Grey Hair re-visited

[Danny]

This aspect of appearing to be the correct age for an impression, grey head and beard hair, was covered well enough in the Dec 2003 thread "Grey Hair?"

Consensus in that thread was yes, there's too much grey hair in the ranks, privates, non-coms up to Captain where it should hardly appear at all.

Is this too trivial to poll? If so I concede. but I feel it goes towards improving the impression in a significant way.

Dan Wykes

[cannoneer]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

I am losing it faster than it can go gray.
I have never thought about this part of my impression as I am wearing some sort of head covering 90% of the time while the public is around.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

Hallo!

The three headed Hydra of weight, age, and gray hair that plagues a Hobby demographic reality with weight, age, and gray.

I plan on skipping gray and proceeding directly to white.
;) :) :)

Curt
Immortal Mess

[Secesh]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

Hello,
It's funny that you post this thread...I just purchased a quarter plate tintype that surfaced in Ohio of a grey haired, grey stubble faced Union private in battered forage cap and buttoned up greatcoat, which I guesstimate to have been struck early 1862...So some men were grey! Best regards.

[FranklinGuardsNYSM]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

If your impression is that of the 154th NY soldier who was in his 60s and purportedly dyed his hair and lied about his age, though...

...or one of the countless New York B'hoys who slathered Bachelors Celebrated Hair Dye through their locks (because the CVS was out of mousse that week.)

Ingredient lists would be interesting.

[mattifatti]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

Early in 1862 would have found more grey haired people. Once the men discovered the rigors of campaign life, (Peninsula Campaign if you were in the Army of the Potomac) their bodies couldn't handle it as well as the younger non-grey men.

[Secesh]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

Not too mention dying one's hair to look younger would have appeared effeminate to 19th century men and just plain FARBY to 21st century reenactors. Let's face it...the cost of authentically reenacting has risen so dramtically that the majority of people who can afford to do it are those who are older and established in their careers (i.e. making more $)...Best regards.

[Slouch]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

I have friends who have a significant amount of grey hair and they are in their mid-20's. I have about 25% grey hair and Im 32 years old. The point is that grey hair does not equate to age (perhaps wisdom??;).

[woodsda]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

I have had grey hair since I was 19, it is natural, why would I dye it.! I am sure people in the 19th century got grey hair early. Besides, combat does funny things to people and the way they look after words, I know first hand!

[7thNJcoA]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

I did 3 combat tours and I am still not Grey and I was a squad leader which was very stressfull so Im not sure you can go with that.... But it does change your look for sure! I served with a 19yr old who was grey at 14 so it does happen its a genetic gene mutation and is very common.

[Bushrod Carter]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

Not too mention dying one's hair to look younger would have appeared effeminate to 19th century men and just plain FARBY to 21st century reenactors.

I would respectfully disagree. The best case example of vanity and men dying their hair during the 1860s is....

General P.G.T. Beauregard

Beauregard was VERY concerned about his grey hair and kept it dyed black until the dye was difficult to obtain late in the war. There are some great photos of him early and mid war with DARK hair and there are a couple of late war images showing him almost totally white headed.

[Secesh]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

Yes, you may disagree, but in the main it was considered so. Pickett was also spoken of disparagingly simply because he used colognes...And I will remind you that Beauregard was thought to be vain in many circles.

[Rob]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

Not sure where I am on this. My hair has yet to grey out, but my beard already has. If I let my sideburns grow, I look ten years older.

[nrandolph]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

You know, I have never, ever thought about this subject. That said, I'll be 52 this week and I only have a spot of gray on one side...for what it's worth. It's probably more important to have an attitude in which you are really trying to improve yourself and gray hair be damned! You can't dye a bad attitude!

Neil Randolph
1st WV

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

Based on a very small sample of company rosters, I think that some older men did volunteer in the initial rush of enthusiasm, after which most quickly wore out. I think a second wave of graybeards entered later in the war, when both sides were desperate for troops, with the Confederates raising the maximum age of conscription and the combined Federal, state, and local bounties on the northern side swelling to over $1,000 in some cases. I wouldn't be surprised if the frequency of women passing as men followed the same pattern.

In my own case, I find that if I put enough glop in, go without washing for a few days, and get soaked in sweat, the gray is a little less obvious. Seems to me this might be a period solution, too... :)