Farbs?

[Ken]

Came across these two fellas and couldn't resist. Would these guys get some stares today if they showed up at an event? The classic baseball cap folded brim and the oh so long canteed strap. Enjoy.

:D

[Wounded_Zouave]

Re: Farbs?

I love it when the "forage-cap-brim-has-to-be-perfectly-straight" dogma is challenged by photographic evidence. The "canteen-has-to-almost-be-in-your-armpit" is another doctrine that has long deserved some iconoclastic thrashing. :wink_smil

[paulcalloway]

Re: Farbs?

The terms "always" and "never" are dangerous ground when discussing material culture. Lets not get too carried away though, these examples don't rise to the level of leopard skin pants.

Nice photos.

[Charles Heath]

Re: Farbs?

Ken,

You can do better than both of those images, if you try. The first fellow barely has a rain wave in the bill of his cap. A good baseball cap curve has a pronounced upside down "U" shape to it -- almost coming out to a point. Don't see many of those in period images, but....

Now, take a real good look at that strap on canteen boy. See two little...yeah, those things. Guess what they are! Of course they didn't do that back then. That's a keeper for the files, for sure.

Find a few images where the canteen is down about knee cap level and we'll talk. ;)

Speaking of images, does that cap in the first one happen to be a private purchase model with a painted pasteboard bound brim?

[mtvernon]

Re: Farbs?

The terms "always" and "never" are dangerous ground when discussing material culture. Lets not get too carried away though, these examples don't rise to the level of leopard skin pants.

Nice photos.

I'm still looking for evidence of the lost jaguar-skull headdress-wearing regiment. I'm pretty sure they were from Ohio but I've sort of hit a brick wall as far as photographic proof. I'm told they wore their canteens just like the above example.

[burt60]

Re: Farbs?

Look how fat the guy on the left is and hat brass too! Definatly Mainstream

[HOG.EYE.MAN]

Re: Farbs?

"Came across these two fellas and couldn't resist. Would these guys get some stares today if they showed up at an event?"



I don't think so.... Just because they have slightly rounded bills? If these guys walked through a time warp, and showed up at an event, they would look better than anyone there. I would stare for that matter, not the rounded brim. I mean you can seriously tell the difference between a farby cap, an authentic cap or even a real cap for that matater. We are so used to equating rounded bills to farby forage caps, when we see a real one like that, we think it's odd........ Not me.

I would stare at the guy on left for being so fat probably.

[paulcalloway]

Re: Farbs?

Now, take a real good look at that strap on canteen boy. See two little...yeah, those things. Guess what they are! Of course they didn't do that back then. That's a keeper for the files, for sure.

Not to mention we got a jack-chain there pure as the driven snow.

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Re: Farbs?

I agree with Paul regarding using terms that leave no room for discussion, like "always" and "never".

I suspect it got eaten in one of the recent forum crashes, but about a year ago I posted some newspaper accounts of an 1884 GAR encampment in western New York State that listed happenings and weekend activities very similar (or worse than) what you'd expect at a really goofy "farbfest"... except this really happened and was done by the veterans themselves. Among my favorite incidents were the pre-planned "surprise" attack on the camp by some Seneca Indians from a nearby reservation (how many times have "campaigners" castigated the "Indian" at some Eastern mega-events?), and how the women of the nearby town attacked the camp on another day and stole the flag (sounds like the incident between some yahoos and the US commanding general at Cedar Creek about four or five years ago). Should this stuff be portrayed for a reenactment representing troops on campaign? I believe not, but the moral of the story is that history is full of odd things and weird but documented stories that challenge certain aspects of reenactor dogma.

[arthurlee]

Re: Farbs?

Great picture. I like the fellow at the bottom wearing his cover (hat) further back on his head. I also enjoyed seeing the 4 button coats. The canteen looks pretty "mainstream" with the larger strap loops. Goes to show that the common foot soldier, both then and now, were not always ready for inspection. Thanks for the photo.
Arthur Maxwell
Shepherd Texas

[Ken Cornett]

Re: Farbs?

Great discussion pic. The guy on the left appears a little thick. His sack buttons look like they might pop off. The guy on the right looks like he has hat brass on. Farbs for sure. :p

[Ken]

Re: Farbs?

Ken,

I was thinking this fella was eating pretty good.

[PvtShot]

Re: Farbs?

It looks to me that there might be some Artillery brass on the hat of the man to the right. Is it possible that these guys were in an Arty unit? Did they march as much as an Infantry unit? That could explain the modified, extra-long canteen strap, and the portly fella.

Good conversation starter...

Cheers!
Eliot Toscano
(The Buckras)

[flattop32355]

Re: Farbs?

I'm still looking for evidence of the lost jaguar-skull headdress-wearing regiment. I'm pretty sure they were from Ohio but I've sort of hit a brick wall as far as photographic proof. I'm told they wore their canteens just like the above example.

I believe you are referring to Battery L of the 123rd Ohio Light In The Loafers Medium Artillery & Deli Catering , recruited out of the Cincinnati metropolitan area. They were all members of an obscure semi-fraternal order, and incorporated their societal traditions, such as the above mentioned, into their military service.

They are probably best known for several interesting culinary firsts, among them the use of their small calibre cannon for flash-cooking small chunks of beef; the larger the powder charge that was touched off, the closer to well-done the meat. These small weapons became known ever after as "quarter pounders".

The few known photographs of this unique unit are apparently ensconced in a select few private collections, although rumor has it that they are of no particular historic value, due to the fact that the photographer who recorded them for posterity had the unusual habit of placing his thumb directly over the lens while making exposures.

[Clsinclair]

Re: Farbs?

Attached is my a picture of my GG Grandfather, James Sinclair. He was about 5'8" and thick around the mid section. Notice the pull of the coat. Legs are also thick. He was stationed in Charleston with the 7th Battalion. He was shot in the thigh and both hips and survived the war with a terrible limp. He was Paroled at Greensboro.

Claude Sinclair