamin (quality jean wool fabric and finished clothing) PO Box 28 Spring Hope, NC 27882 http://www.bentart.com Mordantman@aol.com	Charlie Childs (quality jean wool, patterns and clothing) County Cloth, Inc. 13797-C Georgetown St. N.E. Paris, Ohio 44669 330-862-3307 http://www.crchilds.com
James Country Mercantile (Shirt Patterns & material) P.O. Box 364 Liberty, MO 64068 816-781-9473 http://www.jamescountry.com	J.Blunt Cothiers P.O. Box 81023 Chattanooga, TN 37414 423-698-8685 SGTMudcat@aol.com
One might consider, as a local option, acquiring a pattern and fabric from Tart, Brantley & Benjamin or Charlie Childs and having a seamstress who is knowledgeable of period clothing assemble the item. Talk to members about who might be good a seamstress. Caution – There is considerable difference between modern and period construction techniques and your mother or wife may not be aware of them. SEE LINKS SECTION FOR OUTSTANDING PICTURES AND DETAILS OF COLUMBUS DEPOT JACKETS.

LEATHER GOODS:
C&D Jarnagin Route 3, Box 217, Corinth, MS 38834 Phone: 601-287-4977 Fax: 601-287-6033 http://www.jarnaginco.com/	Missouri Boot & Shoe 951 Burr Crossing Rd. Neosho, MO 64850 phone: 417-451-6100 http://missouribootandshoe.tripod.com/
BROGANS:
Missouri Boot & Shoe 951 Burr Crossing Rd. Neosho, MO 64850 phone: 417-451-6100 http://missouribootandshoe.tripod.com/	C&D Jarnagin Route 3, Box 217, Corinth, MS 38834 Phone: 601-287-4977 Fax: 601-287-6033 http://www.jarnaginco.com/
HAVERSACKS:
U.S. Haversack Depot 1236 River Acres Dr. New Braunfels, TX. 78130 phone: 830-620-5192 http://www.haversackdepot.com/	C&D Jarnagin Route 3, Box 217, Corinth, MS 38834 Phone: 601-287-4977 Fax: 601-287-6033 http://www.jarnaginco.com/
KNAPSACKS:
Missouri Boot & Shoe 951 Burr Crossing Rd. Neosho, MO 64850 phone: 417-451-6100 http://missouribootandshoe.tripod.com/	C&D Jarnagin (Confederate Isaac & Campbell, Federal Double Bag) Route 3, Box 217, Corinth, MS 38834 Phone: 601-287-4977 Fax: 601-287-6033 http://www.jarnaginco.com/
SHELTER HALVES:
U.S. Haversack Depot 1236 River Acres Dr. New Braunfels, TX. 78130 phone: 830-620-5192 http://www.haversackdepot.com/	CJ Daley (supplier of quality federal gear) P.O. Box 133 Chewsville, MD 21721 phone: 301-766-7112 http://www.cjdaley.com
HATS:
Clearwater Hat Co. (slouch hats) 1002 Clearwater Road Newnata, Arkansas 72680 http://www.clearwaterhats.com/	Dirty Billy’s Hats (slouch, forage and kepis) 430A Baltimore St. Gettysburg, PA 17325 http://www.dirtybillyshats.com/union.htm
Tim Allen Hats (Federal forage and kepis) 1429 Becket Rd. Eldersburg, MD 21784 phone: (410) 549-5145	Chris Semancik 5619 Carroll St. Baltimore, MD 21207 http://www.foragecaps.com
EYEWARE:
Re-Enactment Eyewear (frames & lenses) R.R. #4 Box 62 Williamsport, PA 17701 phone: 717-322-9849 American Board of Opticianary Certified	Eyewear and Personal Accessories (frames only) Jas. Townsend & Son, Inc. 133 North First St PO Box 415-W Pierceton, IN 46562 phone: 219-594-5852 http://www.jastown.com/acces.htm

Recruit’s Equipment List

Eyewear – If you must wear glasses, get an acceptable pair of period correct glasses and frames ASAP.

Minimum Gear - In Order of Priority to be acquired over 1 year (The sooner the better so other recruits can be outfitted):

    Item:
        Brogans – US M1851 Jefferson Brogans w/Heal Plates
        Several Pounds of Black Powder – FF or FFF Grade
        Model 200 Percussion Caps for Musket – 200 to 250 per tin
        End of Newsprint Paper Ream (To roll your own cartridges}
        Army Trousers, Foot Pattern – Sky Blue
        Braces –Suspenders {Could be home made)
        US Regulation Haversack{Could be home made}
        Period Drawers
        Tin PlateKnife,(period pocketknife) Fork (3 tine) & Spoon
        Misc. Small Bottles for Salt, Pepper, etc.
        Period Toothbrush
        Misc. Cloth "Ditty Bags" for personal items
        Candles
        Regular Army Cup
        Blankets (2,1 min.)
        Gum Blanket {Could be home made}
        Poncho {Could be home made}
        Slouch Hat – Black
        Socks – 2,1 pair, cotton or wool
        Civilian Shirt – 2,1
        M1858 "Smoothside" Canteen w/gray cover
        Federal Fatigue Jacket or Frock Coat
        CS Columbus Depot Jacket – Gray Jean Wool
        CS Trousers – Jean Wool
        Type I Cartridge Box – Black
        Cartridge Box Sling – Black
        M1850 or US Shield Cap Pouch
        M1856 Federal Waist Belt – Black
        M1855 Scabbard – Black
        US Oval Belt Plate
        CS Oval Belt Plate
        M 1853 Enfield Musket – 3 Bander
        Triangular Bayonet for Enfield

        With this you are ready to campaign as either CS or US

Other Items You May Want – Not Required (In no order):
        Brown "Beehive" style Slouch Hat
        CS Trousers – Tuscalossa Grey
        Shelter Half – Takes two to made "Dog Tent"
        Tent Pegs for "Dog Tent" (Can be home made)
        CS Frock Coat – Tuscalossa Gray or Gray Jean Wool
        A-Frame "Wedge" Tent
        Tent Stakes for A-Frame (usually 9 needed)
        2nd Army Cup or "Mucket"
        Oil Can (gun oil)
        Springfield Musket
        Double Bag Federal Knapsack – Early War Model
        CS "Kibbler" or "Isaac & Campbell" Knapsack
        CS and/or US Forage Hat(s)
        "Great Coat" – Army Overcoat (Very nice to have in winter)
        CS Canteen
        Candle Lantern

And the potential list goes on and on and on……

Just remember, we are infantry, NOT cavalry or artillery. We have no horses and WILL have to carry what we have on our backs unless encamped in a garrison setting.

Old Infantry Axiom: "A pound in the morning weights 5 pounds in the afternoon"

You will see various sutlers and vendors at many evens. Usually the larger the event, the better the quality and number of sutlers attending. However, just because a sutler sells an item does not mean it is authentic, good quality or even needed. When in doubt, ask a pard you trust and study…study…study.

The finest equipment alone will not a good soldier make. As you begin to collect the outer trappings of a period correct soldier, you also need to attend equipping the mind. Obtain and read the following:

    -> Proposed Standards of the 16^th Louisiana Infantry Regiment, Co. D
        Ask any unit member.

    -> Section on the role of Infantry from "Customs of Service".
        Book available from any good sutler. ~ $30

    -> Hardtack & Coffee
        Available at the Confederate Memorial Hall on Camp St. in New Orleans or any good bookstore or sutler.

    -> Columbia Rifles Research Compendium ~$26
        Andy Metheny
        367 Burroughs Road
        Boxborough, Mass. 01719
        phone: 978-263-1753
        aimetheny@aol.com or http://mars.wnec.edu/~dwilliam/history/crhome

    -> The Hardcracker Handbook – A Guide to Recreating The Western Federal Infantryman ~$25
        Cal Kinzer, Editor
        The Hardcracker Project
        2026 E. 140^th Place South
        Bixby, OK 74008-3657
        phone: 918-366-4833
        ckinzer@Juno.com

"Who knows but it may be given to us, after this life, to meet again in the old quarters, to play chess and draughts, to get up soon to answer the morning roll call, to fall in at the tap of the drum for drill and dress parade, and again to hastily don our war gear while the monotonous patter of the long roll summons to battle?"

"Who knows but again the old flags, ragged and torn, snapping in the wind, may face each other and flutter, pursuing and pursued, while the cries of victory fill a summer day?"

"And after the battle, then the slain and wounded will arise, and all will meet together under the two flags, all sound and well, and there will be talking and laughter and cheers, and all will say: Did it not seem real? Was it not as in the old days?"

…From the memoirs of

Confederate veteran Barry Benson
Written in the 1880’s.

Quoted in Never Call Retreat
By Bruce Catton, p.456