Civil War Soldiers with ponytails

[aracin]

I am a Civil War reenactor and have been doing research on civil war soldiers with ponytails. I know in europe soldiers and sailors commonly had ponytails durring this time period. Anyone have any info or photo's you would be willing to share of US civil war soldiers with ponytails. I'm comming up with possible ones but there facing front and its hard to tell. :think:

[Custermen]

The French Napoleonic light cavalry commonly wore pony tails and queue's. The Queue consisted of a strand of plaited hair on each side. I thought a search for this term might get some results.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queue_(hairstyle)

 

Since this was prevalent among European cavalry, I would search for images of US cavalrymen.

 

Steve

[aracin]

Thanks I'll try that.

 

The French Napoleonic light cavalry commonly wore pony tails and queue's. The Queue consisted of a strand of plaited hair on each side. I thought a search for this term might get some results.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queue_(hairstyle)

 

Since this was prevalent among European cavalry, I would search for images of US cavalrymen.

 

Steve

[sigsaye]

You will probebly not find any. By that time period, the style was short hair. Both the Army and the Navy had uniform regulations put into effect in 1820 which directed the hair be short, much like todays military. There were of course those with longer hair, but the wearing of pony tails in the 1860s by men was out of fashion. the number of photos of the time period, including casualties shows no pony tails.

 

Steve Hesson

[Gregg]

Let me say this as a CW reenactor for almost 20 yrs, have seen the styles change 180 degrees. When I first started out short hair , mustaches , short beards were the norm. You almost never seen a guy with ponytails or long un kept beards. I started an infantry company about 10 yrs ago, broke out the Confederate Reg's, and read them to each prospective member told each if you can't or want meet these regulations then this unit is not for you. Since , having served in the Military , I run a tight unit. At the current time we have normally for a event 12-15 rifles.All still meet the regulations. There has been times someone will being up changing some parts of the unit constitution with regard to hair, uniforms ect and so far the unit constitution has held up to popular vote.

So, I don't have anyone ponytails or un kept beards and as long as I am Captain there will not be, I have been Captain for as long as the unit has been formed.

JMO

Gregg

[Corpl. Cleaver]

Are you honestly researching this, or are you just trying to find an excuse to keep your ponytail??

 

Just askin....

[tsakers85]

The hairstyle of your impression depends as much upon your theatre of operations as any other aspect of your impression does. I am in the Trans-Mississippi and I would say that long hair was very much still in fashion.

 

General Albert Pike, CSA

 

Col. William Penn Adair, CSA

 

Col. Daniel Newman McIntosh, CSA

 

Bloody Bill Anderson, CSA

[oldfireguy]

Long hair but no pony tails.

[sigsaye]

As I said, the regs for both the US Army and the Navy directed that the hair be kept short. however, with volunteer units, this was open to variation. As I said, long hair could be found, however, the overwhelming vast majority of those serving in the military forces of the American Civil War had short hair as evidenced by the majority of period photos. "Longish" was also common in the field during campaign season as the chances of barbering were limited. I simply have never seen a photo, or read a description or account where anyone had a pony tail.

 

Steve Hesson

[flyer333555]

Steve Hesson

 

No, I do not think the only reasons for longer hair was because of "being in the field" or "lack of barbers" as you state. Men always find another man to cut their hair. After all, it will grow back if there is a mistake.

 

I think there are other reasons involved.

 

I have been looking at photos of war since I was seventeen or so. I am 55 years old.

 

In looking at the hair length in the photos of the Civil War I have seen can be classified in two types.

 

1. Long hair, officers of general and colonel grades.

 

2. Short hair, lower-grade officers and enlisted.

 

But no pony tails, as you stated.

 

Probably some of the reasons is that generals and colonels usually were an older generation used to the longer hair. Plus they were the commanders. Who could tell them how long to wear their hair? And for lower-ranking officers and enlisted, being younger, were used to the shorter style. Plus a lot of people telling them how long to wear the hair in the army...

 

Take care!

 

Luis Ramos

[sigsaye]

Steve Hesson

 

No, I do not think the only reasons for longer hair was because of "being in the field" or "lack of barbers" as you state. Men always find another man to cut their hair. After all, it will grow back if there is a mistake.

 

I think there are other reasons involved.

 

I have been looking at photos of war since I was seventeen or so. I am 55 years old.

 

In looking at the hair length in the photos of the Civil War I have seen can be classified in two types.

 

1. Long hair, officers of general and colonel grades.

 

2. Short hair, lower-grade officers and enlisted.

 

But no pony tails, as you stated.

 

Probably some of the reasons is that generals and colonels usually were an older generation used to the longer hair. Plus they were the commanders. Who could tell them how long to wear their hair? And for lower-ranking officers and enlisted, being younger, were used to the shorter style. Plus a lot of people telling them how long to wear the hair in the army...

 

Take care!

 

Luis Ramos

Luis, you are exactly correct, that is what I was trying to get out, it just wasn't getting there this morning. With the older generation, longer hair was the style, more senior, do what you want. The younger types tended to prefer long hair, but every now and then, photos taken in the field show "shaggy" hair, in need of cutting. Any way, we are agreeing on this. Either way, never saw a pony tail in a period photo.

 

Steve Hesson

[USMCRECON]

Are you honestly researching this, or are you just trying to find an excuse to keep your ponytail??

 

Just askin....

 

That's what I'm thinking.

 

If reenactors are into absolute realism, as many posts here seem to indicate, and as has been discussed in preceding posts Civil War uniform regulations did not allow pony tails, then a Civil War reenactor with a pony tail would be, dare I say it...inaccurate.....sort of like showing up for a reenactment wearing Vietnam War jungle boots with a Civil War Union cavalry get-up.

 

Don't get me wrong; I have nothing whatsoever against pony tails. My girlfriend in high school frequently wore her hair in a pony tail and I loved it.

 

Of course, if one wanter to reenact a Vietnam War protestor, a pony tail would be perfectly appropriate. :whistling:

[USMCRECON]

Let me say this as a CW reenactor for almost 20 yrs, have seen the styles change 180 degrees. When I first started out short hair , mustaches , short beards were the norm. You almost never seen a guy with ponytails or long un kept beards. I started an infantry company about 10 yrs ago, broke out the Confederate Reg's, and read them to each prospective member told each if you can't or want meet these regulations then this unit is not for you. Since , having served in the Military , I run a tight unit. At the current time we have normally for a event 12-15 rifles.All still meet the regulations. There has been times someone will being up changing some parts of the unit constitution with regard to hair, uniforms ect and so far the unit constitution has held up to popular vote.

So, I don't have anyone ponytails or un kept beards and as long as I am Captain there will not be, I have been Captain for as long as the unit has been formed.

JMO

Gregg

 

Are you talking about the style of the reenactors?

 

If a reenactor is seeking the absolute accuracy that it seems from most writings in this subject area indicate, current popular hair/beard styles should have no bearing on the issue. The reenactor would be more concerned with the look/style/etc of the period and that does not change over time.