Civil War appropriate Leggings & Moccasins???

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

OK...I'm in search of examples of Civil War appropriate "leggings" and "moccasins"...

Note: these may/may not be different than earlier styles...

Paul B.

[Elaine Kessinger]

Re: Civil War appropriate Leggings & Moccasins???

Could we have a bit more information? Are you trying for a particular Native impression? Something that "crossed-over" to the "whitey"? Geographic region? Do you have a picture/drawing/description of what you're looking for?

I "do" several time periods, so I may be able to help or direct you to someone who can. :)

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Civil War appropriate Leggings & Moccasins???

Hallo!

Yes, context would help.

For example, 1860's Apache mocassins are not the same as Northern Plains Lakota or Southern Plains Commanche, or reservation Seneca in New York.

Curt
Who now has this nagging memory of the 10 Ohio Cavalry wearing mocassins at one point I can't get rid of Mess

[FloridaConscript]

Re: Civil War appropriate Leggings & Moccasins???

I know these types of posts are un wanted,but....

I remember reading an account of the AOT making mocasins out of fresh beef hides in Dec of 64 around Nashville. on fellow remembered having to keep a switch handy to keep the flys off.....

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Civil War appropriate Leggings & Moccasins???

OK...the original post was intentially left vague to be broad sweeping, peak some interests...and see what's out there (it would be interesting to note the variations/differences out there for the various types of mocs leggings used in the war...).

I've been doing a bit of reading as of late, some on my own...and some from other groups websites (where they provide contemporary documentation).

One of the units I've come across several articles on, is the Grayson Dare Devils which was to become Co. F 4th VA Regt. of Infantry. These men are described as wearing, "red hunting shirts, leggings, and moccasins"...have we ever defined what is meant by "hunting shirt"? I'm assuming that when we're talking Moccasins of Southwest VA we're describing something that's going to be more along the lines of an Eastern Woodland Moc (Pucker Moc) as opposed to something like an Apache Boot Moc? Leggings...hard to say...I don't know if these transitioned from earlier period styles (with/without overhand/fringe)...and weather made of buckskin...or wool...

The SWB Brigade Website quotes the following (although omits the date of the Newspaper credited): http://www.stonewallbrigade.com/arti...mpression.html

Richmond Daily Whig

The "Dare Devils" from Grayson county, arrived on Tuesday. Their uniform consists of red hunting shirts, but they will change to gray before going into service. The men are unfailing marksmen with the rifle, and, if the opportunity offers, will perforate many of that band who so vauntingly swear that the havoc of war a home and country shall leave us no more."

and the Southern Grays Website quotes another article (also omitting the date of the Newspaper): http://mysite.verizon.net/cglinton/Impressions.html

Richmond Daily Whig

The "Dare Devils" from Grayson county, arrived on Tuesday. Their uniform consists of red hunting shirts, but they will change to gray before going into service. The men are unfailing marksmen with the rifle, and, if the opportunity offers, will perforate many of that band who so vauntingly swear that the havoc of war a home and country shall leave us no more." "The corps from [Grayson] county are said to be perfect nondescripts - they call themselves "Dare Devils" and deep in leggings, moccasins, and other back-woods appliances. There is not a man in the company who is not over six feet in height."

Naturally my interests was peaked, especially given the "sketch" of a Grayson Dare Devil in the Harper's Weekly Newspaper Confederarate Uniforms in the August 17th, 1861 issue. Interesting to note, it shows the Dare Devil mounted on Horseback (which the Richmond Newspapers make no comment of...did the reporter/artists get the wrong unit...use artistic license...etc.???)

http://authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22447

Classic Newspaper Description:

The Daily Dispatch: May 13, 1861.

Gone.
--Over five hundred of the Confederate States troops, part of Maj. Saml. Garland's battalion, left the general rendezvous at the Central Fair grounds Saturday morning, and embarked on the Central cars. The Grayson Dare Devils (armed with muskets and sword bayonets) were of the party leaving, who all looked-capable of chewing up the enemy in the proportion of about five to one.

While this is only a newspaper, and not an official report...since the mention of sword bayonets...are we to interpret musket to actually be "Rifle"??

Grayson County, Virginia: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=...title&resnum=1

OK...so now that I've provided a little more meat to my question...any help (documentation required) would be most appreciated...

Paul B.

[john duffer]

Re: Civil War appropriate Leggings & Moccasins???

"I remember reading an account of the AOT making mocasins out of fresh beef hides in Dec of 64 around Nashville. on fellow remembered having to keep a switch handy to keep the flys off....."


Not doubting your memory but flys are not much of a problem in Nashville in December.:)

[PVT.BEN MILLER]

Re: Civil War appropriate Leggings & Moccasins???

I have done reseach on such things(hunting shirts). I've read that in diarys, when they refer to "hunting shirts" they are talking about 18th centery rifle-men frocks. And also I've herd that leggings,in the east, in the early 1800's, were made of wool, a hands-width above the knee.

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Civil War appropriate Leggings & Moccasins???

Gentlemen,

Alright...me culpa...it's clear I set the wrong expectation on this, by not being forthright with my question...

I am not looking for answers like, "I think I heard somewhere...if memory serves me right...etc.".

I don't mean to be harsh, but lets collectively try and present documentation...otherwise this will just be another waste of cyberspace.

Paul B.

[FloridaConscript]

Re: Civil War appropriate Leggings & Moccasins???

Duff,
you are probably right, but I KNOW I've seen a reference to CS troops making mocasins.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Civil War appropriate Leggings & Moccasins???

Hallo!

I think you are thinking of this:

RICHMOND [VA] WHIG, January 5, 1864, p. 1, c. 4-5

From the Army of Tennessee.
From Our Special Correspondent.

Near Rogersville, East Tenn., }
Longstreet's Corps, Dec. 11, 1863.}
. . . To one subject I would call your attention. Thirty-five hundred men are to-day barefooted, without other means to protect them from the inclemency of the season than the rags they may strip from their backs. When you remember that the weather is so cold that water freezes in ten minutes after nightfall—that the icicles which fringe the mill-races are as thick as a man's body, and that the poor soldiers are driven to the extremity of cutting up the reeking, bloody hides of slaughtered beef to form a temporary pair of moccasins, which may last only ten or twelve hours of marching at best, you can imagine somewhat of the sufferings to which our brave troops are exposed. They are useless to the service in their present condition, and unless Government or people can afford relief promptly, few among them will ever again be in condition to take their places in the ranks of our country's defenders.
F. G. de F.

IMHO...

Mocassins or moccasins are a generic term that cover not only identifiable
Native American cultural forms (such as the "Eastern" simple centerseam, the inserted tongue centerseam, or the "Great Lakes" region "pucker toe"), but also the utilitarian imitations made by Whites such as the "shoepack" or the "hunter's mockason (sic)."

IMHO, it is going to very hard to narrow down "mocassins" without more descriptive Period help.

The same can be true for the term leggins or "leggins" those being "Eastern" side seam and center seam styles, their "Western" cousins, Spanish influenced boats, as well as White military thigh or full length and partial length side button "gaiter" type leg protectors.

Curt

[LWhite64]

Re: Civil War appropriate Leggings & Moccasins???

Yes you did Bry, it was earlier in the campaign though.

[roundshot]

Re: Civil War appropriate Leggings & Moccasins???

An article I did for my unit's newsletter a while back on using untanned hides for shoes on “Longstreet Moccasins”


"On October 9, 1862 the Richmond Daily Dispatch made editorial comment on the subject of clothing in General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia following the Battle of Antietam: “Posterity will scarcely believe that the wonderful campaign which has just ended with it’s terrible marches and desperate battles, was made by men, one-fourth of whom were entirely barefooted, and one-half of whom were ragged as scarecrows . . . We cease to wonder at the number of stragglers, when we hear how many among them were shoeless, with stone bruises on their feet.” In North Carolina, Governor Zebulon Vance appealed directly to its citizens for shoes, blankets, and clothing of any kind for Lee’s destitute troops.
The scarcity of footwear was so severe that individual soldiers in the field sought to alleviate their suffering by wrapping blankets, pieces of rug, straw, rags, and even old hats around their feet in cold weather and on cross country marches. But it was Major General General James Longstreet who at this time came up with a corporate improvisation for footwear that was often irreverently remembered by many veterans in post war years: using freshly skinned commissary hides for moccasins!
As a member of the 1st North Carolina State Troops recalled: “we were commanded to cut up green cowhides and tie the hairy side to our feet. This was the latest novelty in footwear, and being the first exhibitors of the newest ‘fad,’ we were duly proud. Perhaps it may be interesting to know that, whereas some of the modern shoes are unendurable and adapted only to rug-clad floors, our ‘cowhides’ were both comfortable and serviceable.” A Virginian was more lengthy but less flattering in his description: “They were made from the green hide of cattle killed for food, sewed up with thongs or strips cut from the hide, the hair side being inside, next to the foot. These moccosons (sic), or whatever you may call them, were about 16 inches long, and the beef was on them. The men put them on while green, and in a few days they dried, and there was no getting them off without cutting them. It was lucky there were no dogs in camp or they would have given us trouble.”
While utilized by many, this mode of foot covering was quickly found to be impractical for the reason that “the moist, fresh skins slipped about in the mud and slush of Virginia roads as if on ice.” And, in a classic contemporary description, Confederate John D. Hancock noted a couple more drawbacks to the ersatz shoes in a letter to his parents dated November 11, 1862: “[They] stretch out at the heel . . . [and] whip me nearly to death they flop up and down they stink very bad and I have to keep a bush in my hand to keep the flies off them.”
Yet, however short lived their usefulness in waning months of 1862, the colorful (and aromatic) story of “Longstreet Moccasins” has become indelibly woven into the rich fabric of lore surrounding Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. For further reading see: Bell Irwin Wiley, The Life of Johnny Reb; Harold Simpson, Lee’s Grenadier Guard: Hood’s Texas Brigade; and Philip Katcher, The Army of Robert E. Lee."

[jake.koch]

Re: Civil War appropriate Leggings & Moccasins???

I don't have a way to post the picture, but on page 192 of the Union Echoes of Glory there is a pair of knee high deerskin moccasins attributed to a sergeant of the 45th Massachusetts. Also a neat item included with the picture is a pair of metal creepers to attach to the heels for traction on icy ground.