Virginia Regiment at 165th Antietam
Regimental Command & Staff
LT. Colonel
Greg Van Way
Major
TBD
Adjutant
TBD
Quartermaster
TBD
Sergeant Major
TBD
Companies & Company Contacts
Color Company
Commanding- TBD
Company A
Commanding- TBD
Company B
Commanding- TBD
Company C
Commanding- TBD
Company D
Commanding- TBD
Company E
Commanding- TBD
Company F
Commanding- TBD
Registration
Registration for the Virginia Regiment will be conducted through the regiment's dedicated registration link.
Participants should register through this page to ensure they are properly assigned to the VA Regiment and their selected company.
REGISTRATION LINK: Coming Soon!
Uniform & Equipment Standards
The Virginia Regiment will follow all Homespun Historical Ventures event-wide authenticity standards, with additional requirements intended to portray Virginia infantry during the Maryland Campaign of September 1862.
Virginia regiments had already served through the Valley Campaign, fought at Cedar Mountain and Second Manassas, and then marched north into Maryland.
The Virginia Regiment is representing Garnett's men at Turner's Gap and then Captain Penn's 42nd Virginia at Antietam.
The impression should represent veteran Virginia infantrymen after weeks of extraordinarily hard campaigning.
Clothing should look worn.
Equipment should look carried.
Baggage should be limited.
Weapons should remain clean, functional, and well maintained.
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
Jacket / Coat
Preferred — "Commutation"/ Richmond Clothing Bureau "Type 1"
A properly researched Virginia or Richmond jacket appropriate to 1861–62 is preferred.
Domestic jean cloth and other documented period materials in appropriate shades of grey, brown-grey, or similar colors are encouraged.
Accepted — Confederate Frock Coat
An appropriately constructed Confederate military frock coat of period-correct material is acceptable.
Accepted — Plain Domestic Cloth Jacket
A plain military-style jacket constructed from appropriate domestic cloth is acceptable.
The regiment should not appear uniformly dressed in identical jackets.
Variation is appropriate, but that variation should come from documented military clothing rather than an assortment of generic "Confederate-looking" garments.
Trousers
Preferred
Appropriate Confederate military trousers constructed from domestic cloth.
Accepted
Appropriate civilian-style trousers of documented period construction.
Shirt
Preferred — Confederate Issue Shirt
Appropriate Confederate issue shirts, particularly simple osnaburg or other documented issue patterns, are preferred.
Accepted — Civilian Shirt
Appropriate civilian shirts constructed from period materials are acceptable.
Good choices include:
- Wool flannel
- Cotton osnaburg
- Printed cotton
- Other documented period fabrics
Avoid the overrepresented modern reenactor interpretation of the checked "homespun Confederate shirt."
Headgear
Preferred — Civilian Hat
Appropriate period civilian hats should predominate.
Accepted — Confederate Military Cap
Properly constructed Confederate kepis or forage caps appropriate to 1862 are acceptable in limited numbers.
Avoid exaggerated or theatrical "Confederate" headgear.
The desired appearance is that of an actual Virginia infantry regiment—not a Hollywood representation of one.
Footwear
Accepted
- Confederate military shoes
- Captured U.S. Army shoes
- Appropriate civilian shoes
- Appropriate period boots
Footwear may exhibit considerable wear and repair.
Broken-in footwear is strongly encouraged.
Equipment
LIGHT MARCHING ORDER
The Virginia Regiment should portray soldiers who had been campaigning almost continuously before reaching Sharpsburg.
Participants should carry what a soldier actually needed rather than everything that happens to be period correct.
The regiment had just come through the fighting at Second Manassas and the march into Maryland, including the operations at South Mountain or Harper's Ferry immediately before Antietam.
Baggage should therefore be functional, believable, and limited.
Blanket
Accepted
- Appropriate civilian blanket
- Captured Federal blanket
- Appropriate carpet blanket
Blankets and bedding should be based upon documented period examples.
Modern quilts or generic "old-timey" bedding are not acceptable.
Ground Cloth
Accepted
- Captured U.S. Army gum blanket
- Appropriate painted oilcloth
- None
Going without a ground cloth is entirely appropriate.
Shelter
Shelter should be minimal.
Captured Federal shelter halves may be used in limited numbers where historically appropriate, but participants should not arrive equipped as though every Confederate soldier possessed his own complete shelter system.
Sharing shelter, blankets, and ground cloths between messmates is encouraged.
Knapsack / Bedroll
Preferred — Bedroll
A properly constructed blanket roll is strongly encouraged.
Accepted
Appropriate Confederate knapsacks of patterns documented by 1862.
Accepted in Limited Numbers
Captured Federal double-bag knapsacks.
Participants should remember that a correct knapsack filled with an unrealistic amount of baggage still creates an incorrect impression.
Haversack
Preferred — Confederate Haversack
Plain cotton, painted cloth, or another documented Confederate pattern appropriate to 1862.
Accepted — Captured Federal Haversack
Federal black-tarred haversacks may appear within the regiment in limited numbers.
Canteen
Preferred — Confederate Canteen
Appropriate Confederate tin drum or other documented early-war patterns are preferred.
Accepted — Captured Federal Canteen
Appropriate Federal canteens may be represented within the ranks.
Arms & Accoutrements
All accoutrements must represent patterns available by September 1862.
A natural mixture of appropriate Confederate equipment and captured Federal equipment is desirable.
Waist Belt
Preferred — Confederate Waist Belt
Appropriate examples include documented:
- Frame buckles
- Roller buckles
- Forked-tongue buckles
- Appropriate Confederate plates
- Other documented early-war Confederate arrangements
Accepted — Captured Federal Waist Belt
Federal equipment should appear naturally rather than dominate the regiment.
Cartridge Box
Preferred — Confederate Cartridge Box
Appropriate early-war Confederate patterns are preferred.
Accepted — Captured Federal Cartridge Box
Only patterns appropriate to 1862 may be used.
Cap Box
Preferred — Confederate Cap Box
Accepted — Appropriate Federal Cap Box
Bayonet Scabbard
Preferred — Confederate Bayonet Scabbard
Accepted — Appropriate Early-War Federal Scabbard
Later-war patterns are not acceptable.
Arms
All firearms and bayonets shall be maintained in EXCELLENT working order.
Weapons must be:
- Clean
- Safe
- Mechanically sound
- Properly functioning
- Maintained throughout the event
Appropriate 1862 Confederate infantry arms should be used.
Later-war weapons and equipment are not acceptable.
Campaign Appearance
This is one of the most important aspects of the 42nd Virginia portrayal.
By the time these men reached Sharpsburg, they had already experienced an extraordinary campaigning season.
They had marched through the Valley.
They had fought at Cedar Mountain.
They had fought at Second Manassas.
They had crossed the Potomac into Maryland.
They had participated in the operations surrounding Harpers Ferry and South Mountain.
And then they marched toward Sharpsburg.
Participants are strongly encouraged to use:
- Naturally faded garments
- Patched clothing
- Period repairs
- Frayed cuffs
- Worn knees and trouser seats
- Broken-in footwear
- Weathered hats
- Worn leather equipment
- Equipment showing genuine field use
Artificially destroying good equipment is unnecessary.
Naturally worn gear is preferred.
The goal is an impression that looks lived in rather than costumed.
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 watches
- Modern clothing
- Modern footwear
- Other obviously modern personal items
Required modern medications may be carried but must be completely concealed within an appropriate period container or otherwise 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
- Modern jewelry
- Modern clothing or accessories
Visible modern tattoos must be appropriately covered during historical programming.
The Standard
The Virginia Regiment should immediately convey the appearance of veteran Virginia infantry at the end of an exhausting campaign.
Virginia and Confederate clothing should predominate.
Civilian hats should be common.
Captured Federal equipment should appear naturally but should not overwhelm the impression.
Baggage should be light.
Clothing should be worn, repaired, and lived in.
Weapons should remain clean, safe, and serviceable.
These are not fresh volunteers marching off to war.
They are veterans who had already crossed hundreds of miles of Virginia, fought repeatedly, crossed the Potomac, helped force the surrender of Harpers Ferry, and then marched directly toward another battle.
They should look like men who had already been through a campaign before the Battle of Antietam even began.