The 6th Wisconsin Infantry will serve as one of the principal Federal regimental portrayals for the 165th Anniversary Antietam Campaign.

The regiment will operate under the overall command structure of the United States forces while maintaining its own internal field-and-staff organization, company structure, authenticity standards, and participant communications.

Participants registering with the 6th Wisconsin will be assigned through one of the approved companies listed below.

Regimental Command & Staff

Lieutenant Colonel
William Eichler

Major
Andy Roscoe

Adjutant
To Be Announced

Quartermaster
To Be Announced

Sergeant Major
To Be Announced

Surgeon
David Meister

Field Music
To Be Announced

Bugler
Ryan Edwards

 

Companies & Company Contacts

Color Company

Command / Contact: Matt Bohnert

3rd Regiment / Mess No. 1 Company

Contact: Kyle Windahl

28th Massachusetts Company

Contact: Aaron Harvey

Tippecanoe Rifles Company

Contact: Matthew Rennier

2nd Wisconsin Company

Contact: Robert Schwandt

Regimental Organization

The 6th Wisconsin portrayal is being organized as a functioning field regiment rather than a loose collection of individual companies.

Participating companies will retain their own internal identities and leadership while operating under the 6th Wisconsin regimental command during the event. The intent is to create a coordinated battalion-sized Federal organization capable of executing historically appropriate drill, formations, maneuver, camp routine, guard duty, and battle scenarios throughout the weekend.

Participants should communicate first through their company contact or commander regarding company organization, expectations, and preparation for the event.

 

Registration

Registration for the 6th Wisconsin Infantry will be conducted through the regiment's dedicated registration link.

Participants should register through this page to ensure they are properly assigned to the 6th Wisconsin and their selected company.

REGISTRATION LINK:
Coming Soon

Uniform & Equipment Standards

The 6th Wisconsin will follow all Homespun Historical Ventures event-wide authenticity standards, with additional requirements intended to accurately portray the regiment during the Maryland Campaign of September 1862.

The 6th Wisconsin was still wearing the highly recognizable first-issue Iron Brigade uniform during this period. However, after weeks of hard campaigning, the regiment would have presented a very different appearance from freshly issued troops.

These men had been on campaign since the beginning of August, traveling several hundred miles and participating in a major battle and several smaller engagements before reaching Antietam. Their clothing and equipment had suffered accordingly.

After Antietam, Major Rufus Dawes commented upon the poor condition of the regiment's uniforms and equipment. Interestingly, an Army Inspector General's inspection conducted the following month noted that the regiment's weapons remained in excellent condition.

That contrast should guide the impression.

The soldier should look worn. His weapon should not.

Uniforms should appear broken-in, campaign-worn, faded, repaired, torn, dirty, and generally closer to worn out than newly issued. Participants who have older or heavily worn uniform pieces are strongly encouraged to use them.

Dress those Hardee hats. Wear those frock coats. Let the trousers show the campaign.

All clothing and equipment must be manufactured from correct period materials using historically appropriate construction methods.

Items below are listed in order of preference.

Uniform

Corps Badge

Not Accepted!!

No corps badges!!

Corps badges were not yet in use during the Maryland Campaign of 1862 and shall not be worn.

Coat

Preferred — M1858 Frock Coat

Photographic and written evidence supports continued widespread use of the frock coat within the regiment during this period.

The regiment ordered no replacement sack coats during the summer but did order an additional 72 frock coats. Available evidence strongly supports the frock coat as the predominant garment within the regiment.

Participants possessing appropriate frock coats are strongly encouraged to wear them.

Accepted — M1858 Sack Coat

Appropriately constructed Federal sack coats are acceptable.

Reluctantly Accepted / Strongly Discouraged — Shell Jackets and Private-Purchase Blouses

These garments do not appear to have been present within the regiment in meaningful numbers during this period and should only be used when no more appropriate option is available.

Trousers

Preferred — M1861 Sky-Blue Trousers

Either Schuylkill Arsenal or appropriate contract manufacture.

Worn, faded, patched, repaired, or otherwise campaign-used trousers are strongly encouraged.

Reluctantly Accepted — M1858 Dark-Blue Trousers

The 2nd Wisconsin was noted for trading with other units within the brigade in an effort to maintain its dark-blue trousers. As a result, limited numbers may reasonably have appeared elsewhere within the brigade.

Their use within the 6th Wisconsin portrayal should remain limited.

Not Accepted — Civilian Trousers

Headgear

From the 2^nd Wisconsin, worn by Sergeant Philander B. Wright at Gettysburg (note corps badge which would NOT be at Antietam). However, it shows the wear of the hat in the field.

M1858 Hardee Hat

 

Required

The Hardee hat is one of the defining elements of this impression.

The Iron Brigade was intensely proud of its distinctive headgear, and near-universal wear is documented.

Hardee hats may and should show evidence of campaign use.

Company letters are encouraged.

Full or partial hat dress is acceptable, including:

• Company letter
• Infantry bugle
• Infantry hat cord
• Eagle insignia
• Ostrich feather

Hat dress does not need to appear pristine or perfectly complete. Missing, damaged, worn, or partially retained ornamentation is appropriate for the campaign impression.

No corps badges.

Overcoat

Preferred — None

Overcoats had largely been placed into storage before the summer campaign or lost/discarded during the intense marching associated with John Pope's Army of Virginia.

Participants should generally plan to portray the regiment without an overcoat.

Shirt

Preferred — Issue Shirt

Either:

• Domet flannel issue shirt
• Wool issue shirt

For wool shirts, dark blue is preferred due to documented earlier State of Wisconsin issues.

Accepted — Civilian Shirt

Civilian shirts must be constructed from appropriate period materials and patterns.

Under Drawers

Modern underwear is not acceptable when it could become visible during the event.

Preferred — Issue Canton-Flannel Drawers

Accepted — Appropriate Civilian Drawers

Socks

Preferred — Wool Socks

Either military issue or appropriate civilian manufacture.

Footwear

Preferred — M1851 Jefferson Bootees / Brogans

Accepted

• Appropriate issue boots
• Appropriate civilian boots

Footwear should present a realistic campaign appearance rather than appearing freshly purchased or newly issued whenever possible.

Leggings

Preferred — Army of the Potomac-Style White Canvas Leggings

Arms & Accoutrements

Rifle Musket

All arms must comply with event safety requirements and must be accompanied by the appropriate bayonet.

Preferred — M1855 or M1861 Springfield Rifle Musket

The 6th Wisconsin had been issued Springfield rifle muskets during the fall of 1861. Although it is unclear whether every weapon was newly manufactured, period photographs strongly indicate significant use of Model 1861 Springfield rifle muskets.

Weapons should be maintained in excellent working and cosmetic condition, reflecting the documented care given to the regiment's arms even while clothing and other equipment deteriorated.

Accepted — P1853 Enfield Rifle Musket

Reluctantly Accepted / Discouraged — M1842 Springfield Musket or Rifled Musket

Not Accepted

• M1863 Springfield Rifle Musket
• Rifle-length weapons
• Breechloading weapons
• Repeating weapons
• Other arms inappropriate to the regiment and period

Bayonet Scabbard

Preferred — Two-Rivet Bayonet Scabbard

Reluctantly Accepted — Seven-Rivet Bayonet Scabbard

Cartridge Box

Preferred — M1857/M1861 Cartridge Box

With:

• Cartridge-box sling
• Cartridge-box plate
• Eagle breast plate

Cap Box

Preferred — M1855 "Shield Front" Cap Box

Accepted — M1862 Cap Box

Waist Belt

Preferred — M1856 Waist Belt

With puppy-paw belt plate and either:

• Leather keeper, or
• Keeper removed/cut off

Equipment

Haversack

Preferred — Black Tarred Federal Issue Haversack

Canteen

Preferred — M1862 "Bullseye" Canteen

Accepted — M1858 "Smoothside" Canteen

Knapsack

Preferred

• M1855 Federal Double-Bag Knapsack
• Blanket roll

Either method of carrying personal equipment is acceptable when executed appropriately.

Blanket

Preferred — Federal Issue Blanket

Grey or brown wool issue blanket, preferably with a chain-stitched "US" marking.

Ground Cloth

Preferred — Gum Blanket

Accepted — Painted Ground Cloth

Campaign Appearance

This portrayal should not resemble a newly equipped regiment standing inspection before leaving home.

By September 1862, these men had marched hundreds of miles, slept outdoors, endured heat, rain, dust, mud, shortages, and repeated combat.

Participants are strongly encouraged to use:

• Faded garments
• Patched clothing
• Period repairs
• Worn buttonholes
• Frayed cuffs
• Worn knees and trouser seats
• Stained or weathered equipment
• Broken-in footwear
• Used and weathered hats

Artificially destroying good equipment simply for the event is unnecessary. Naturally worn gear is preferred.

The goal is an impression that looks lived in rather than costumed.

At the same time, weapons should remain well cared for and serviceable, reflecting the documented condition of the regiment's arms.

Modern Items

Modern items shall not be visible within the historical area.

The following are prohibited from view:

• Modern eyeglasses
• Modern beverage or food containers
• Cell phones
• Modern tobacco products or packaging
• Modern clothing
• Modern watches
• Other obviously modern personal items

Required modern medications may be carried but must be concealed inside an appropriate period container or otherwise completely hidden from view.

Grooming & Personal Appearance

Appropriate period grooming standards are required.

The following are not acceptable when visible:

• Obviously modern hairstyles
• Ponytails or other clearly modern hair arrangements
• Visible modern tattoos
• Modern jewelry
• Modern clothing or accessories

Participants with tattoos that would otherwise be visible must keep them appropriately covered throughout the historical portions of the event.

The Standard

The 6th Wisconsin impression should immediately communicate the condition of a veteran regiment in the middle of a hard campaign.

Hardee hats should be recognizable.
Frock coats should predominate.
Clothing should look tired.
Equipment should look used.
Weapons should look cared for.

The objective is not neglect.

It is the appearance of soldiers who had been marching and fighting for more than a month and were about to enter one of the hardest battles of their lives.