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There are other posts on this even regarding material culture and some very good information has been shared with everyone reading this board.
I would like to share a concern I have about the impressions and remind everyone that Marmaduke brought Cavalry. This was a raid and he wanted to move fast. Some men were unarmed and some were dismounted but he seems to have brought everyone for fear that those left behind would desert.
This means that for for those of us portraying the 21st Texas we have the task of building an impression that makes us look like cavalry and not infantry. Those of you who are coming mounted, this doesn't apply to you.
However for those of you coming dismounted, the 21st unlike some of the other Texas "Cavalry" regiments managed to keep their horses through out the war. At the same time we know that at some point at least a few of the men in the 21st ended up dismounted around the time of the raid.
For those of you coming dismounted you will have the challenge of looking like cavalry, albeit, dismounted. The guidelines on the event website are all good but realize a texas cavalry man who just lost his horse would probably not have a knapsack. Blanket rolls are probably the best way to go. Perhaps a mixture of saddle bags, or an extra haversack will fill the need if you must have extra baggage.
Regarding the material culture of the 21st all I have garnered comes out of a couple autobiographies. I've seen mention of Mississippi Rifles, shotguns, in addition to the pistols each man carried (Which according to the dug artifacts thread mentions predominantely 31-36 Cal. pistols with a few .44's. William Zuber carried his on a special sling that went across the pommel of his saddle until his mule went down. Those were lost when one of his comrades picked him up.
Neither Buck Walton or Zuber mention anything about uniforms. Walton evidently was wearing a black buckskin suit that hand been dyed with oak bark. He also mentions at the time of Patterson stopping one of his companions from shooting a Federal that was dressed like them, (In ragged civilian clothing). Zuber did not mention uniforms until about the time the 21st disbanded at the end of the war. These however never seemed to make it to the troops as it seems the wagons were looted in Shreveport, LA.
Frank
I would like to share a concern I have about the impressions and remind everyone that Marmaduke brought Cavalry. This was a raid and he wanted to move fast. Some men were unarmed and some were dismounted but he seems to have brought everyone for fear that those left behind would desert.
This means that for for those of us portraying the 21st Texas we have the task of building an impression that makes us look like cavalry and not infantry. Those of you who are coming mounted, this doesn't apply to you.
However for those of you coming dismounted, the 21st unlike some of the other Texas "Cavalry" regiments managed to keep their horses through out the war. At the same time we know that at some point at least a few of the men in the 21st ended up dismounted around the time of the raid.
For those of you coming dismounted you will have the challenge of looking like cavalry, albeit, dismounted. The guidelines on the event website are all good but realize a texas cavalry man who just lost his horse would probably not have a knapsack. Blanket rolls are probably the best way to go. Perhaps a mixture of saddle bags, or an extra haversack will fill the need if you must have extra baggage.
Regarding the material culture of the 21st all I have garnered comes out of a couple autobiographies. I've seen mention of Mississippi Rifles, shotguns, in addition to the pistols each man carried (Which according to the dug artifacts thread mentions predominantely 31-36 Cal. pistols with a few .44's. William Zuber carried his on a special sling that went across the pommel of his saddle until his mule went down. Those were lost when one of his comrades picked him up.
Neither Buck Walton or Zuber mention anything about uniforms. Walton evidently was wearing a black buckskin suit that hand been dyed with oak bark. He also mentions at the time of Patterson stopping one of his companions from shooting a Federal that was dressed like them, (In ragged civilian clothing). Zuber did not mention uniforms until about the time the 21st disbanded at the end of the war. These however never seemed to make it to the troops as it seems the wagons were looted in Shreveport, LA.
Frank
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