Travelling Haberdashery

Travelling Photographer

Festus T. Lagarse for Senate!

The Blue & the Grey also allows members to portray the many Civilian support roles that 
people undertook during the civil war times – this is an ideal area of re-enacting for families, 
women, children and for those who don’t wish to portray a soldier role. The types of roles that 
could be portrayed are - sutler, correspondences, photographers, telegraph operators, post office,
relief societies, ministers, senators, soldier families - just to name a few.

Activities undertaken by these portrayals are aim at to give camps and public displays - 
an authentic and historically correct display and feel of society of the civil war times .

• Leather soles shoes and clothing of a authentic historical pattern and fabric are 
  required by all members
• For any type of portrayal members where a gun is used the member must have 
  a re-enactment/shooters gun license as required by Australian State laws 
  (Please check with your state Law requirements) or contact the Blue and Grey for advise.

Jenny & Gary Baker displaying the LaGrange Emporium,  Haberdashery and Postal service

The Blue and Grey won Best Historical Encampment at the NEML's 2004 Military 
weekend at Taminick with a total of 25 club members attending.

The Blue and Grey presented an unusual encampment in 2004 to what is normally presented 
at the Military weekend in that the club wanted to present an aspect of civilian support roles 
as well as the military roles that are available to people re-enacting American Civil War.

Military street: presentation of Company H, 2nd Virginia and Union soldiers tentage

Sutlers: Josiah Hobb’s Dry Goods store & Dr Drem’s remedys. And Jenny & Gary Baker
displayed the LaGrange Emporium & Haberdashery. Both displays, displayed historic labels 
and personal items that soldiers could purchase from sutlers.

Photographer: Mobile Photography studio taking many a picture for soldiers & families 
to be remembered by.

Telegraph & Railway Office: displaying a working Telegraph and its role in the
communications of railway and other important information

Post Office: also displaying a civil war post office

Camp activities were:

• a mail delivery to and from the soldiers & their families – many of these letters were
  transcriptions of original letters sent during the civil war.

• a delivery of a local newspaper – this was composed of original news articles from 
  Georgia newspapers in the months of Jul, Aug and Sept 1862

• U.S. Sanitary Commission inspection & report of the 62nd N.Y. encampment.

• Temperance League Afternoon crochet match

• Civil war dancing

• The Gentlemen’s club - Rest & recreational facilities and games of chance – 
  playing many of the favourite games of the time

• The Notice Board – which displayed photo’s and the fatality list for Troup Co. Georgia 
  in 1862 & many notices of the times

Civilian re-enacting Standards
Here are some links with useful guidelines for standards when portraying a civilian 
in the Blue and Grey.

McDowell Civilian Clothing Standards:

AGSAS Authenticity Standards:

Other - Nancy Harts

The Nancy Harts were a women’s militia formed in LaGrange Georgia 
during the Civil war for home defense. This unit is open to both men 
and women who wish to undertake portrayal of a civilian state milita.

Nancy Harts Links

If interested please contact Miss Jenny indunna@cyberspace.net.au  
for more information.