Highly Suggested Items

Uniform Coat: The dress coat's basic features include an indigo dyed woolen cloth (broadcloth or uniform cloth as documented in original specimens), a standing collar, skirt with two rear pockets, 1/4 inch padded black or brown polished cotton chest lining, cotton muslin sleeve lining, hand sewn sleeves between body of the coat and sleeve lining, saxony blue/sky blue (not baby blue) welting on collar, cuffs, and a vertical welt along the cuff split.

Eyes and hooks should be attached at the collar and corners of the skirt. There is no internal pocket in this coat, and there is no lining in the back of the coat body or the skirt.

Buttonholes shall be all hand sewn using blue, black, or logwood faded (brown) linen or cotton thread. Uniform coats must have nine 3/4 inch general service eagle buttons on body front, two 3/4 inch general service eagle buttons in back (above the skirt tails), and two 5/8 inch general service eagle buttons on each functional cuff.

All documented arsenal and contract patterns of correct construction are acceptable.

If possible, we try to stick with the four standard sizes of the Federal Army during the war. These were: Size 1 = 36 inch chest, Size 2 = 38 inch chest, Size 3 = 40 inch chest, and size 4 = 42 inch chest. (EOG/US/121-123)

Overcoat: Foot Pattern only. Some features include a greenish cast sky blue kersey wool with a diagonal weave, standing three inch collar, two sets of hooks and eyes, hand sewn button holes and buttons using dark blue or logwood faded (brown) cotton or linen thread, body lining of dark blue kersey wool or a light brown wool & cotton/linen mixed lining, sleeve lining of cotton muslin, cape with six 5/8 inch general service eagle buttons, front with five 3/4-inch general service eagle buttons, back half belt with two 3/4-inch general service eagle buttons attached, two piece cuffs, and a unhemmed skirt bottom. (EOG/US/128-129)

Rifle-Musket Sling: Leather rifle-musket slings of documented patterns only. Here is a section from Geoff Walden's article, "Sling, Arms!," in Vol. 3, No. 3 issue of The Watchdog. It is a great description of what to look for in reproduction musket slings.

The US regulation sling was a leather strap, 46 inches long and 1 1/4 inch wide, with a captive loop at one end, and a brass hook at the other, and a sliding keeper between (US Ordnance Manual, 1861, p.228). The leather specified was "russet bag-leather," which was a brown color, lighter weight leather. It was not the bright orange-red of most reproductions, but was a medium brown that darkened after it was oiled. Besides the color here are other things to look for (and avoid) on reproductions.

There should be no rivets, except those holding the hook on. The captive loop and the sliding keeper were sewn, not riveted. The hook should be a flat brass hook with a point, about 3/4-inch long. It should not be made of brass or iron wire. The end of the sling should be folded over & sewn, and the back of the hook should pass between these leather pieces, and be riveted with two small brass rivets. (6)  

Civilian Coat: Documented pattern, construction, and materials only. You can choose from a civilian sack coat, frock coat, or paletot. Please remember your class when donning a coat. If you're trying to pull off a farmer in a frock coat, pleated shirt, and top hat, you may be a touch off of reality. Materials such as wool and linen were common for coats in a variety of colors. Can be machine constructed with hand details (such as arm gussets sewn by hand in lined coats) and hand sewn buttons and buttonholes a must. Coats can be lined or unlined as seen in original specimens. Lining can be made from wool, cotton, linen, or silk.  

Civilian Trowsers: Documented pattern, construction, and materials only. These should ride high on the waist, be made of wool, jean, linen, or corded cloth. Can be completely hand sewn or a combination of machine and hand work as seen in ready made garments of this era. Checks, solids, and stripes all acceptable. Correct buttons of bone, shell, china, milk glass, hard rubber, or wood in two or four hole styles shall be attached by hand. Other features include hand-sewn buttonholes, buttons, and tieback grommet holes. Some trowsers would implement a back belt instead of a tie.

If workman's overalls are desired, should be made from cotton jean, corded cloth, or cotton demin, with correct button compositions as mentioned above, handsewn or machine sewn seams, hand sewn buttons & buttonholes, and hand sewing details near the cuff and fly.

Housewife: The sewing kit of the common soldier used during the Civil War. Generally homemade of cotton (shirting material), linen, wool, or silk, entirely hand sewn using cotton or linen thread; with compartments for thread, buttons, needles, and patching material. They should neatly roll up or fold, and be secured by two cloth ties or a hand sewn button.
Leather housewives or those of a black tarred exterior coating are also acceptable, but must be patterned after a documented wartime article. May be either hand or machine sewn, with compartments for thread, buttons, needles, and patching material. (EOG/US/222-223)

Personal Items: These items should generally be carried in a soldier's pockets or knapsack. Some items are only appropriate for a camp impression. These should be rather limited in your kit.

• Matches: Generally made out of pine, with red tips, and contained in period cardboard matchbox. Make sure label is of a documented manufacturer, and not a modern maker. Matches were issued to soldiers as well in attached strings or single sticks. (EOG/US/222) 
• Match Box: A private purchase item that some soldiers used to protect their matches from getting damp and wet. Francis A. Lord, in his Civil War Collector's Encyclopedia, states,' "One of the author's collection is of heavy tin, oval in shape, 3-¼ inches long, 2-¼ inches wide" (162). Look at antique stores for some plain tin matchboxes. Avoid most sutler row matchboxes, which contain modern markings and designs. (EOG/US/222) 
• Cotton Napkin: Another item from home or purchased privately. Made out of cotton (the same fabric as your civilian shirt), with two to three colored woven patterns such as small plaids, checks, & stripes. The woven patterns should be the same on the reverse side of the fabric. A simple ¼ inch overlapped hand sewn (whip stitched) border is an additional touch that will prevent fraying of the material. Approximate size should be around 24 x 24 inches. Period cotton towels of correct pattern and weave are also appropriate such as huck toweling. Francis A. Lord, in his Civil War Collector's Encyclopedia, states, "In the Ferris collection is a hand blocked cotton handkerchief (As we learned from William Brewster at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum, this is correctly called a napkin, not a handkerchief), carried in the war by Daniel Heyden, Co. E 149th New York Infantry. The dominant color is red, with white circular designs spread throughout. The size is 25 by 22 inches" (119). (EOG/US/223) 
• Pocket Watch: Key wind watches with relatively plain silver, silver alloy, or highly expensive gold watch covers and backings. Look for roman numerals. You can expect to pay quite a bit for an accurate Civil War timepiece. These will be closely inspected for accuracy. Watch chains seem to be rather rare, but most soldiers just used a piece of leather (shoelace), tied to their suspenders. 
• Pipes: Stick with simple pipes that an enlisted man of limited means would carry. These were commonly made of briar, clay, or wood with corresponding reed or wood stems. Period tobacco use only. Plain rolled cigars are also allowed, but absolutely no cigarettes. This is not negotiable. (EOG/US/222) 
• Toothbrush: Comprised of wood or bone handles with either horsehair or boars' hair bristles commonly called "natural bristles." Please remove any modern markings. Tooth powder or baking soda shall only be used with your toothbrush. (EOG/US/223) 
• Wallet: A private purchase item that some soldiers used to organize any small bills that they had. All wallets shall be correct in pattern, materials, and construction per original specimens. Materials such as leather and rubber were common per original wallets along with handsewn or machine sewn compartments. Francis A. Lord, in his Civil War Collector's Encyclopedia, states, "Most wallets were of brown leather, 4 to 4-½ inches long and 2-½ to 3 inches wide. Many have a wrap-around strap. In the author's collection is a wallet of finely-tooled leather 7 -½ inches long and 3-5/8 inches wide. It belonged to Corporal H.V. Polley, 14th New Jersey Volunteers. The excellent quality of Polley's wallet is unusual. Moreover, its large size rendered it cumbersome to carry in the field" (332). (EOG/US/223) 
• Playing Cards: Playing card decks should be rather plain without numbers and plastic coatings. Can be either patriotic Union decks or standard decks with a flat finish (EOG/US/222) 
• Mirror: A small tin or wooden cased looking glass of approximately three inches in diameter. No modern markings allowed. (EOG/US/222) 
• Razor: Straight steel blades with bone or hard rubber handles. These can be found at antique stores. Once again, no modern markings allowed. (EOG/US/222) 
• Comb: Composed of wood, bone, or hard rubber. Hard rubber folding combs are easier to carry than straight wooden or bone combs. Once again, no modern markings allowed. (EOG/US/222-223) 
• Writing Tablet & Stationary: Plain white or yellowish paper bounded in a period covering such as leather or marble paperboard. Avoid modern bindings and markings. Stationary must be of documented design and construction. No modern stationary allowed. (EOG/US/222-223) 
• Pens, Ink, & Pencils: Pens should be rather plain with steel or wooden points. According to Vol. 1, No. 4 issue of The Watchdog, "Pens actually used during the war have straight, unpainted wooden shafts with metal fixtures on the business ends to accept nibs" (7). Ink should be black in color, and carried in a tin, glass, or wooden inkwell. Pencils should be plain, without modern markings and erasers. (EOG/US/222-223)