confederate hospital steward impression

[Pvt.Schaeffer]

well ive done infantry for a year im clueless where to start on the hospital steward impression i just cant find any regs only thing i could find was the jacket has a black trim and a black stripe on the trousers and 1st sgt stripes but black but i havnt seen any reg for what type of jacket or what buttons ?
also would a steward carry a nco sword? any help would be great thanks

[hta1970]

If you are doing ANV, I would suggest a plain Richmond Depot Type 2 jacket and richmond depot trousers. Siunce you have done infantry you could use plain block I buttons. No stripes, and no trim. No sash, no sword. In 1863 a number of hospital stewards were appointed from the ranks and would have kept the same uniforms they had if they were infantry or artillery. They also were issues uniforms from the depot system, so they would have nothing special. As for the black trim and 1st sergeants stripes, leave them off. Your impression will look more authentic without them. If you put them on, you better have an original uniform or photograph to back that up. To my knowledge none exist.

Become proficient with a pen and ink and learn the US Pharmacopeia forwards and backwards. Despite what you see on the field at many events, the Hospital Steward was basically a pharmacist and clerk and would have served in the rear at the divison hospitals with the regimental surgeon and not out on the battlefield where the spectator would see them. If you serve as a hospital steward you are essentially looking at doing living history events in a fixed hospital and would never be running out on the field and especially never be wearing a white apron out there. The men on the field were the Ambulance Corps and the hospital steward was not a part of that.

[Pvt.Schaeffer]

thats what i thought since the only pic ive seen of a stewards jacket was like you said i a type 2 i have 1 already so i should be good then i was going off the only thing i had on the subject http://www.civilwarhome.com/confederatemedical.htm

[hta1970]

If you are interested in getting a good look at serving in the Confederate Medical department, you are welcome to come out with me anytime and serve with the Ambulance Corps. This way before you make an investment in anything expensive, you can decide if this is something you want to do. I hope to make it to the Hope's Campaign tactical but this will depnd on the supporting medical staff.

Have you read "Repairing the March of Mars"? This is a MUST READ for any Confederate Hospital Steward. I would also get a copy of the US Pharmacopeia and also the US Hospital Stewards manual.

Researching this role is the most important thing you can do and money spent in research will be a worthwhile investment.

You should also start working with a steel pen and ink to develop those skills.

[Pvt.Schaeffer]

im working with someone already but thx for the offer i just asked cause he basicly told me research said he had no idea only thing he said was a confederate steward wearing skyblue pant with a stripe he said research the rest everywhere i go and find somin on it is on that same article which is a first hand acct but there no pics of any stewards wearing such things just that 1 article about a steward wearing first sgt or orderly stripes and black trim and stripe down pant legs but since the only pic ive seen of a stewards jacket is a butternut shell with no rank or trim in the pictorial encyclopedia of civil war medical instruments and equipment by dr. gordon dammann

[hta1970]

i would avoid sky blue pant unless they are richmond depot pattern. the idea of captured federal trousers is overdone and should only be done if you can document your unit wore them at a specified time and only then. definately no stripes on the trousers.

you are best served doing the uniform in the dammann book. the best butternet you will get is something like what Ben Tart has. That is vegetable dyed jean which will fade like the original to the "butternut" color. avoid uniforms dyed butternut with modern dyes.

[Pvt.Schaeffer]

what i have now is a type2 richmond its a natural green for deep south impressions like the north carolina green but it almost looks like a olive a natural color like if ure mother or ure wife made the jacket if u could not get your hands on grey or were not issued a jacket and civilian cotton pants i have the whole farm boy infantry look going

[hta1970]

For those looking for a photo of a documented jacket worn by a Confederate Hospital Steward, check out the Confederate Echos of Glory page 142. This jacket is in a private collection, by shows a Georgia 6 button shell jacket issued to a member of the 4th Tennessee Infantry who served in the hospitals of the Army of Tennessee. He was a Hospital Steward appointed by the Secretary of War. There is no trim and no rank present on the jacket.

[FranklinGuardsNYSM]

what i have now is a type2 richmond its a natural green for deep south impressions like the north carolina green but it almost looks like a olive a natural color like if ure mother or ure wife made the jacket if u could not get your hands on grey or were not issued a jacket and civilian cotton pants i have the whole farm boy infantry look going

Nothing really wrong with that, as there are of course extant examples of homemade military garments, particularly early on, but don't lose sight of the relative efficiency of the depot system in the ANV, and more "Confederate G.I." than "Ragged Rebel" will be the norm at certain points in the war.