March Route Update and Impression Guidelines

[DougCooper]

Folks there seems to be some confusion about the surface we will be marching over on the route we are using for the preservation march. Dick Taylor's army pursued Banks along the exact route of what is today LA 175 between Mansfield and Pleasant Hill. I relay the following from Danny McCoslin:

We will NOT be marching on pavement at ANY point, period. The old road bed to the side of LA 175 is dirt and grass and we will fit fine on that. Additionally we are putting in place wooden foot bridges to cross all streams, keeping us off the modern bridges.

Our bivouac Saturday night is in a secluded spot away from the road.

We are actively searching for a parallel route that will take us away from the road for some stretches. Choices include the utility right of way. But we want to emphasize that the intended focus of this event is to save the battlefield. If we cannot find a suitable march route that closely follows the original route of LA 175, we will stick with that original route.

This is about the original soldiers and their legacy - we can accomplish the twin goals of helping save Mansfield and duplicating their "fight, march, fight" feat of April 8-9, 1864.

A further note on impression uniforms. The soldiers of the 15th Texas were a patched and motley bunch...they were clad in a wide array of clothing, with issue cotton jean jackets, issue overshirts, and homespun civilian clothing likely predominate. Some blue-gray kersey jackets (Houston Depot and Tait) were present as well as a few federal uniform parts. A few items were fairly new, but most would have been worn and well used.

In short the guidelines as written are very broad, allowing a wide latitude for participants.

NOTE: We are amassing a pile of loaner TMD uniform parts as well - inquire herein if you need help in any area. Also of note, you may be able to obtain some federal property that we will store in a broken down federal wagon we will "liberate" during the march.

Raffle passed $1100 last night. Thanks!!

[Stephen Johns]

Re: March Route Update and Impression Guidelines

Folks there seems to be some confusion about the surface we will be marching on the route we are currently using for the preservation march. Dick Taylor's army pursued Banks along the exact route of what is today LA 175 between Mansfield and Pleasant Hill. I relay the following from Danny McCoslin:

We will NOT be marching on pavement at ANY point, period. The old road bed to the side of LA 175 is dirt and grass and we will fit fine on that. Additionally we constructed wooden foot bridges to cross all streams, keeping us off the modern bridges.

Our bivouac Saturday night is in a secluded spot away from the road.

We are actively searching for a parallel route that will take us away from the road for some stretches. Choices include the utility right of way. But we want to emphasize that the intended focus of this event is to save the battlefield. If we cannot find a suitable march route that closely follows the original route of LA 175, we will stick with that original route.

This is about the original soldiers and their legacy - we can accomplish the twin goals of helping save Mansfield and duplicating their "fight, march, fight" feat of April 8-9, 1864.

A further note on impression uniforms. The soldiers of the 15th Texas were a patched and motley bunch...they were clad in a wide array of clothing, with issue cotton jean jackets, issue overshirts, and homespun civilian clothing likely predominate. Some blue-gray kersey jackets (Houston Depot and Tait) were present as well as a few federal uniform parts. A few items were fairly new, but most would have been worn and well used.

In short the guidelines as written are very broad, allowing a wide latitude for participants.

NOTE: We are amassing a pile of loaner TMD uniform parts as well - inquire herein if you need help in any area. Also of note, you may be able to obtain some federal property that we will store in a broken down federal wagon we will "liberate" during the march.

Raffle passed $1100 last night. Thanks!!

Thanks Doug,

That needed to be said. I have several things to loan out and other people do as well. We do not mind one bit. If you are thinking of going but may not have a certain peice of gear, let us know and we will find it.

This is going to be a great event.

[thecivilwardude]

Re: March Route Update and Impression Guidelines

I checked the website today and while looking at the standards, I noticed that Houston Depot jackets aren't on the guidelines anymore. I thought that they were acceptable. Does anyone have any ideas?
David Sesser

[Holy Joe]

Re: March Route Update and Impression Guidelines

David,

"Houston Depot" items are acceptable. In our research of the 15th Texas C.S.R.'s, it appears that a shipment of uniforms, caps, and shoes was delivered to the 15th at around the same time/location (May/June 1863 at Opelousas & Simmesport) other units are known to have received Houston Depot products. Wharton also mentions in his inspection reports that he had hoped to send a quantity of supplies via the Texas & New Orleans railroad to the Sabine, thence the lower road to Opelousas (the area the 15th Texas operated in during this time period). It is unknown whether he was sucessful in this endeavour, as Quartermaster Minter was hesitant to send supplies to south Louisiana for fear of capture.

We also know that some 6 to 8 months later, Elijah Petter mentions that he had received some blue/gray cloth while in south Louisiana, so some b/g kersey is period, appropriate, and encouraged. That being said, all records seeem to indicate these issues to the 15th were inadequate at best. As Silas Grisamore states in his Reminices, these troops were operating for extended periods of time far away from their supply bases. It is most likely that the 15th was clothed in a hodge-podge of Federal clothing (captured at Brashear City, Stirling's Plantation, and Bayou Bourbeau) taken during the summer campaigns of 1863. This was supplemented from time to time with the occasional "issue" of confederate QM or what few civilian goods could be procured. Keep in mind the logistical nightmares the Federals faced in traversing up the Shreveport-Alexandria road(s)....The Confederate QM would also have to deal with these logistical concerns, as well as a river that was virtually unpassable above Alexandria (the Falls).

An interesting note is that in February of 1864, men from the 15th were detailed to take the regimental and brigade wagons down to Opelousas to procure clothing. It is not known where this clothing originated....Wharton had his hands full at this time supplying Gray's, Major's, and Bagby's cavalry commands, so a Houston issue seems highly unlikely. It could be that these clothing items came from one of the East Texas depots, but we've found no information to support this supposition. Perhaps the items were spun and manufactured by local "spinning societies" or "ladies aid" groups.

Unsatisfied by the lack of conclusions we've reached, we are conducting ongoing CSR research, this time focusing on the entire brigade. At this point, we can only state that the 15th was more than likely clad in a mixture of CS "issue", Civilian, and the remnant of Federal "captured" goods (with the majority likely wearing civilian clothing). Although Houston Depot products were being issued to troops in Louisiana, there is no concrete tie between HD's and the 15th, so they should be used/worn cautiously and in conservative numbers (hence the reason for being taken off the list). If you are considering purchasing a "Houston Depot" jacket, you might want to consider going with a "Penitentiary Jacket" of Cotton Jean or undyed kersey. This cloth saw widespread issue to troops throughout the Trans-Miss (and even some in the AOT), and would have been more readily available to civilians than English Army cloth.

Please contact me off line if you have any further questions regarding the clothing guidelines.

Thanks,

[DougCooper]

Re: March Route Update and Impression Guidelines

Frank Aufmuth and Danny McCoslin walked for miles last weekend and found an offroad route that parallels the original route for about 5 miles, and an outstanding camping spot off the road exactly halfway. The remainder of the march will be in the old roadbed along the original route. They confirmed that at no time will we need to march on the pavement.

Logistics have all been worked out and there are number of authentic vignettes planned for this evolution along the march. Suffice it to say, without revealing too much, is that the soldiers of the recreated 15th Texas will experience a number of the same things the original soldiers did en route Pleasant Hill.

Recruits are still coming in so if you are still on the fence, climb on over and join us. Again we have ammassed a considerable number of jackets and overshirts worn by these troops as loaner gear for the event, so don't let the lack of TMD specific uniform items deter you - we got ya covered/jacketed.