Impression Guidelines
10th Battalion Virginia Heavy Artillery
“The heavy artillery men having been stationary around Richmond had been able to keep their uniforms in better plight, and their scarlet caps and trimmings (artillery color) made them present a distinctive appearance in the army…”
—McHenry Howard, Confederate Staff Officers—
HEADGEAR
Preferred: Richmond Clothing Bureau pattern “variegated” red and blue-grey artillery kepi (Strongly preferred, as descriptions of the unit explicitly highlight these kepis)
Acceptable: Richmond Clothing Bureau pattern made from imported blue-grey English Army Cloth or domestic cloth, British import or citizen’s brimmed hat
Prohibited: Forage caps, wheel caps, top hats, abundance of hat cords, badges, pins, letters, feathers, etc.
JACKET
Preferred: Red-trimmed Tait jacket, plain Tait jacket, Richmond “Type 3” jackets in English Army Cloth
Acceptable: Richmond “Type 3” jackets in domestic cloth, Richmond “Type 2” jacket in English Army Cloth (Richmond “Type 2” in domestic cloth if that’s all you have)
Prohibited: Richmond “Type 1” jackets, commutation jackets or frocks, overshirts AKA battleshirts
PANTS
Preferred: Richmond trousers in either imported royal blue cloth or English Army Cloth, red-trimmed Tait pants
Acceptable: Richmond trousers in domestic cloth
Prohibited: US issue pants, civilian (i.e. plaid, windowpane, striped) pants
SHIRT
Preferred: CS-issue (Hollyday pattern) or British import cotton shirts, CS-issue or import flannel shirts
Acceptable: Civilian shirts
Prohibited: US-issue shirts
FOOTWEAR
Preferred: English or CS-issue (Putney pattern) shoes
Acceptable: US-issue Jefferson-style shoes
Prohibited: Knee-height or Short/calf boots
WEAPON
Acceptable: P1853 Enfield (3-band) rifled-musket, M1861 Springfield or Richmond rifled-musket, M1855 Springfield rifled-musket with bayonet, 69 caliber M1842 smoothbore musket or M1816 altered musket
Prohibited: Flintlocks, 2-band rifles, civilian firearms, lever guns, breech-loaders, carbines, pistols for non-officers, etc.
BELTS
Preferred: Richmond Arsenal pattern painted cloth
Acceptable: Leather roller buckle, leather Georgia-frame or forked tongue, British snake-hook in black or buff leather
Prohibited: CS oval plates, upside-down US oval plates
ACCOUTREMENTS
Preferred: Quality CS or English cartridge boxes, cap pouches, and bayonet scabbards, painted cloth CS box slings
Acceptable: Boxes worn on waist belt instead of sling, leather CS box slings
Prohibited: US or CS Western Theater items, box and/or sling plates, white webbing slings
CANTEEN
Preferred: CS tin drum on leather, cloth, or webbing sling, reissued US corrugated on split sling
Acceptable: Wooden CS canteens
Prohibited: US smoothside, US inspector-stamped cloth slings, kidneys, drinking gourds, wicker-wrapped bottles, etc.
HAVERSACK
Preferred: Quality white/natural cloth haversack (Neal pattern), CS painted cloth, English import haversacks
Prohibited: US painted haversacks, carpet bags
BLANKET
Preferred: British import, CS issue, or quality citizen blankets in wool or jean
Acceptable: Coverlets, Quality US-issue if that is all you have
Prohibited: Quilts, low-quality repro, or modern military surplus blankets
KNAPSACK
Preferred: Blanket rolls
Acceptable: CS single-bag knapsacks, English S. Isaac Campbell & Co. without wood frame, Well-worn US double bags in limited numbers
Prohibited: Early-war US, framed, or militia hard packs
GROUND CLOTH
Preferred: CS painted ground cloth
Acceptable: US gum blanket, US painted blanket
Prohibited: US poncho
OVERCOAT
Preferred: US overcoats, CS pattern or British import overcoat (the unit was issued impressive numbers of overcoats during their service)
Acceptable: None, civilian overcoats in limited numbers
COMMISSARY GEAR
TBD
TENTAGE
TBD
OFFICERS
Preferred: Double-breasted frock (either plain or with Austrian knot/red facings) with rank sewn directly to collar
Acceptable: Modified enlisted blue-grey jacket, sack coat, or paletot with rank sewn directly to collar
Prohibited: Patch rank, single-breasted frocks
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
Acceptable: Red wool tape rank sewn directly to sleeve or no rank insignia
Prohibited: Patch chevrons, Leg stripes