Rosecrans' Pursuit, Presented By 40 Rounds, Liberty Rifles & Independent Rifles. All Rights Reserved.

CONFEDERATE INFANTRY GUIDELINES - The Confederates will portray Gibson's Alabama Battalion. We request that participants be of reasonable age and weight to portray a soldier. Your best efforts to meet this criteria are appreciated. Click Here For Federal Guidelines.

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GENERAL NOTE: All Gear Should be of Period Pattern, Material and Construction.

HEADWEAR

1) Imported British Army Hats.

2) Black citizen’s “slouch” hats.

3) Citizen’s “slouch” hats in others colors.

Receipts for issues to Gibson’s Battalion indicate that a large number of men were provided with hats by the government, with issues of caps notably absent.  Indeed, thousands of black hats, many of which were designed to copy the U.S. Army Dress Hat, had recently arrived through the blockade and it seems Wood’s Brigade was a significant beneficiary.  As such, participants are encouraged to take advantage of the Import Hat Group Buy when it is announced, or wear a black citizen’s “slouch” hat so as to stand out less.   Please avoid kepis and oddball hats. Just wear a good citizen’s slouch hat if you do not have another option.

JACKETS/COATS

1) Columbus Depot jackets copied from any of the numerous surviving original examples, made of grey or brownish grey wool and cotton jeans, lined in white cotton osnaburg, are VERY STRONGLY PREFERRED.

2) Contact battalion organizers with information about a different identified garment you believe is potentially appropriate. Miscellaneous military jackets, “commutation jackets,” and citizen’s coats are unacceptable.

Receipts for issues to Gibson’s Battalion show that unit had been provided with new government jackets in late July and early August.  Jackets worn by participants need not appear brand new, but as the battalion had yet to wear their clothing on campaign, ragged jackets are unacceptable.

TROUSERS

1) Grey jeans pants with provenance to the Army of Tennessee.

2) Other military-style pants made out of similar grey, brownish grey, or drab domestic cloth.

3) Other military-style pants made out of blue jeans.

Avoid U.S. Army pants, citizen’s pants, or pants made of oddball fabrics.  As with jackets, the members of Gibson’s Battalion were wearing pants only a month old and ragged pants are unacceptable.

SHIRTS

1) Confederate issue shirts made of cotton osnaburg are very strongly preferred.  Citizen’s shirts in cotton prints and wool flannel should ideally only be carried as a spare, and participants should avoid arriving with a “homespun” shirt as their only option.

DRAWERS

1) Government issue drawers made of cotton osnaburg.

2) Citizen’s drawers.

SOCKS

1) Confederate issue white cotton socks.

2) Wool socks. Please avoid outlandish colors and patterns  Rag wool socks are unacceptable.

Gibson’s Battalion was issued a large number of white cotton socks.  A member of Wood’s Brigade noted that many men preferred to purchase or send home for wool socks rather than rely on government socks. 

FOOTWEAR

1) English or Confederate military shoes (both are noted in accounts from members of Wood’s Brigade).

2) Citizen’s shoes or boots.

3) Federal Bootees if that is all you have.

RIFLES/MUSKETS

1) P-1853 Enfield Rifle Muskets.

2) M-1855/1861 Springfield Rifle Muskets.

Gibson’s Battalion was carrying primarily Enfield Rifle Muskets, and were fully supplied with bayonets.  All arms must be clean, oiled, and in excellent working order.

ACCOUTREMENTS

1) Domestically made, Confederate issue cartridge boxes, cap boxes, belts, and scabbards with 1863 Army of Tennessee provenance are preferred.  Plain roller buckle, frame buckle, and cast CSA buckle belts are encouraged.  Ordnance receipts show Gibson’s Battalion was issued cartridge boxes both with and without cartridge box belts. As contracts were not let for their manufacture until after the time being portrayed, painted cloth cartridge boxes and boxes such as the William Brands & Company examples are unacceptable. Earlier unmarked versions with raw unbound edges are acceptable.

2) Imported British cartridge boxes, cap pouches, Ball Bags, belts, and scabbards.

3) Federal accoutrements.

HAVERSACKS

1) White cotton haversacks copied from original government made examples. Haversacks made of carpet, ticking, or tapestry are unacceptable.

CANTEENS

1) Tin drum canteens on plain webbing, sewn cotton, or leather slings.

Gibson’s Battalion had been issued tin canteens, which is corroborated in an account from a member of brigade who noted later that many soldiers took the opportunity to replace them with U.S. Army canteens after Chickamauga.  Please avoid other types of canteens.

KNAPSACKS

NONE! While much of Wood’s Brigade was fully equipped with knapsacks, Gibson’s Battalion and the 33rd Alabama received none. All participants should wear a bedroll secured with coat straps, repurposed canteens straps, or appropriate cordage. Modern jute gardening twine and craft store leather laces are unacceptable.

BLANKETS

1) Confederate issue and citizen’s blankets are preferred, and high quality Federal blankets are perfectly acceptable.  Grandma quilts, modern surplus blankets, and poor quality reproductions are unacceptable. 

GROUND CLOTH

1) Confederate issue painted canvas ground cloths, typically 6’ long and around 3’ wide, are preferred. U.S. Army gum blankets are acceptable if you have no other option.  Painted floorcloths or other oddball waterproof covers should be avoided. 

TENTS

1) Every company and mess is very strongly encouraged to bring a hand sewn 20' x 12' 9" CS Fly Tent.  No other flies are acceptable.  For further information on and instruction on how to make a Fly Tent, Click Here.

2) Reissued U.S. Army “Type II” shelter tents in limited numbers are acceptable, though not required or particularly encouraged, as accounts from Wood’s Brigade support.

ADDITIONAL ITEMS

Any personal items must be original or accurate reproductions of period items.  “Old timey” jugs, Mason jars, or other items are prohibited.  With this event being immersive in nature, cell phones, modern tobacco, lighters, or any other anachronistic items are wholly unacceptable.

We are placing high expectations for personal appearance and behavior upon the participants of Gibson’s Alabama Battalion at Roscrans’ Pursuit. Modern haircuts, ponytails, modern underwear, modern socks, modern glasses, and inauthentic or inappropriate kit, etc., are unacceptable. As rations will be issued, all participants are expected to arrive with an empty haversack and not bring any food of their own into the event.

GIBSON'S ALABAMA BATTALION The Quartermaster and Ordnance returns for Gibson’s Battalion and Wood’s Brigade from the 3rd Quarter of 1863 show the expected issues of clothing and equipment being distributed to infantry units recuperating in Chattanooga in the aftermath of the Tullahoma Campaign.  Throughout the summer the battalion would be resupplied with new grey woolen jeans jackets and pants, shoes, mess equipment, and Fly Tents to replace those that had been issued in the Spring.  In the last week of August and first week of September the battalion would receive an issue of new cotton shirts and drawers.  It is evident from the receipts that in early September, the battalion was adequately furnished and supplied with Confederate Central Government equipment and clothing.

The idea behind these impression guidelines is to recreate the known conditions of Gibson’s Battalion and offer a best guess for the unknowns based on accounts from members of Wood’s Brigade and an understanding of the workings of the Confederate Quartermaster Department in relation to the Army of Tennessee.  Our goal is to create a battalion impression.  This means some degree of matching patterns of uniforms, haversacks, canteen types, etc., is most appropriate, with a focus on replicating the look of a battalion that was being issued clothing and equipment from the government.  We're not definitively stating that Gibson’s Battalion only had X, Y or Z, but we do assert that a Confederate battalion in this context during this period of the war, didn't have 50 unique haversacks and jackets made of 50 different fabrics.  All items worn, carried, or stowed in your gear MUST be original or high quality reproductions.  Mediocre, mainstream, or reenactor grade reproductions are entirely unacceptable.