Civilian Authenticity Guidelines
Civilian Impressions
| Abraham's Lady | ||
| 25 Steinweir Avenue | http://www.abrahamslady.com/ | Ph: (717) 338-1798 |
| Gettysburg, PA. 17325 | Fax: (856) 853-6038 | |
| Gettysburg Emporium | ||
| 421 Baltimore Street | https://www.facebook.com/GettysburgEmporium | Ph: (717) 338-0000 |
| Gettysburg, PA. 17325 | E-Mail: Eileen@GettysburgEmporium.com | |
| Needle and Thread | ||
| 2215 Fairfield Road | http://www.woodedhamlet.com/about_us/index.html | Ph: (717) 334-4011 |
| Gettysburg, PA 17325 | Fax: (717) 334-1819 | |
| Timely Tresses | http://timelytresses.com/ | Ph: (919) 235-8221 |
| E-mail: admin@timelytresses.com | ||
| Three Sisters Millinery | http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=threesistersmillinery | Kathey Kelley Hunt |
| J. R. Robinson Mercantile | ||
| 206 Bedford Street | http://www.jrrobinsonmercantile.com/ | Ph: (508) 947-5582 |
| Lakeville, MA 02347 | Email: jrrobinsonmercantile@gmail.com | |
| Judith Robinson, Proprietor | ||
| Originals by Kay | ||
| 721 East Wayne Street | http://www.originals-by-kay.com/ | Email: KGnagey@aol |
| Fort Wayne, IN 46802 | Kay Gnagey | |
| The Octagon Ladies' Repository | ||
| 10095 Wadsworth Rd. | http://www.octagonlr.com/ | Ph: (330) 855-4251 |
| Marshallville, OH 44645 | E-Mail octagonlr@aol.com | |
| Lynne Bury and Elizabeth Rock, Proprietors | ||
Home Preservation Re-Enacting Civilian Impressions Authenticity Joseph Pierce
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© 2011 Company F, Fourteenth Connecticut Volunteer Infantry 1862-1865, Inc. All rights reserved.
Research:
The following books, videos, DVD’s, websites and periodicals can assist you greatly in your civil war impression:
Who Wore What” by Juanita Leisch (ladies).
“The Civil War” by Ken Burns (video/DVD and book by the same title), with a related website as well: (http://www.pbs.org/civilwar/).
A Separate Battle by Ina Chang.
“The Citizens’ Companion” (periodical) available via subscription and back issues available.
Lots of current advertisers and websites. Happy surfing!
“Civil War News” periodical,
mail@civilwarnews.com , www.civilwarnews.com
This is Fanny and Vera’s site. Excellent information, dry wit.
www.shasta.com/suesgoodco/newcivilians/
(great website by Fred Jordan for the 40th Pennsylvania – comprehensive!)
http://homepage.mac.com/fjordaniv/cwreenactors/index.html
One of our favorite shoppes in Gettysburg
http://trulyvictorian.netfirms.com/index.html
http://www.vivandiere.net/reenact.html
Some VERY basic information:
http://www.sutler.net/beginners.asp
We can also highly recommend the website for the Atlantic Guard Soldiers’ Aid Society
Some pattern companies we can recommend are Truly Victorian, Harper House, and look for the historically accurate lines available through Simplicity and McCall’s.
Be very, VERY careful of what is available on EBay. Some of it is excellent. Some of it is NOT. You don’t want a closet full of unusable Civil War clothing.
Borrowing:
You can most likely borrow something for your first time out, if you have not acquired anything appropriate to wear. After that, please provide your own Civil War Era garb, circa 1862.
Comportment:
Civil War Re-enactors have a lot of public contact. We are often role models for people interested in the Era or in Living History. At any event, consider yourself an ambassador of the time period and this organization. Dress, language and behavior need to be befitting a lady or gentleman of the 19th century. Remember that the public is not only watching but listening. Please welcome them and invite them to share whatever you may have brought for them in the way of refreshments. Invite them to ask questions about whatever period-related activity in which you may be engaged. Stop talking about present-day affairs. If an object is off-limits to the public, place it outside of public view.
Site Maintenance:
The site at our Living Histories must have anything past 1865 hidden from site. No Dunkin’ Donuts, Styrofoam or plastic coffee cups, no modern magazines etc. If in doubt, please consult us. Period-correct furniture is highly suggested. Look at paintings and CDV’s (cartes des visites) and look in history books.
Activities:
Things for the ladies or civilian gentlemen to do at a re-enactment: hand crafts, sing (period appropriate music) roll bandages, scrape lint, represent the U.S. Christian Commission or Sanitary Commission, have tea or lemonade together, cook (period-appropriate)**, make ice cream in an old-fashioned hand-crank ice-cream maker, write letters for a soldier, (with appropriate stationery, pens/pencils, envelopes, etc) enact scenarios, talk to The Public, depending upon what your role may be.
**In the absence of our company cook.
If you decide you would like to continue re-enacting with us and the 14th after trying it out, you are required to join the Unit, upon approval by its Executive Board, as an Associate Member at the very least, for insurance and support purposes. One of the primary distinctions between the 14th and other Living History or re-enactment groups is that we support, and are active in, Battlefield Preservation and other historic preservation, so your money goes to a good cause.
