"What's With Civil War Soldiers and Beards" Topic

I think Avidgamer got it right. Looking at pictures it appears
that many of the younger rank and file where clean shaven or
just had mustache. The older Officers seemed to have the
beards. Just basing it on looking at photos in my books.
I think it was a fad on it's way out.

David / Miniature Armies

"One film critic described 'Gettysburg' as the 'Battle of the ludicrous beards, and was won by the north, because their beards were far more bushy."

Last Hussar… I'm glad you mentioned the movie "Gettysburg"
I thought Tom Berenger's(Longstreet) beard looked awful
but I did like the movie.

Last Hussar… I'm glad you mentioned the movie "Gettysburg"
I thought Tom Berenger's(Longstreet) beard looked awful
but I did like the movie.
>>
Bad fake beards,bad hats,fat reenactors _ BAD movie!

Bob C.

Your right about the reenactors, I remember one reenactor that looked like Santa Claus :)

I think it was a combination of factors But also having a huge beard/moustachios etc are a sign of masculinity at the time…For example during the War of the Triple Alliance the boy soldiers of Paraguay had moustaches painted on as they went to their deaths with wooden rifles…. 8(

I read somewhere that when the Guards returned from the Crimea they were all wearing the beards that had been grown on campaign. During the parades on their return the bearded and bemedalled men in their scarlet caused the beard to become a fashionable thing to wear in the Victorian period……so something that grew from neccesity (lack of water for shaving and the cold) became a fashion item

We reenactors have a say "There is nothing worse than corn fed rebels'

The Santa Claus in Gettysburg got the part because he had done a lot of work for the film coordinating reenactment groups as a volunteer. We loath it too.

My wife's big complain is the stage Englishman.