Confederates Across Bridge in Fredericksburg

[Edmund{Road Apple}]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

Are the men sitting in the windows African American or is it just shadowing and the picture making them apear so to me?

[OleMissRebel]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

Are the men sitting in the windows African American or is it just shadowing and the picture making them apear so to me?

My money would be on them being white soldiers. I doubt there'd be many non-soldiers on the extreme front line like that.

[Edmund{Road Apple}]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

My money would be on them being white soldiers. I doubt there'd be many non-soldiers on the extreme front line like that.

Yea you do have a good point there, thanks for the clarification

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

One thing that I notice right off the bat:
None of them are sporting the "Proper Rakish Hat Angle" so loved by us reenactors. Hats all appear to be pulled down low on the forehead to protect eyes from the sun.

Great pic!

[lukegilly13]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

I was just looking at this image trying to determine what material to purchase in a RD II jacket....and I noticed that there are NO soldiers in the picture with trousers lighter in color than their jackets....wonder why? Some match, some trousers are much darker? Is this common in CS pics in Virginia?

[Jimmayo]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

I haven't either....this is a blank spot for me...how would this soldier have obtained a forage cap with that pattern. They show up in various pictures throughout the war (like the one I have on in my Avatar). I think the kepis in the picture are the RD type right?

The state of North Carolina did issue some caps that may appear to be forage caps from a distance. I have one ID to the 27th NC on this page.

http://www.angelfire.com/ma4/j_mayo/csequip.html

[justthemiller]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

I know from listening to a Les Jensen talk some time ago that in the spring of 1863 the ANV received a somewhat large amount of trousers made of black jean cloth. Obviously some of the soldiers in the photo are sporting some of the results of the Richmond clothing bureau's efforts.

[Joe Walker]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

Is it still assumed that this photo is from April, 1863 and the men are from the 17th Mississippi?

Joe Walker
Waco Guards

[rebjeb04]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

That is a great image of Mississippi boys in the field! I'd give near anything to see a uniformed portrait from life of Col. William Falkner (yeah, the William Faulkner's g-grandfather) in uniform.

I know there is a painted portrait of him in uniform at Rowan Oak in Oxford, Miss hanging in the parlour. Could you obtain a copy Ole Miss??

Thanks,
Erik McBroom

[lukegilly13]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

Jim nice link! Thanks for the image of the hat! That hat could easily be mistaken for the McDowell pattern forage cap. I talked with a hat maker one time who told me that the depressed top was much quicker and cheaper to make and was often found on confederate hats...i wondered if he was implying originals but meaning farby reproductions. I started looking at pictures untill I did run across a few. Never knew where they came from!

[lukegilly13]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

Here's a question for you local folks. Are any parts of this bridge still there? In other words, could a person get a modern picture from this angle? Or better yet, maybe have a few pards get together and recreate the picture at ATB? Would be a spectacular way to come home and examine your impression!

[ley74]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

That particular bridge is long gone. A modern one is in its place.

The old Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac line (operated before and after the war) was acquired by CSX in 1991. You might find it interesting to contact CSX about posing on the bridge. I do not think they will let you drop the midsection in the Rappahannock, however.:D

I should note that my personal experiences with CSX for marathons and the like are usually met with "give us enough time and we will try to work something out".

See you at ATB.

[lukegilly13]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

Thanks! That could be a neat picture....a group of reenactors possing on the modern bridge...i can see me ordering a copy of this pic and making a split frame! Appreciate the info!

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

Jim nice link! Thanks for the image of the hat! That hat could easily be mistaken for the McDowell pattern forage cap. I talked with a hat maker one time who told me that the depressed top was much quicker and cheaper to make and was often found on confederate hats...i wondered if he was implying originals but meaning farby reproductions. I started looking at pictures untill I did run across a few. Never knew where they came from!

Note: The evidence of a recessed crown is not indicative that the cap was from NC, manufactured in NC, or worn by NC soldiers. A review of images from several other states, including VA soldiers shows the use of recessed crowns on Early War Caps.

I'm assuming your hat maker's comment about it being easier to do a recessed crown (as opposed to the flat-top crown), is based on not having to use welts, and other joining methods in the construction...my opinion...it's probably all relative in the end, and not having much to do with easier...but rather the desired look, one was trying to achieve.

Paul B.

[lukegilly13]

Re: Confederates across bridge in Fredericksburg

You're exactly right....however, it is evidence that recessed crowns are not necessarily farby. Believe it or not I never thought about original hat makers creating the recessed crown out of preference. My modern hatmaker said that it takes him several hours less time to make the recessed top. Getting back to the image itself, does anyone know the regimental history of this unit? How long and when were they in Fredericksburg?