A Glimpse of History Through Civil War and Western Replicas

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Historical reenactments are one of the fastest growing hobbies in America, and its no surprise. Our history as Americans defines how we are today. Through learning from the past, we can appreciate all the sacrifices and hard work that our ancestors made in order to secure our freedoms. Civil war and Old west replicas are copies of the clothing, accessories and weapons used during this time. Whether you are a teacher preparing an event for your class, a reenactor looking to get into character, a collector of historical items or just a lover of history, you need the right items to create an accurate portrayal of someone from the old west.

Civil War Replica

The American Civil war lasted from 1861 to 1865 and changed the history of America forever. With the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, 11 southern states would leave the union and form the Confederate States of America, known as the CSA. The war was fought because the southern states feared that the new president would take away their power to hold slaves and thousands of individual engagements took place. When putting on a uniform depicting the era, make sure to choose appropriately for the north or south.

Outfit colors and styles differed between the north and the south but southern uniforms were similar to those worn by Union troops. South infantry soldiers wore the simplest of uniforms, featuring a kepi hat made of wool with a leather bill and blue in color. Cavalry officers wore yellow kepis and red kepis wore worn by artillery officers. Confederate soldiers wore sky blue trousers with their uniforms. Their shell jackets featured a line of buttons down the front and were made of wool. Though jackets were gray in color different colors were shown on the bottom half of the sleeve and collar, with cavalry’s being yellow in color.

The Union soldiers’ uniforms often included the design of the eagle throughout. Though not the official uniform hat, slouch hats were popular among soldiers as they were comfortable to wear and protected a soldier from rain and sun. Union pants were sky blue with a solid stripe down each leg in red, yellow or sky blue to show cavalry, artillery or infantry. Union soldiers wore single breasted coats with the sack coat being the most popular style at the time. It was a simple shirt featuring 4 buttons down the front.

For completing the uniform accessories are important. For the United States military a stainless steel hip flasks can be chosen. For a CSA uniform, an engraved belt buckle is ideal. For reenactment of an entire troop such as the Alabama Volunteer Corps, engraved items are also available to help with getting a fully custom outfit. A cartridge box is a necessary part of the replica uniform as they were used to hold the ammunition necessary for firing rifles; they were often carried by a strap over the shoulder or hooked to the waist belt. Since soldiers during the Civil War often had to deal with trousers cut to big, suspenders were often used to keep them from falling down; officer gauntlet gloves or CSA cavalry gauntlets can also be worn. A bowie knife and gun holsters can also be added for creating authentic uniforms.

Old West Replica

The old west was one of the most exciting times in the history of the United States and generally dates from the closing of the Civil War to the end of the 19th century. Cowboys are one of the greatest symbols of the American Old West. Rounding up cattle, gambling, and spending time in jail where part of a cowboy’s lifestyle. For getting into the style of the old west, jailhouse replica including a ball and chain, handcuffs, leg iron and sheriff department locks are ideal. Brothel tokens were used during the old west as a means to buy services these replica tokens are made of solid brass and with an antique finish to look genuine. Spittoons or vessels for spiting where often found in brothels, saloons and other locations were men gathered and can be placed in your home.

The clothing styles of the old west offer a lot of fun for reenactments. Men wore frock coats, homespun Jefferson shirts or a Victorian style dress shirt during this time. Of course, the outfit will not be complete without the authentic old west style gun holsters, ivory money clips and ivory rings. For women interested in wearing the clothing of the era, a southwest day dress, Annie Oakley style canvas coat or long silk shawl captures the rugged and functional style of the era.

Editor’s Note: Also published here.

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Beth Mark enjoys sharing home decoration ideas with her readers. You can find Historical Costumes, Artifacts and Flags plus hundreds of other items at http://www.MadeInAmericaDecor.com offering only American made decor accents and accessories for home, garden and gifts. Made In America Decor is always adding to their collections and everything in the store is guaranteed to be “Made In America”!! The store owners say that it is their goal to eventually offer products from every State in the Union.

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