"Facial hair... Rankers v Officers v Union v Confederate " Topic

Hi Gents,

I hope this post finds everyone well this evening.

I am just finishing up some figure sculpting, and am curious as to the issue of facial hair..

May I ask the board's opinions as to the more or less accepted 'norm' or 'trend' in odds if increased facial hair for the various sides based on rank?

In looking at period images and illustrations I would assume less chance of mustache or beard for Union rankers, a touch more for Confederate rankers, followed by regimental officers and field officers..? Would veteran units be more likely to have a less shorn look, as opposed to clean-shaven recruits? Were sergeants more likely to wear a 'stache or beard than privates?

Is this sheer folly on my part in thinking there are generalities that may be made?

Thank you for any insights,
Bob

Younger men were more likely to be lower in rank. So you'd expect more beardless men as privates simply because many of those were too young to grow one. This would be especially true for the CSA later in the war as they're scraping the bottom of the barrel for manpower. They also took in more older men, so don't forget to make some of the fellows bald.

Many younger men didn't have full beards as this was going out of fashion at this time while older men DID have full beards. Full breads were in fashion prior to the war. If you look at period photos of soldiers in the field you see very few beards. Some have goatees but not that many. AFTER the war the style had changed to mustaches only. This is why most monuments depict them because they were sculpted post war when they were popular. So… younger men were clean shaven during the war when they could shave.

badasscivilwarbeards.tumblr.com

A whole site devoted to this

Once you get past the beginning of the war posed in studio shots, most photos I've seen of ACW troops show a significant number with facial hair. Even in these pictures facial hair was not universal, and you could argue they were not representative of how troops usually looked, but I feel it provides some basis for giving some ORs facial hair.

There WAS a significant percentage of the troops on both sides, officer and enlisted alike, with facial hair. At least a moustache, and a LOT with either full beards, goatees, etc.

Why? Field conditions, especially on campaign. Shaving required a container to hold some hot water, a small towel, another container with shaving soap, a brush for the soap, a straight razor and some sort of strop to sharpen the razor with. The soldier simply couldn't carry that with him.

Period accounts such as "Soldiering" by Rice Bull, or "Hard Marching Every Day" by Wilbur Fisk, talk about the difficulties, the agonizing, over what to bring with them, as they had to carry everything on their backs. They were required to carry their issued gear, and three day's cooked rations. Every item carried not only took up space in the knapsack, but added weight, and THAT was a primary determination on go/no go by the soldier.

The issue knapsack could contain a shelter half, 3 stakes, a rubber or painted cloth blanket, and a wool blanket. Normally added were 1-2 pair of socks, a spare shirt (usually, but not always), a tin plate and flatware. That takes up a LOT of space. Most soldier also carried a jack knife & wallet, but those were usually in their pockets. A number also carried some sort of writing material. Again, all that adds weight. Bull talks about messing in groups of three, where each man carried extra gear. One carried a coffee pot, another carried a spider, and a third a hatchet. Again, extra weight.

Regardless, on campaign water is a precious commodity. Hard enough to get what you need for drinking and food, let alone personal hygiene.

Winter quarters would be different, of course. There, you would have 1 or 2 men in each company who could set up shop as barbers and shave men. Keeping the required gear to hand wasn't a problem. And remember, shaving was done every 2-3 days, or perhaps only once a week. Why? Because you need some good sized stubble to effectively use a straight razor. I've used one, and it isn't easy, especially on the upper lip and the neck. I had the benefit of a large mirror. In the field, you'd be restricted to a much smaller one. I preferred to have a shave done locally by an experienced barber who could see everything better. Same with men in the 19th century.

Anyway, what it boils down to is that on campaign, or extended outpost duty, etc, you'd find a great deal of facial hair. In winter quarters or garrison, perhaps less. And it all comes down to the size and weight of the gear needed to shave.

I have an app that has over 8600 Civil War photos, many of course of equipment and scenic but a fair number of photos of soldiers, singly and in groups and sometimes the dead, as well as officers of all ranks. Just looking at them, and of course this isn't a scientific study, it appears that almost all officers had some sort of facial hair. As for enlisted and NCOs it would appear somewhat over half had facial hair. Again I concur that it would often depend on age and I would also expect to see facial hair in greater numbers on active campaign than in camp. There was, IIRC actually a directive in the Union Army calling for men to be clean shaven and to have short hair, this was to keep down the problems with lice.

It was actually for beards, if worn, to be kept clean and trimmed. Same with the hair. The 1863 Regulations (revised) have the grooming standards listed in them.

Excellent insights, Gents, and greatly appreciated! Nashville, thank you for the link. TKindred thank you for your informative posts, as always.

Sincerely,
Bob

Regulations are one thing, what Captains and Sergeants enforce is often quite another.

Why? Because you need some good sized stubble to effectively use a straight razor.

Come to think of it its still true. I always get a better shave after a couple of days even with a modern multi blade razor.

See men, on TMP not only do you get history but male grooming tips as well!

Next week, a discussion on how to "police that moostach "

Trajanus:

Concur. I also started shaving every 2-3 days and get a closer, smoother shave from that. I stopped using a straight razor after a few months because of the difficulties in shaving under my chin, and over my lip while using a mirror, and thus seeing it backward and in 2-D.

But I still use a brush and shaving soap. So much better than that stuff from a can.

I've converted to the brush and shave soap as well. It's such a better shave.