Christmas in Camp 1862

[Cal Kinzer]

We are pleased to announce a Federal living history which will be held at the Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park, Arkansas on the weekend of December 6-8, 2019. This is the off-year for the mainstream reenactment, so the event is a campaigner EBUFU, not an adjunct. It will feature an encampment in the village area with drills and soldier life, along with candlelight tours on Saturday night using the Archibald Borden house as a picket post and demonstrating how picket lines actually worked. We plan to have a ration issue along with one or two period sutlers.

Following the bloody battle on December 7, the three divisions of the Federal Army of the Frontier under Brigadier Generals James G. Blunt and Francis Herron camped both on and near the battlefield for about the next three weeks before embarking on December 27th to make a raid on Van Buren. Although the exact campsites of the various units were not recorded, it is reasonable to assume that some occupied the village area in which the main parts of this program will take place.

The event will portray several companies the 37th Illinois Volunteer Infantry in an early-winter encampment. There will be mail and pay calls, packages from home containing food and winter clothing, exchanging of simple gifts by soldiers, caroling, and other activities. Many of our current Christmas traditions, including the modern version of Santa Claus, have their origins during the Civil War, so the program will highlight these. Its main purpose will be to provide an educational experience for both participants and spectators and also to raise funds to benefit historical preservation projects at the Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park.

We hope to provide something that campaigners rarely get - a chance to experience a high quality static field encampment. The event is limited in numbers and participation is by invitation only. The sponsoring unit is Co. B, 24th Missouri Volunteer Infantry. As time goes on, we will be posting more information including impression guidelines and scenario outlines. In the meantime, if you are interested in raising a company, please email me at ckinzer@juno.com. Thanks, and hope to see you at "the Grove"! - Cal Kinzer

[Pennvolunteer]

Re: Christmas in Camp 1862

Impression Guidelines

Headgear
1st choice: civilian hat, mostly black but also a few brown, tan or gray
2nd choice: forage cap, early-war Type I preferred, late-war Type II acceptable
3rd choice: plain dress Hardee hat without insignia

Coat
1st choice: state issue infantry jacket, Illinois pattern preferred (8-button front, cloth epaulettes and plain sleeves
2nd choice: state issue infantry jacket from other states such as Ohio or New York
3rd choice: plain dress (frock) coat without shoulder scales
4th choice: fatigue (sack) coat, issue 4-button preferred

Trousers
Required – sky-blue infantry pattern

Footwear
1st choice: infantry bootees (brogans)
2nd choice: issue infantry or civilian black boots of appropriate style

Shirt
1st choice: issue wool of tan, gray, cream or dark blue color
2nd choice: civilian shirt of cotton, linen or wool in various colors
Drawers
1st choice: period issue or civilian cotton or linen
2nd choice: winter wool or heavy cotton

Socks
1st choice: issue or civilian wool in various colors
2nd choice: white cotton

Winter Clothing – optional but recommended
Issue overcoat (“great coat”), sky blue
Woolen scarf and gloves or mittens

Weapons
1st choice: either a Belgian rifle-musket or Colt Revolving rifle
2nd choice: 1855/1861 Springfield Musket/Enfield rifle-musket
3rd choice: 1842 smoothbore musket
saber bayonet preferred but socket bayonet acceptable

Accouterments
.58 cal. rifle musket cartridge box with shoulder belt (sling) and plates
cap pouch – early war “shield front” version preferred
waist belt with “US” oval buckle – early war version with leather keeper preferred
bayonet scabbard – early war completely sewn or two-rivet versions preferred
rifle belt (sling) – optional but recommended

Field Equipments
Black issue haversack
Federal issue canteen – smooth-side preferred over ringed (“bullseye”) version; gray or tan jeancloth preferred over sky-blue or dark blue; leather sling preferred over cloth
Knapsack – issue double-bag only; optional but recommended
Woolen blanket – issue gray or tan
Rubber blanket – infantry style (no hole) preferred over mounted
Tent – issue common (A-frame) style, 7’ height preferred but 6’ acceptable; no dog tents as these hadn’t been issued yet at this point!

Mess Equipments
Tin or pewter plate or canteen half
Period utensils or combination set
Tin cup or boiler

Personal Items
Books, Bibles, playing cards, smoking equipments, newspapers, letters from home and other items with which to do living history activities in camp

Christmas Items
Packages from home containing winter clothing, cakes, cookies, etc

[Huck]

Re: Christmas in Camp 1862

This might be interesting....

[Pritchett Ball]

Re: Christmas in Camp 1862

This might be interesting....

It's a great battlefield to visit, have done this event twice. If you have never been there, it's a lot of fun, nice interpretive center and museum, good comradery too!