Soldiers Hair Styles

[Johan Steele]

I tried the search function but came up short.

I am looking for photographic or literary evidence of hairstyles worn by the men in the field. How long did the average soldier let his hair grow during campaign?

I'm not looking for regulations but reality; I expect there are very few CDV's in existance showing long haired men and wonder if relatively long hair was anything more than a freakish rarity.

This is just one of those questions that pops into the mind unbidden... I spent several hours searching and couldn't find a solid answer.

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

Re: Soldiers Hair Styles

If you can get your hands on a copy of "The Columbia Rifles Compendium" (either volume I or II), there is an outstanding chapter with many photos of convellescing soldiers right out of the field which gives great insight on hair cuts and lengths. As you surmise, there was little "long" hair, in fact they were mostly off the collar. The chapter includes great information through the photos that includes facial hair as well. That is the best grouping I've seen yet to understand soldiers hair as worn at least in the field.

[tarheelmilitia]

Re: Soldiers Hair Styles

My hair is the hardest thing to get right in my impression. I'm sure alot of other guys have my problem. Due to my career, I'm required to keep my hair short. I always use the excuse about having lice.

[Becky Morgan]

Re: Soldiers Hair Styles

Very short hair shouldn't be a problem. I have to dig up the citations, but I've seen several period accounts of guys shaving their heads when they had a chance to get any barbering done. If you look around the LOC images, you'll see slightly long hair, nearly bald, and every stage of growing out in between:

http://memory.loc.gov/ndlpcoop/nhnycw/ad/ad03/ad03011v.jpg

Or this one. Facial hair, no facial hair, long hair and severe ear-lowering:

http://memory.loc.gov/ndlpcoop/nhnycw/ad/ad03/ad03015v.jpg

Some of these guys look as if they've shaved their heads and are letting it grow out:
http://memory.loc.gov/ndlpcoop/nhnyc...7/ad17001v.jpg

[Brian Wiswell]

Re: Soldiers Hair Styles

This photo was interesting.

http://memory.loc.gov/ndlpcoop/nhnyc...7/ad17001v.jpg

showing how short some had their hair cut. An idea of the practicality forced on them by campaigning.

Brian Wiswell

[riptailedroarer]

Re: Soldiers Hair Styles

I'am sure that read of Col. Ellsworth shaving or cutting his hair prior to going on campain. This stuck with me because the usal iamge of him is of a man with hair down to his coller.

[John Slade]

Re: Soldiers Hair Styles

I too have seen accounts of shaved heads amongst the soldiers. From what photos I've seen(I understand that this may not be accurate for soldiers on campaign), it usually appears to be( a rough estamate) 1-2 in on the sides and 3-4 in on top. most commonly combed back toward the rear of the head creating a nice volume on top.
John Slade
Glad I caught myself before the mods did. I sign half my e-mails with my first person.
Aaron P. Duafala
Wheeling's own Shriver Greys

[ericmaggard]

Re: Soldiers Hair Styles

Great Picture not to jump of subject but does anyone know what bridge this is in the background.

Back on subject, also keep in mind too that some companies had a barber in the ranks therefore, before, during, and after campaign they could get a cut. This would have occurred very frequently, well, picture this: Marching... tramp tramp tramp etc. then your head starts to itch... a day or two later infestation. I for one would say cut this off so that I could clean myself of the vermin and graybacks. Cutting could even occur in the ranks... slip the shears out of the haversack and minutes later half your hair is gone.

[Dale Beasley]

Re: Soldiers Hair Styles

I had a barber who was at Ft Bliss, he said he had been cutting hair since Little Big Horn, he said the "High and Tight" had been around since the Civil War :D

[Watchdog]

Re: Soldiers Hair Styles

Based on studying photographs (1860-1870) I found that the most common attribute of men's hair was that the hair was combed back off of the forehead. Next, hair parts were on the side--occasionaly one on each side. Center parts are rare--perhaps less than two or three percent. Remember that women's hair was parted in the center most of the time. There was close cut, short hair or cropped hair styles as well. I have only seen one image of a "pony" tail in thirty years. The man had hair to the middle of his back and it was tied with a string or leather cord.

Sideburns run from none--level with where the front of the ear is attached--to "Burnsides" length.

Hair length could be over the ears and below the shirt collar.

This is one facet of your impression that does not cost much to keep accurate. Keep it off your forehead, do not part it in the midddle and loose the pony tail.

[Gallo de Cielo]

Re: Soldiers Hair Styles

Attached are three images of men in the 4th GA (I scanned them originally due to the nifty jackets all are sporting). They show a decent variety of styles. As has been noted above- off the forehead and often parted on the side.

I believe these come from the Georgia volume of Portraits of Conflict.

Regards,

[Gallo de Cielo]

Re: Soldiers Hair Styles

Thrice mas.

Again, these are from the Portraits of Conflict series. One is from the Texas volume, not sure on the others.

Regards,

[GWilson]

Re: Soldiers Hair Styles

This hair style is rather unusual:

In Co. Aytch, Sam Watkins describes a fellow Tennessee Thompson as a rare bird. "Tennessee usually had his hair cur short on one side and left long on the other, so that he could give his head a bow and a toss and throw the long hairs over on the other side, and it would naturally part itself without a comb" (page 66)