Civilian sidearms?

[cwbelle]

Re: Civilian sidearms?

Lisa-Marie:

Clark is bringing forth another important issue -- are you portraying a woman living on the "frontier" -- Illinois and further west? Or are you living in an Eastern small town, farm or city?

Karin Timour
Period Knitting -- Socks, Hats, Balaclavas
Atlantic Guard Soldiers' Aid Society
Email: Ktimour@aol.com

Karin Timour:
Depending on the event (whether or not it is suitable to use my first person) I would be in a small, nothern town. My first person (Miss Statira Jewett) attended Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois (perhaps "frontier", depending on what your definition is--it was fairly close to Chicago and there were a fair amount of other little towns nearby by then). Wheaton was a small town along the railway that leads into Chicago about 30 miles away. I've read about soldiers getting on at the "Wheaton station" while heading to training camp.

However Miss Jewett also went home sometimes to St. Louis where she was originally from. There's probably much more of a chance her home there would have been searched.

You are correct also in your assumption that the Tower is a fairly large and cumbersome firearm. Comparable to what I believe are called "Saddle pistols".

I think many of my questions have been answered. Thank you everyone!
Sincerely,
Lisa-Marie

[KarinTimour]

Re: I'll take water containers for $200, please...(long post)

Dear Mark:

Thanks for all the background information on your impression of a newspaper sketch artist --- it sounds fascinating. I've only been to one event that had a guy portraying a sketch artist -- it was at Borderlands State Park in Massachusetts several years ago. Does anyone else reading this post know the name or contact information of the gentleman who did the sketch artist impression? When we talked, it seemed like this was his regular impression, and it might be fun for you two to compare notes.....

You wrote:
As I mentioned, I have been doing as much research as I can on these individuals, but when it comes to proper clothing and equipment, I have lots of questions. So I'll take advantage of your expertise, if that is agreeable with you.

Fire away -- some things I know lots about, others very little. But I do know that there are alot of other people who post here who know lots about the areas where I know little, so even if I don't have a clue on a specific question, others might be able to help.

You wrote:
Most important to me is the ability to draw and write as the artists did. I have a background in art and design, so that has been an asset in being able to sketch and/or paint quickly. I have picked up some materials and supplies from Sullivan Press, and copy books and instruction books on Spencerian penmanship, and have been laboriously working at that. Being left handed doesn't help when one is using pen and ink...

Now, with regard to Spencerian writing, there was a thread here about that, and someone (Kathy Bradford? Hank Trent?) was making the point that people "of a certain age" would likely have learned not Spencerian but rather Copperplate. You might want to check out that thread.

You wrote:
Wool sack coat (flap pockets or slash pockets?), shawl collar vest,

I'm not going to be much help with regard to men's coats, but I know that many others know much more than I -- who knows about coat pockets?

You wrote:
white cotton or flannel shirt,

Cotton flannel or wool flannel? Now, you mention white shirts, I'd like to ask some questions about that. Are you basing that on seeing pictures with Waud in a white shirt? Where is he getting his laundry done if he is travelling in the fringes of the army? I'd posit that he might have a white shirt that he keeps for "best" (and getting your picture taken, even in the field, would strike me as a "best" occassion). But that during most of the rest of the time he's wearing colored shirts of some kind -- hides the dirt better, especially if you go long stretches without being able to get your shirts laundered.

You wrote:
what would a special artist who was in close contact with the armies, who was constantly on the move, who frequently was very close to the action and who needed to travel light use for carrying water, food rations, personal effects and bedding / shelter? I would be on foot during events, so I can't have any evidence of having a mount.

Ok, two answers to this. I'd think that a sketch artist would need to be able to independently manuver so as to be able to see different parts of the battlefield, and to be able to get himself quickly out of the way if it looks like part of the line is about to cave. So I'd argue that he'd likely have a horse in the 1860s. I'd think that a wagon would be too cumbersome -- likely to get jammed up behind the military transport, cannon, etc. A horse could also step off the road if need be, and keep moving in the right direction, or take a side path or a deer trail if it looked like it lead to where the action was.

I'm thinking that for carrying most of what you want to carry, a carpet bag would be ideal. Again, you're going to be limited in what will fit into one -- a blanket probably won't, but you could keep food, personal effects and more sketching paper fairly easily in a carpet bag. A carpet bag is going to run into some serious money -- perhaps in the short term a cloth sack, like a gunny (croaker) sack? Much as I think something like a tapestry haversack would be handy, I've never seen good documentation for these, though I've seen lots of reenactors with them, often made out of various colored fabrics so that they "appear less military." Unless you've got good documentation of these, I suspect that they are a reenactorism.

What about a linen duster coat? I've seen Julio Zagornitz (sic) wearing one of these -- you wouldn't want it too long, because it could catch on briars, brambles, bushes, etc. but it might prove a handy way of having some good sized pockets.

If the event is going to be fairly stationary, you could probably get away with a carpet bag and a pair of saddle bags that you had taken off your horse who is tied "just over the hill there." Your blanket roll you could carry in and set up and then leave at that location.

If the armies are fairly mobile and you're going to have to travel with them, I'd think that your trusty carpet bag and minimal bedding in a blanket roll would get you through. Keep in mind that you need to get a civilian blanket, NOT a military one. Military blankets are liable for confiscation by military if they are found in the hands of civilians. I'd caution even against a blanket made on a military pattern even if it doesn't have the embroidered letters in the middle. Keep in mind that if you fall into the hands of the opposing forces, your impression is going to make you look mightily like a spy -- sketches of trenches, etc. Your sketches, depending on how detailed they were and how extensive, could also give material help to the enemy, in planning their attacks.

What about a period "bring-em-near" (spyglass or telescope)? I'd think that would be very helpful in your impression. Again, something you want to a) keep out of the hands of skulkers, opposition forces, etc. You'll also want to make up a cover for it -- something like a tapestry tube so as to provide a bit of padding for it when it's travelling around in your carpet bag.

Hope that's helpful,
Karin Timour
Period Knitting -- Socks, Hats, Balaclavas
Atlantic Guard Soldiers' Aid Society
Email: Ktimour@aol.com