Military Barbers

[KeystoneGuard]

I have been thinking lately about barbers during the war. Did the military have their own barbers or would citizen barbers follow the troops?

Also does anyone know of any such portrayal in re-enacting, not just a living history function but a legally licensed professional serving the needs at events authentically?

Thanks in advance.

[plankmaker]

I've seen some accounts of people being designated hair cutters because they were the ones with scissors. It seems that scissors were not that easily gotten during the CW and if you had them, you were kind of popular. I'll have to think about where I read about that. I think "Diary of a Deadman" talks about it some.

Mark Campbell
Piney Flats, TN

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

Every couple of years there is serious discussion about someone wanting to do this impression at events, most of them actual barbers/beauticians. Inevitably it falls apart when folks start finding out the legal ramifications and licensing issues involved. A camp barber is one of the neatest impressions at a living history, one that is greatly underrepresented, but you do have to be careful in this day and age of litigiousness.

[tompritchett]

It is my understanding that usually the barbers where members of the unit who had that skill, or just had the untensils, prior to the war. Remember back in rural America many times haircuts were performed by a member of the family as a trip to town could take a half a day or more. I can remember my father-in-law talking about how when he was growing up it was such a big thing to go the county seat 10 miles away because it was always a full day trip by buggy.

[indguard]

And of course, the way they cut hair back then was quite different than how we do it now. Today we feather hair. Back then they only cut at length. That is why when you see photos of men there is often an odd bunching of hair at the ear, or heavy waves at the ear.

They didn't do crew cuts much, either. Most guys today wear hair that is far, far too closely cut than they did then.

Men's hair was not cut to even lengths across the head, it was just cut at the ends when it got long.

What I am saying here is that a period hair cut would look REAL bad in today's modern sensibilities and some reenactor that would agree to a civil war style cut would have to be ready not to fit in real well in the modern world as far as his hair cut goes.

WTH
The BarberPole mess

[Trimmings]

They didn't do crew cuts much, either. Most guys today wear hair that is far, far too closely cut than they did then.

Save for those who were freshly shorn due to lice. Find the quote about the Tarheel prisoners, and you can win the prize.

Didn't you catch lice from some Virginians in Longstreet's Corps years ago?

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

And of course, the way they cut hair back then was quite different than how we do it now. Today we feather hair. Back then they only cut at length. That is why when you see photos of men there is often an odd bunching of hair at the ear, or heavy waves at the ear.

They didn't do crew cuts much, either. Most guys today wear hair that is far, far too closely cut than they did then.

Men's hair was not cut to even lengths across the head, it was just cut at the ends when it got long.

What I am saying here is that a period hair cut would look REAL bad in today's modern sensibilities and some reenactor that would agree to a civil war style cut would have to be ready not to fit in real well in the modern world as far as his hair cut goes.

WTH
The BarberPole mess

But with hair like mine, I haven't fit in any segment of society other than historical venues!

[indguard]

Didn't you catch lice from some Virginians in Longstreet's Corps years ago?

A grizzly memory, for sure. Virginians! What's up wit DAT?

But, you are correct, of course, on the lice hair cuts. It just wasn't a common way to cut hair, though. Well, unless you were a prisoner! LOL

Ross,

I have to say, I can see how you might... um... shall we say, look distinctive at the minimart on the way home? I used to sport a nice set of major chops a while back. Everyone assumed I was a biker!

I remember one time, on the way to Wilson's Creek (back in the early 90s) I was giving a 17-year-old unit mate a ride and we stopped in a McDonald's. We went to order, I ordered a diner and Blossom (that was our nickname for him) wasn't hungry so he didn't order anything. He was in his Civil War clothes, but I was just in jeans and a T-Shirt. The idiot server leaned over toward me, put her hand up to her mouth and whispered to me, "Would your Amish son like some free cookies?"

Seriously. Amish son? And did I LOOK old enough then to have a 17-year-old son? And... and... if HE was Amish, why wasn't I? How many fathers do you know whose sons convert to Amishness, er Amishnism, or Amishanality er whatever?

Ah... good times.

WTH
The IGottaMillionOfEm mess

[Rob Weaver]

In "Hardtack and Coffee," Billings writes about barbers being members of the unit who wanted to pick up some spare $$. They may or may not have had experience. To a certain extent, if all people want is a trim, that's pretty easy to do. It's easier to shave someone else than yourself, so if you had a razor, you may have found people desperate enough for a shave. My understanding is that in the pre-war Army, barbering was then as it is now, a contract civilian job.
I used to hang out a shingle on my tent that said "Barber. Shave 12 cents, Haircut 12 cents." A kid at one event turned to his dad and went "Can I have a quarter?" I didn't charge him, but sat him up on the stump in front of the tent, snipped around the back of his head while making commentary - "Oh, well, your hat will cover that until it grows back in," etc. Then I lathered his face. I didn't use the razor at all on him, but used it as a demonstration, punctuated with "Is this what it looks like when your Dad shaves?" Best public interaction I had that season!
I sometimes shave myself and find that it draws a crowd. If I draw blood the crowd gets bigger, and little boys say things like "Is that real blood?" "Look, he's really bleeding." "That's really red."

[tompritchett]

But with hair like mine, I haven't fit in any segment of society other than historical venues!

I can definitely understand that sentiment. The reason that I grew out my sideburns was because without them I looked too Amish. It is particularly noticable when I am have my hair in its summer (shorter) cut as it becomes apparent that it is a deliberate cut and not just an attempt at growing my hair long.