Please Note: These standards were written for the upcoming event, Marmaduke's Raid. If you are interested in attending, please visit the event's website. 

Civilians living in the Paterson area were subsistence farmers, lead or iron prospectors, and timber merchants. Most were able to make a decent living. Although few were wealthy, none were destitute. The 1860 census shows that even very young married couples owned property worth at least a few hundred dollars. Therefore, most civilians should present respectable working impressions. Civil War-era carte de visite photographs from Missouri show styles and fabrics that closely resembled those of other regions in the U.S., but might have been a little more conservative. Many U.S. soldiers writing home from Missouri described the "endless butternut" clothing worn by both men and women on farms.

Civilians were in the path of both armies, as well as bushwhackers, and would have had little time to prepare their escape. Assume that we will be packing light. There will be no tents, toilets, cars in camp, or chandeliers. Women should wear serviceable, sturdy clothing. The men will be portraying "Mossbacks"--that is, men who were hiding in the woods to escape impressment. Missouri conscription laws required all men between 18 and 45 to enroll for militia service. Those who refused to do so could be arrested by either side.

Men

Respectable Missouri farmers and merchants would have worn plain, serviceable, businesslike clothing. There is no evidence that ordinary Missourians wore wild plaids, stripes, or loud colors. Civilian men should be careful not to wear or carry any military items; that would be asking for serious problems with both armies.

Shirts: cotton fabric (not the lightweight Walmart style “homespun”) or wool, linsey-woolsey, linen.

Coats: Either Frock or Sack coats. Wool frock coats should be black, dark blue, or brown. There's no documentation for patterned wool frock coats in Missouri. Linen frock coats can be lined or unlined, in white or natural. Frock coats should fit properly and neatly. Sack coats can be made of a variety of wool fabrics (including solids, stripes, or checks); butternut jean cloth; unlined linen; may have patch pockets, cloth-covered, hard rubber, plain brass, or mother-of-pearl buttons. Sack coats would have been very widely available; there are several excellent examples in the collections of the Missouri Historical Society.

Vests: either a vest or overshirt should be worn over the shirt. Vests may be silk, linen, corduroy, or wool. Avoid modern upholstery fabrics.

Overshirts: in wool or linen, usually with breast pockets. Overshirts should be long enough to reach approximately halfway to the knee. Preferably plain, without loud trimming. May be worn under a sack coat without a vest. Overshirts are worn over a shirt.

Trousers: wool broadcloth in solids, stripes, checks, and plaids; cotton denim or drill. If your trousers are made of denim, be sure to choose heavy-weight denim / cotton jean. (I.e., not the modern lightweight denim fabrics.) For Missouri farmers, wool jean was common. Such trousers should be cut from a civilian pattern, not borrowed from a confederate uniform.

Accessories: silk cravat; Civilian style shoes or boots are preferred correct socks if possible. Please, no modern watches, eyeglasses, or cigarettes.

Headwear: Hair and beard should be dressed in a period style. Hats can make or break an impression. Few or no straw hats. Please, no kepis or forage caps or, for that matter, any other military garment. Men wearing any military clothing while attempting to avoid capture by either side would be asking for serious trouble, either arrest or execution.

With thanks to Fred Baker.


Women

Undergarments: women must wear appropriate 19th century undergarments. A work stay and a striped or dark-colored underskirt would be useful at this event. Please don't bring a hoop skirt or cage. Not only would they be wildly out of place, they would be dangerous in the woods and near open fires. A corded petticoat may be worn. Please wear white wool or cotton stockings (not striped).

Dress: documentation suggests that many Missouri farm wives wore "butternut" dresses, probably made of wool jean or a wool-linen blend. German women had brought the skill of making homespun linen-and-wool cloth to the area about forty years earlier. Such fabrics are expensive and hard to find now, so you may want to go with a serviceable simple wool work dress. Please, no Walmart-style "homespun." Cotton prints must be of a documented print and color. This can be difficult to determine, so be sure to ask for advice before purchasing the fabric. A bad print or color can ruin an otherwise excellent impression.

    Dress details: Piping should be very narrow (no wider than perle cotton) and should run along neck, waist, and armscyes. Please don't pipe the back seams, and don't make the piping of a contrasting color. Skirt lengths should be short enough to permit walking and working without a cage. Skirts can be pinned up for working if an underskirt is worn. They should be pleated or gauged. Ideally the dress would be a gathered-front bodice (if in cotton) with bishop or coat sleeves. Ask about alternative styles. Please, no pagoda or modified-pagoda sleeves, no modern trimmings (such as modern gros grain ribbons, for example) and no synthetic fibers anywhere. Synthetic fibers are not only incorrect, they're dangerous near open fires. There is no evidence that Missouri women wore a separate blouse-and-skirt combination.

Accessories: white cotton or linen neck kerchiefs or collars; white cotton or linen cuffs or undersleeves. Please, no jewelry. The risk of loss or confiscation is too great (unless you're willing to experience that as part of the scenario.) Bring a serviceable woolen shawl or paletot.

All women must bring a slat or corded sunbonnet, or a knitted hood if the weather is cold. Fashion bonnets would be out of place. Older ladies might wear a plain white linen cap (of the correct century) but please, no nylon lace-style dressy caps and no straw hats. Of course no snoods or headgear from other centuries. You will need an apron or two, in documented colors and fabrics, as well as large handkerchiefs.

Boots: the terrain is somewhat rough; boots should be sturdy enough to support your ankles. Please rough up the soles of your boots to reduce danger of slipping on steep hills and rocky paths. Robert Lands' Black Balmorals are a good bet, or sturdier footwear made by Serio or Missouri Boot and Shoe. Please, no men's brogans!

Hair: All women must wear a period-appropriate hair style: center parted, dressed flat to the head, no bangs, no curls. A small additional bun or braid is acceptable. Please, no makeup.

Children: children should wear clothing in documented colors, styles, and fabrics. Positively no Chinese slippers on anyone. Not only are they farby, they are very unsafe in a wooded terrain. Their plastic soles are dangerous near open fires. Children's footwear may be purchased laced boots, if speed laces are removed.

Of course no one will bring modern watches or eyeglasses. There will be a secure box available for such items as first aid supplies, medication, sunblock, car keys, etc. This box will not be disturbed during any raids or inspections that may occur during the event.