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The 17th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment |
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Company E Inc's: |
Today's 17th Michigan Civilians
Initially, re-enacting is expensive. However, once the prospective member has acquired the clothing and the implements needed to re-enact a civilian in the Civil War, the cost to participate in a local Civil War weekend event is minimal.
While the military re-enactor has a specific dress and equipment list which all the military members must follow, the civilian re-enactor has a variety of clothing options based on the "civilian impression" they wish to present, and the styles of the 1860's.
So the first step the prospective member has to take to become a civilian re-enactor is to determine the "civilian impression," or person, they wish to "take on" in appearance and in behavior, during a Civil War re-enactment.
Once the prospective member has determined the impression they wish to present, selection of the wardrobe, based on how that person would have dressed during the Civil War, is next. For example, the male civilian may choose to re-enact a farmer, peddler, banker, clergyman, undertaker, or politician. The female civilian may choose to re-enact a teacher, laundress, or member of the U.S. Sanitary Commission that looked over the welfare of the soldiers in the field.
Regardless of the impression selected, the prospective member is expected to include, at a minimum, the following Civilian Clothing items in their wardrobe:
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Men
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Senator Howard & President Lincoln
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Women
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Today's Ladies of the 17th Tea Party |
Because we are trying to create an image of the 1860's, clothing and everyday implements obtained for re-enactments must appear to be recently purchased or made, and not look 140 years old, or from a museum. New clothing and new implements quickly acquire that "period" look after a few events.
Photo of the Ladies of the 17th (believed to be taken) at the Detroit Barracks, Detroit, Michigan.
With that in mind, we strongly suggest that you obtain and use quality reproduction clothing and implements, and leave collector items at home.
For the civilian re-enactor, many clothing items (more for the ladies and children than for the men), can be homemade. So those who are handy with a sewing needle can purchase period clothing patterns and make their own.
Although making your own period clothing is an option, most of the clothing and everyday implements are purchased from vendors, or sutlers, who sell Civil War reproduction "goods" via Internet, or mail order catalogs. Often these sutlers set up their "stores" at major Civil War events.
Word of caution when selecting a sutler. Be aware that there are some sutlers who offer merchandise of poor quality, and/or charge too high of a price for the merchandise offered.
To help avoid this problem, the members of the 17th have created a Recommended Sutlers List to assist the prospective member in selecting a sutler.
The approximate cost of the items required for the male and female civilian re-enactor is mainly dependent on the impression they wish to present, and how much they are willing to invest. A rough cost estimate for the male or female re-enactor is $500 (this may be less for those who may wish to make their own clothing , or more for those who wish to embellish their impression).
It may appear somewhat overwhelming for the prospective member to:
Determine the impression they wish to present.
Select the items to be in their wardrobe.
Determine what implements they need for their impression.
Identify the sutler that will best meet their needs.
But all things are not what they appear. Hopefully, the prospective member will have an enjoyable time in determining their impression and selecting their wardrobe with the assistance of a member of the 17th helping them through the process of becoming a civilian re-enactor!
For those prospective members with children, who wish to have their children participate in an event, the 17th member assisting you can provide all the information needed.
