16^th Louisiana Infantry Regiment, Company D

Basic Guidelines: { As modified from Sgt.-Maj. Pretus’s suggested guidelines dated July 13, 1998}

The minimum general standards are as follows:

Shoes: Should be of an appropriate mid 19^th Century style, leather, (or possibly canvas), and have natural material laces. Boots should be of a mid 19^th Century style and construction. No modern styles of either.

Trousers: Should be cut and worn to mid 19^th Century standards, i.e. high waisted.

Shirts: Military or civilian. Longer than modern styles. Mid thigh is about right. Bone or mother-of-pearl buttons are period, no wooden buttons.

Undergarments: Although not a necessity, one deprives himself of one of the few period correct comfortable items of wear not worn.

Other Accessories

Insignia: Insignia should be displayed at a minimum. If well documented, unit designation or branch of service may be worn discretely. When units brigade together for special events, insignia will only be appropriate if the scenario allows. Individuals should be prepared to remove inappropriate insignia or gain access to unadorned replacement items. NO CLAN BADGES! NO HARPS!

Rank: All chevrons should be sewn directly on the sleeve. Although convenient, chevrons with backings are incorrect for CS uniforms. Individuals should be prepared to remove inappropriate insignia or gain access to unadorned replacement items.

Glasses: Unless it is absolutely necessary for you to function, I discourage the use of glasses. If glasses must be worn, they should be of mid 19^th Century style. No modern metal or plastic frames. NO EXCEPTIONS!

Weapons: A full-sized 3-banded musket is the preferred weapon of choice in the ranks. Pistols should only be carried by officers.
{2-banded muskets, though historically correct among certain impressions represent a major safety risk when intermingled amidst 3-banders. The issue of 2-banded muskets in the ranks is left to the Safety Committee to consider. As a personal note, while all weapons are potentially dangerous and capable of injury and malfunction, I suffer from a partial hearing loss in my right ear from a 2-bander being fired from the adjacent rear rank and the only three misfires I have ever witnessed from the half-cock position were by two-banders (2 may have been from the same weapon}.

Items to Be Avoided

Bandanas, Sun Glasses, Havelocks, Gaiters, Cigarettes (See accompanying article. They are both a safety issues in the ranks and a general anachronism for the period at any time. They were considered effeminate in the 1860’s), Enamel Ware/Speckle Ware, Aluminum Cans & Plastic of all kinds and Wrist Watches.

Union Specifications

Coats and Jackets: The sack coat or frock coat may be worn. A mixture is possible. Research shows that NCOs may have been issued frock coats as opposed to the rank and file sack coat in some units. All visible buttonholes should be hand sewn.

Trousers: Should be issued blue kersey wool. Any visible buttonholes should be hand sewn.

Shirts: Issue white cotton osnaburg, possibly gray. Button holes should be hand sewn. Bone or mother-of-pearl buttons.

Vests: Should be of mid 19^th Century cut, either civilian or military style. Remember, most Union soldiers did not have vests, and in some regiments it was against regulations to have a civilian vest.

Hats: Forage caps and black slouch hats for western troops. Should not be overloaded with brass. Forage cap brims should only be bent upwards and NOT bent like the brim of a baseball cap.

Confederate Specifications

Clothing: Whereas a Federal impression usually only has to contend with a choice between a frock coat or a fatigue jacket, the Confederate impression has to deal with multiple considerations such as time period of the war (early, middle or late) and theater of operations.

Cloth and Color: Most CS uniforms were issued gray in color. Because of wear, weather, wood smoke, dust, perspiration, inconsistency in dying processes and other factors, this color sometimes faded and altered to variations commonly referred to as "butternut."

Jackets:
Cut - A frock coat for an early war impression. Frock coats, when worn at all thereafter, were worn mostly by officers and NCOs. Columbus Depot, Alabama Depot or Mobile Depot jacket for mid to late war AOT impression.

Fabric – Jean wool is recommended although the commutation style jacket (regular wool, i.e. what most of us purchased from C&D Jarnagin when we first started) is correct for an early war impression for Louisiana troops from the New Orleans area.

Buttons - Will be script or block letter, wood, Union eagle, or if documented, state. NO CSA BUTTONS. All visible buttonholes should be hand sewn.

Trousers: Regular wool, jean cloth or period corduroy. Some kersey may be worn in a unit, but not by more than one or two members. All visible buttonholes should be hand sewn.

Hats: Slouch hats largely. Possibly even one or two forage caps per unit. NO BRASS OR CORDS ON SLOUCH HATS. NO COWBOY, HILLBILLY, OR MODERN SLOUCH HATS.

Belt Buckles: Frame, fork-toothed or state if documented.

Tips On Improving Impression For Free

• Shorten haversack and canteen straps
• Lose weight
• Look at the period pictures not other reenactors
• Practice campaign style

(Source: National Park Military living history Uniform Guidelines)

The Infantry Soldier ¹