Remember Kit Ridley's floral print vest? Well, here is another one, only this layered underneath what looks to be a silk vest. It is certainly a classy look, and definately a high class look as well. I really think he could have stepped out of the ranks of the Maury Grays as they marched off from Columbia in 1861. Notice the attitude in his facial expression as well. Young, cocky, confident. Everything we should project as members of Co. Aytch.
Again a well dressed sort of fellow. But particularly notice the pouty lips in the facial expression and the confident nonchalance in the reclining stance. Certainly, little of the clothing that these two are wearing will translate to our scenario in September of 1863 (though if someone has a printed vest like Kit Ridley and the one above, it would be a rockin' addition). But what we need to notice is the attitude and expression of the sort of young men that become the Maury Grays. As I noted in discussing the 57th GA photo earlier, these images can give us fantastic insight into how these men saw and wanted to present themselves. When photography was a once-in-a-long-while occurrence, these men thought very carefully about how they wanted to project their personality.
As we have seen, in many cases with these men youthful self-confidence, something akin to the indefinable "cool" of teen idols for generations, is a common trend. Can we make it the same in our portrayal of Co. Aytch?
4 comments:
Looking at the demographics associated with the Maury Grays, I couldn't help but imagine these two striking young lads walking down the streets of Columbia, TN, on their way sign up for a thrill seeking endeavor such as war! Although we do not know who these dandies are, we can postulate that they have the "wealth" and, more specifically as Pat has hinted to, the "attitude" we are looking for in conducting this living history! Even though this is September 1863, many of these young,yet now mature lads still would have had the financial backing from home. Merely take a look at the 1870 census information Pat provided. Most of the heads of households are not necessarily "hurting" in the real and personal property areas at the onset of reconstruction. I think this says that they would have definately been able to provide some extra eminities to their "boys" in the field, don't you?
Okay, enough with my off topic comments about the 57th Ga. and on to important 1st Tenn junk.
Where the heck are the company B civilian shots I researched and sent you?
-LLB
How could I have forgotten, that fantastic group shot of the Rock City Guards. Weren't they from Fraggle County?
Unlike Georgia, Tennessee has reduced the number of ounties of the years. Fraggle County was dissolved BEFORE the War of Southern Discomfort (WoSD). You are just hestitant to post those pictures b/c they're rural miners that don't fit your dady impressions...
llb
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