Wheat"s Tiger impression

[whipporrwhil]

I am currently trying to put together a Wheat's Tiger impression. Any advise,information,etc would be greatly welcome. My first thought is the straw hat vs. the fez. Is one more correct than the other? Would it be the sailor or the plantation type?

James Martin
14th TN Co. B

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

Before you purchase anything, send a PM to Rachel Kelly (79th New York on this forum). She and Shane Miles have come together and through their research and sources for quality materials can get you the right info and the right gear. Don't look at what reenactors and sutlers are doing, go directly to the source and get the right info and stuff.

[whipporrwhil]

Forgive my ignorance, what is the best way to Rachel Kelly?

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

PM stands for Personal Message. As I mentioned, she goes by the name 79th New York on this forum. Find that name by utilizing the member list or by utlilizing the search function above and look for the link for sending messages once you've found it

[Tiger_rifles]

Hello All,
If any information is being given out ref. what Co. B of Wheat's Spec. Batt. Tiger Rifles had I hope they will put it out publicly for all to hear.

As a lad I was a VIP at Manassas Battlefield Park and was there when they found to two soldiers in Centerville believed to be two of Wheat's Tigers. I was also part of a team that help put together a reproduction Uniform and Kit for doing Living History at the Park, and have reveiwed all the information i can find on the Tiger Rifles.
If there is any new information i would love to hear about it!

[Blair]

Paul,

Contact me through my e-mail connection.
I maybe able to put you into contact with someone who may put you into direct contact with an individual who was involved with the exhumation of these two grave sites.
Yes, I know this is all third party BS, but neither of these other persons will post anything on this forum or any others for that matter.
Blair

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

Yes...

A lot of unnecessary heat and grief was generated when the graves revealed a different "view" of their uniforms than was being used by reenactors at the time (EX: blue instead of brown jackets and horizontal versus vertical sock stripes).

:(

CHS

[roundshot]

There's a an excellent article on the Tigers that anyone interested in the uniforms and equipage of this unique organization should read by Ross Brooks called "Part Irish and the Rest Flower of Southern Chivalry." It can be found at the top of the links on this site:
http://www.acws.net/tigers/morehistory.htm

Bob Williams
26th NCT
AAIG, Carolina Legion

[Blair]

Curt,

You are absolutely correct.

The exhumation of these two graves reveled evidence, that contradicted the "surviving eyewitness, written documents" that had survived from that period.
By the time of the 125 1st. Bull Run, most of the Wheat's Special Batt. had their uniforms, based on this evidence, spot on for the event. Most of these guys during the 125th came from the N-SSA, but did not turn anyone away that was trying to do the impression right.

[79th New York]

We did alot of reading setting out on the Tiger project. The lack of images and the conflicting sources was frustrating but I feel we did it justice.

In the Warren letters for example, their trousers are described as:

Their britches were pinchbecks (baggy pantaloons) made of pillow ticking. This pillow ticking had a wide blue stripe, with a red and yellow pin stripe (teazel) ,this was symbolic of the Louisiana Republic Flag.

All other accounts describe the trousers as simply blue and white stripped. William Todd of Company B, 79th New York describes the over all uniform as:


"Considerable astonishment as well as amusement was caused by the presence in our retreating ranks of a solitary prisoner, who plodded along with us and entertained us by his quaint remarks. His uniform attracted our attention ; a Zouave cap of red, and jacket of blue, with baggy trousers made of blue and white striped material, and white leggings, gave him a rather rakish appearance; he announced himself as a member of the Louisiana Tiger battalion, Major Wheat commanding. This particular "Tiger" seemed to be of a very mild disposition, and took his captivity in good part; he was "glad the Yankees were whipped," and was sure our defeat and his side's victory '' would result in the establishment of the independence of the Southern Confederacy." In the confusion of crossing Cub Run, however, our prisoner disappeared; he no doubt rejoined his friends and regaled them with his experience while a prisoner in the hands of the Yankees."

79th New York Regimental History - Pg. 44

Beyond the trousers, The coat was taken from descriptions and illustrations, the shirt we made is not pictured. Trousers, fez, leggings, stockings, belt, buckle, haversack, we all made with research leading the way.

9617961596169619
9618

We are are going to continue to offer the complete uniform as a kit. If anyone has any input on tweeks and changes, I would love to hear about them!

Kit:

Fez
Jacket
Shirt
Belt
Buckle
Trousers
Leggings
Stocks
Haversack

[zouavecampaigner]

James,

please stay away from the straw hats. You can PM me if you'd like for more details. The quick poop is that the red fez with red tassel is where it's at. Ross' article is amazing, but stay away from his description of their headgear. Ross and I have discussed this extensively. The Fremaux painting is showing their fezzes as depicted in 19th century artwork, and NOT as they actually looked. If anyone questions my statement, just look at period drawings and paintings of the french zouaves, especially the Imperial Guard, and you'll see them drawn/painted exactly as the ones in the Fremaux painting. However, we know exactly what the french zouave fezzes look like (I own an original), and it's your standard fez.

Just my 2 cents, but what do I know, I'm just the "zouave guy".
;)


Regards,
Shaun Grenan

[slreb]

I am going to with a friend to Manassas. I guess we are falling in with Wheat's Tigers. Where can I find a Fez that does not cost an arm and a leg. This will be the only time that I do this impression but would like to do it right without breaking the bank. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You,
Bill Feuchtenberger

[79th New York]

The cuff trim comes from the Tiger Rifles CDV.

http://craigtmonroe.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/tigerrifles1.jpg?w=275&h=450

We did not fallow the illustration of the drummer in Battles and Leaders that does not have the chevron because it showed a vest, sash, tamboux. We kept seeing a fez with a structure to it, not a floppy elf hat. I'm going to look into that more Shaun.

[whipporrwhil]

I was told of newspaper accouts stating that when they left New Orleans, the jackets were brown?? Any thoughts or newer information. My thoughts were not all the jackets would haave been replaced by the time they got to VA and some would have still had the brown. I think it would be good to show the variaton

James Martin

14th TN Co. B

[zouavecampaigner]

The cuff trim comes from the Tiger Rifles CDV.

http://craigtmonroe.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/tigerrifles1.jpg?w=275&h=450

We did not fallow the illustration of the drummer in Battles and Leaders that does not have the chevron because it showed a vest, sash, tamboux. We kept seeing a fez with a structure to it, not a floppy elf hat. I'm going to look into that more Shaun.

9659966096619662

Rachel, from these drawings, you can see how they depicted fezzes as a "floppy elf hat" as you called it, but we both know they were anything but. A period correct fez, though was not a stiff, heavy, stand up hat like sold by S&S and Dirty Billy's. My original French one, and the multiple Civil War ones that I have personally examined were all pretty darn "floppy". They're not a headbag or nightcap, like some Tiger type people wear, though, just a red chechia.


All photos and images courtesy of the Library of Congress. The drawings are the 5th Excelsiors, by Waud, and the photo of the French zou zous in the Crimea is by Fenton. The painting below I don't have a citation for at the moment, as I'm at work.

~Shaun

[zouavecampaigner]

Draner Lemercier, Bernard & Cie. (later photographer/printer)
Gift of Eastman Kodak Company: ex-collection Gabriel Cromer

The collection sites this as circa 1830s and says the printer was active in the 1840s, but we know the Imperial Guard Zouaves didn't exist until the Second Empire under Napoleon III. You'll see exactly what I mean about the fezzes of the Tigers, though, when compared to this illustration.

Regards,
Shaun

9684

[johnduffer]

Who's making the most authentic knapsack kitty cats nowadays? :cool:

[zouavecampaigner]

Who's making the most authentic knapsack kitty cats nowadays? :cool:

I wish I knew, considering the 11th NY and 62nd NY both were known for having cats & kittens with them! ;)

(And one raccoon in the 11th, too)