Talk to your detachment members. Find out who is wearing what and try to mix it up. Not everyone should have a Federal canteen or tarred Federal haversack. Everyone should not have on the same color or trimmed jacket. Talk as a group about your first person impressions. I have found if you give yourself a persona, you can tailor it and make better uniform decisions. You may be from a wealthy family and therefore, fully trimmed and better quality clothing is normal. You may be the “dandy” of your mess. Or, you come from a dirt poor family, barley able to make ends meet. Your mother or wife has to really struggle to get you a suit of clothes. When you do get them, they are of a rough woven quality, poorly dyed and are adorned with plain brass or wood buttons. Or, you are in the middle. Your family has sent you a new jacket cut like the jacket you came home wearing last winter. They were able to get some nice brass floral buttons and even put a small amount of piping around the collar and epaulettes. Soldierly but not over the top.

Study photographs and drawings. In addition, read the Southern Division Artillery Uniform Requirements from the web-site. It goes in to more detail for each part of the uniform. Let’s make the Southern Division artillery the most authentic Confederate artillery in the Country. Our infantry is continuing to lead the way in their individual impressions. Let’s us join them.

I remain your servant,

Tim Allen

2^nd Co. Washington Artillery of New Orleans