The "Official" Uniform - In order to achieve a characteristic unit "look", all full members will be required to have the following items:
Jacket - Richmond Depot "type II" made from gray to grayish-brown jean cloth or satinette fabric, with black tape trim on collar and/or epaulettes.
Trousers - Gray  to grayish-brown wool/cotton jean cloth (similar to jacket); cadet gray wool; or blue dyed cotton drill or jean.
Hat - Slouch hat or kepi.
Shoes - Period brogans or boots.
Firearms - Three band rifle-musket, with bayonet.  (any other weapons only upon approval of unit commander)
Accoutrements - Haversack, canteen, cap box, and cartridge box with belt or sling suspension, blanket roll and/or knapsack.

(Note- Numerous textile terms that we have used may not be familiar to the casual student of period uniforms, therefore we have included a glossary of the most useful definitions at the end of the text.)

    Every member must have a jacket.  As no records have so far been uncovered of the exact uniforms worn by the 37th, we currently are basing our jacket style on an example in the Museum of the Confederacy, which was owned by Pvt. Courtney Jenkins of the 21st Virginia Infantry.  (An excellent photograph of this jacket appears on pg. 67 of Confederate Ordeal, from Time-Life's The Civil War series, as well as pg. 134 of Echoes of Glory: Arms and Equipment of the Confederacy, also by Time-Life). The 37th was trained and equipped at Camp Lee in Richmond, as was the 21st Va., and it is likely that their uniforms were similar.  The Jenkins jacket (with matching trousers) was made by Kent, Payne & Co., a Richmond dry goods manufacturer with whom many of the Camp Lee regiments had contracted. This included the 1st Md. and 2nd Md. Infantry ("Maryland Line"), units for which unusually detailed records of uniform changes have been documented (Kimmel 1989).
    The Jenkins shell jacket is similar in most respects to the Richmond Depot "Type I" coats described by Les Jensen (1989).  It has a six-piece body with curved lower edges on the front panels, and two piece sleeves. The two piece collar is 1.5" high, with downward curving throat edges.  It also has belt loops and epaulettes.  It is trimmed on the collar and epaulettes with 1/4" black woolen twill tape.  It has six small civilian brass buttons.  The jacket body is made from a brownish-gray wool/cotton jean cloth, with an off-white cotton osnaburg lining.
    Although the Kent, Payne & Co. uniforms probably wore out rather quickly, it seems that the Maryland regiments were replacing them with jackets supplied by the Confederate quartermaster authority by late 1862 or early 1863.  The style remained similar to that of the original Kent & Payne Co. jacket, in that they were made of jean wool with black tape plaiting on the epaulettes and collar, although they had nine buttons rather than six.  Thus, jackets of this type, or close variants thereof, were in use from the outset of the war until at least early to mid 1864.
    Therefore, the "look" we are trying to attain is the Richmond Depot style shell jacket , ideally a "Type I" or "Type II".  If you choose a "Type II", it may be trimmed with 1/2" black wool or cotton tape on the collar and/or epaulettes.
    Preferably, the Richmond depot jacket should be made of the following textiles:
1.) "jean" cloth, a gray or brownish gray wool fill on a cotton warp, with a twill weave; (Type I or II)
2.)  variably toned, cadet gray kersey wool sometimes referred to as "blue-gray kersey"; (Type II and Type III)
3.) "Satinette", a satin weave wool-cotton cloth which has the weft thrown to the face and gives the appearance of being made from all wool (Type I and II).
    Evidence suggests that the majority of Type I and II jackets were made from some variety of jean cloth or satinette (a special wool/cotton weave), and this is the preferred fabric for these garments as it covers a larger period of time during the war.  Also, it is important to remember that the late-war Richmond Depot Type III jackets should be made from exclusively cadet gray (so-called "blue-gray) kersey.
    Try to avoid garments made from cream colored or "oatmeal" jean cloth (sometimes called "drab").  This color was not commonplace in our theater of the war and more characteristic of Texan regiments.  Furthermore, there is little evidence that the Richmond depot was manufacturing jackets with brown or butternut colored cloth (at least intentionally), so we'd like to stick to shades of gray or brownish-gray if possible.  Avoid completely the any wools called "gray mix", "confederate gray", "wytheville gray", "clear gray" or "charcoal gray", as these are all achievable only with modern synthetic dyes and could not be attained during the war using period dyestuffs.
    One final note of caution.  Many sutlers sell jackets which they claim are based on the "Richmond depot" style.  They make extraordinary claims that are basically a lot of hype.  If they cannot tell you what specific museum example the item was based on and where that example can be seen, be wary and don't get suckered!  Before you buy please consult with the unit commander about sources for the best made and least expensive jackets.

    The 37th Va. does not have any standard trouser, but we would like to urge members to stick to a Richmond depot style foot pattern.  Typically these were made with mule-ear pockets and a belt-back.  They are not the same pattern as Federal government type sky-blue kersey trousers!
    Guidelines for trousers are much more liberal than with other uniform parts, and here especially is where personal taste is allowed to influence attire.  Nevertheless, any and all trousers should be made of:
 1.) wool/cotton jean cloth; or...
 2.)  all wool twill or kersey material; or...
 3.) heavy 100% cotton drill (nearly the same grade as tent canvas); all cotton jean  cloth (similar to denim); or...
 4.) linen/wool or linen/cotton mix.
    Trouser colors should be dull.  Woolens may be cadet gray, gray, blue, brown or black.  White cotton trousers should be dyed blue, to reproduce the color of indigo, the most popular dye for cotton trousers at the time and still used in modern denim jeans.
    Although many reenactor "authorities" will try to tell you that linen was no longer widely available or used in the south by the 1860's, one of the last places to produce large quantities of flax for cloth production in Virginia was the southwest.  Thus, good quality civilian or military style trousers made from linen cloth are perfectly acceptable for our unit.
    Finally, trousers should not have belt loops or leg creases.  There should be no stripes or piping of any kind except on NCO's or officers trousers.  The pockets should be side-slit or especially mule-ear.  All trousers must have button flies.  Either tie-backs or belt backs are acceptable but belt back trousers are preferred.  Buttons should be made of either bone, pewter or lacquered metal.
    No zippers, back pockets, and especially no trousers "converted" from modern pants, please!
    On the practice of "blousing" of trousers.  Many re-enactors tuck their trouser bottoms into their socks, a practice known as "blousing".  This was done by civil war soldiers for the practical purpose of preventing ticks, insects, dust and dirt from getting up into their pants legs.  This was not considered stylish or "proper" however, and was only done when on fatigue duty or active campaign.  In fact, the "fashion statement" of the soldiers of the day was to have the trousers jauntily cuffed up, just above the center of the shoelaces.  Southern soldiers tended to be very vain about their appearance, and as a result would always try to be "in-style", so keep your trousers unbloused unless the situation calls for it.  Check period photographs and you can verify this for yourself.

    Belts and belt buckles are available in many styles. Most are acceptable, but we'd like to limit our regiment impression to those readily available and documentable.  Black or russet leather 1.5" to 2.0" belts, fitted with a simple roller buckle or "Georgia frame" are excellent choices.  Also square Virginia state seal buckles are fine.  Try to avoid the oval CS or CSA buckles if possible.  The reason for this is the originals look very different from the ones the sutlers are making today, plus they are not as common as one might think, especially if we go on the evidence of dug relics from areas where the Confederate army spent considerable time (e.g. Fredericksburg, the "Manassas Line", or the camps along the Rapidan and Rappahannock rivers.)  Frame buckles, on the other hand, seem to have been very common, and have been heavily documented from these areas.
    Many reenactors are beginning to use "tarred" or painted canvas belts and slings these days, and they are perfectly acceptable, especially when fitted with a roller buckle.  However, if you purchase one of these items please keep in mind that tarred canvas was meant to be temporary, and they never last as long as their leather equivalents.  Interestingly, they cost  almost as much as leather belts.  Therefore, we are currently recommending members to equip themselves first with well made and authentic leather belts!

    All three of the latter be avoided completely.  Some soldiers like to use handkerchiefs under their hats to soak up sweat, and they are acceptable for this purpose only.  They should not be worn around the neck.  Bandanas should never be worn without a hat (the infamous "doo-rag").  Any necklaces (Indian or otherwise), modern rings, "love bracelets", wrist watches, etc. should be dispensed with for the duration of an event.
    Period rings are acceptable, as are wedding rings (the style of which hasn't changed significantly since the times of the Roman Empire).
    Watch chains and fobs are necessary items, and they were often made of gold, silver or even woven hair.
    An unusual habit was the wearing of an ankle bracelet made of snake rattle segments, to ward off fevers and snakebites.  This was worn on either leg, under the trousers and drawers and against the skin. A similar strange tradition was to wear a worsted wool string around the waist, to ward off fever, dyspepsia and "chillblains".
 

    Hats are probably one of the biggest sore points among the ranks of the "authentics", and can be the crowning glory (bad pun) or the "peak of farbiness", depending on what is done to them and how they look.  However, minor changes can often transform the farbiest piece of headgear into a perfectly authentic item.
    There has been an ongoing dispute among Confederate re-enactors as to whether the kepi, forage cap (bummer) or slouch hat was most prevalent among the southern soldier.  We do know that certain units preferred specific hat types (for example, the 1st and 2nd MD. Infantry Regt.'s preferred kepis to any other type of hat).  But in general, our information on prevalence of hat types can only be inferred from the few existing photographs of Confederate regiments and P.O.W.'s.  A good example is the photograph of prisoners taken at City Point, just after the battle of Cold Harbor.  Of the 68 men whose hats can be made out, 60 are wearing some variety of slouch hat, 5 are wearing kepis, and 3 are wearing what appear to be forage caps.  So the slouch hats seem to win by a landslide.  Therefore, we'd like to use mostly slouch hats in our company, but a kepi or two can't hurt.
    A. Kepis- should be made of gray wool or jean cloth. If a stripe is desired black is the only acceptable color. (note- kepis are preferred to bummers or forage caps.) A captured Yank blue "bummer" (M1858 Forage Cap) makes a nice touch, but only for a few individuals in the line.
    B. Slouch hats-  The slouch hat is one of the most visible parts of a persons attire, and therefore must be of the highest quality.  Black is the traditional color, however do not feel limited to this.  Shades of beige, gray and brown add a nice touch of diversity to the ranks, and allow for personal taste.
    Once a hat has been selected you may wish to make some changes to it.  However, don't feel obligated to do so.  Many hats, such as those sold by Dirty Billy's Haberdashery are "re-enactor ready" and need no adjustments except perhaps the addition of a liner (if desired).  Some folks will buy perfectly good hats, and then spoil them by loading them up with hat brass, cords, plumes, and assorted animal parts ('coontails, etc.).  There are documentable ornate hats in existence, but keep in mind we are not trying to portray the unusual (e.g. leopard skin pants, etc.).
    What needs to be done about the hat "challenge" is to simplify.  A search through period photographs of Confederate soldiers will turn up very few men wearing fancy or overly decorated hats.  What the majority of evidence suggests is that most hats were brought over from civilian life with very few changes made to them.
    One of the most popular styles of the time was the round crowned, blocked woolen felt hat.  The brims were kept curved up, especially on the sides.  They were often edged with silk tape.  The "Stetson" style cowboy hat, the direct descendant of the Confederate slouch hat, did not exist yet (contrary to Hollywood's persistent portrayal of the Civil War).  Very few men wore "droopy" hats if they could at all help it.  In fact, if the brim drooped down they would pin it up in front to get it to dry in that position and keep it out of their eyes.  They would not leave it permanently pinned there however, but only until it assumed the correct shape.
    We could go on forever about hats, but the main idea is to keep them simple and authentic by browsing period photographs, and always consulting with a senior member or the unit commander before purchasing.

    There are an extraordinary number of people out there making knapsacks right now, so it can get easy to become confused about what to buy.  For comfort, the "soft-pack" knapsack is probably the preferred item.  C&D Jarnagin makes a very nice Confederate soft pack as well as a Federal double-bag knapsack.  The Isaac & Campbell British import knapsack is also very desirable, but can be expensive.  Many Confederate reenactors like the Mexican War bags, but they are rather small and often require the use of an additional blanket roll.  From the point of view of price, comfort and authenticity, the Jarnagin Confederate bag is probably a good first choice.
    Blanket rolls were used extensively by the soldiers, especially after they started losing their knapsacks. Some of the fellows never liked wearing knapsacks to begin with, and discarded them quickly for the more evenly distributed weight of the blanket.  Many soldiers wore both!
    Good quality blankets are available from County Cloth Inc., The Wisconsin Veterans Museum, C&D Jarnagin, Thistle Hill Weavers and Pat Klein.  They should be dense and strongly woven, in dull colors.  Beware of cotton quilts (once they get wet , they stay wet).  The blanket is usually wrapped in a tarred canvas oilcloth (available from Bleeding Fingers) or a rubber blanket (Jarnagin).  Jarnagin's rubber blankets are exceptionally well made, have the correct small grommets, and are relatively inexpensive.  They last longer than oilcloths too.
    Try to avoid the ponchos made with large grommets and rubberized with a shiny, plastic-like finish.  Also, ponchos always have the infamous neck slit that never quite seals. It may be good for wearing as a raincoat, but tends to get you wet when you cover up at night to sleep in the rain!
 

Warp- The heavier threads in a weave, they extend the length of the loom. and are crossed by the shuttle or weft.

Weft- The yarn used on the shuttle, which crosses the warp during weaving.  Sometimes referred to as the "fill" or "woof".

Broadcloth- A twilled woolen cloth with a smooth lustrous face and dense texture.

Homespun- Any loosely woven woolen or linen garment made with handspun thread.  Most often a plain weave.

Twill- A woven textile in which the weft threads pass over one and under two or more warp threads, resulting in a pattern of diagonal lines.  Most jean cloths are a so-called 2/1 or "two over one" twill.

Satinette- A woolen fill, cotton warp, satin weave cloth, made to look like all wool broadcloth by having the woolen weft thrown to the front and the cotton warp hidden on the inner surface.

Jean Cloth- (pronounced as in "blue jeans" or "janes") A twilled fabric, most often used in work garments.  "Jean wool" is made with a cotton warp and a woolen weft or fill, showing heavy diagonal wool ribbing.

Kersey- A heavy grade of all wool, twill fabric with a pronounced diagonal pattern.  Named for the town in England where it originated, it was most commonly used in work clothes and uniforms.

Linsey-Woolsey- A variety of homespun popular during pioneer days and made with a heavy linen or flax warp and wool weft, hence the name "Linsey" (linen)/ "Woolsey" (woolen).

Channing, Steven. 1984. Confederate Ordeal: the southern homefront, from Time-Life  Books The Civil War, Time-Life Books, Alexandria, VA

F Company. 1991. List of Sources and Uniform Guidelines.

Franzosa, Edward S. 1988. Catalog of Uniforms, The Camp Chase Gazette  (16) 1: 24-27

Jensen, Leslie D. 1989. A survey of the Confederate Central Government Quartermaster  Issue Jackets, Part I. Military Collector and  Historian (41) 3:109-132

Jurgella, David. 1989. The "Richmond Depot" Jacket, The Camp Chase Gazette  (16) 10: 26- 28

Kimmel, Ross M. 1989. Enlisted Uniforms of the Maryland Confederate Infantry: A Case  Study, Part I. Military Collector and Historian (41)  3:98-122

Wingate, Dr. Isabel B. 1979. Fairchild's Dictionary of Textiles, 6th Edition.  Fairchild Publishing Company, New York, N.Y.

Woodhead, Henry (Editor). 1991. Echoes of Glory: Arms and Equipment of the  Confederacy, Time-Life Books, Alexandria VA

Fourth Texas Infantry, Recruits Guide (no date)

1st Battalion Virginia Regulars, Company A, Uniform Regulations and Vendors List.

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