A different war. A different contenant. A soldier's gear remains the same.

1.) 1812 pattern Belgic Shako as worn by a centre company soldier of the Coldstream Guards during the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. It has white worsted woollen cap cords and tassels, a brass cap plate bearing a Coldstream star in the centre, a black leather cockade worn on the left hand side red and white feathered plume to indicate that the wearer is from a centre company. If the soldier was from the Grenadier Company he would wear a white plume and from the Light Company a Green plume

The Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley is seen at conservation lab in North Charleston, S.C., on Jan. 27, 2015 photo. (AP Photo/Bruce Smith, file)

Scientists may finally solve the mystery behind the sinking of Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley, the first sub in history to sink an enemy warship.

A century and a half after it sank and a decade and a half after it was raised, scientists are finally getting a look at the H.L. Hunley’s hull. Experts hope to solve the mystery of why the famed hand-cranked submarine sank during the Civil War.

"It's like unwrapping a Christmas gift after 15 years. We have been wanting to do this for many years now," said Paul Mardikian, senior conservator on the Hunley project in North Charleston, S.C.

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - Airmen from Joint Base Charleston and Department of Defense personnel removed a Civil War-era artillery shell from a downtown Charleston construction site.

Construction crews working the site at 94 Wentworth Street made the discovery at approximately 8:58 a.m. Wednesday, according to Charleston Police spokesman Charles Francis. Police describe the unearthed piece of history is an explosive shell, or an ordnance. It is not a bomb, they say. 

Crews were in the process of moving dirt where plumbing for a future a vegan dining hall is being constructed as part of the Jewish Studies Program at the College of Charleston.

People who live or work in nearby buildings who were asked to leave the immediate area and traffic was rerouted away from the site. The road has reopened and people were allowed back in their buildings shortly after the shell was removed.

Military authorities say the ordnance will be disposed of properly.

Read more at: http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20141203/PC16/141209839

by General Herman Haupt.

I made the following report on how to destroy bridges and locomotive engines expeditiously:

Washington, D. C, November 1, 1862.

A simple and expeditious mode of destroying bridges, and rendering locomotive engines useless to an enemy, is often a desideratum. Cavalry may penetrate far into an enemy’s country, may reach bridges forming viaducts on important lines of communication, which, it may be desirable to break effectually; or, in retreat, the destruction of a bridge may be essential to the safety of an army, and yet time may not be sufficient to gather combustibles, or they may not be accessible, or the fire may be extinguished, or the damage may be so slight as to be easily repaired.

What is required is the means of certainly and effectually throwing down a bridge in a period of time not exceeding five minutes, and with apparatus so simple and portable that it can be carried in the pocket or a saddle-bag.

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 Bill Capo / Eyewitness News WWL

NEW ORLEANS - Work is already underway at the historic Cabildo to prepare for a special celebration in January to mark the bicentennial of the Battle of New Orleans.

"Well, this is going to be the keystone exhibition for the country about the Battle of New Orleans," said state museums executive director Mark Tullos.

The exhibit will contain artifacts and descriptions of General Andrew Jackson leading American troops to victory against a far superior British force.

"This was the most important battle, I believe, in our country's history," said Tullos. "We would not be a free nation if we had lost the Battle of New Orleans."

The first thing you see is a large cannon that sits at the Cabildo entrance, a naval cannon from the Spanish Colonial era that was used at the Battle of New Orleans. 

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The 1st and 2nd United States Sharpshooters were the elite of the Union Army. To qualify each man had to be able to place ten shots (with a rifle of his choice) in a circle of 10 inches in diameter from 200 yards. A sharpshooter also had to posses a good eye and calm nerves.

They were issued the breech loaded Model 1859 Sharps Rifle (which was specially designed for them) forest green frock coats, pants and forage caps instead of the standard blue union uniforms. This uniform was very effective when the berdans were in cover but in the open field it made them easy targets.

As the war progressed and casualties mounted the two units were consolidated and many were forced to switch over to the standard blue uniform of the Union Army.

At the end of the war casualties between the two units was 532 Men killed, wounded or missing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_United_States_Sharpshooters

From Revolted states on Tumblr

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Rare Civil War Engraved and Documented U.S. Contract New Haven Arms Henry Lever-Action Rifle

This is an exceptional example of a historic Henry lever action rifle that was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Co., for the U.S. Ordnance Department in 1865. The Ordnance Department purchased a small number of Henry rifles from the New Haven Arms Co., to arm the U.S. Veteran Volunteer Infantry (VVI) regiment. Most of the identified Henry rifles are associated with the 3rd VVI Regiment. The 3rd VVI was one of nine Veteran Volunteer regiments recruited in early 1865 to serve as an elite corps of experienced infantry. The VVI regiments were armed with Sharps, Spencer and Henry rifles and VVI soldiers were allowed to retain their rifles on discharge. The 3rd VVI was organized in February 1865 at Camp Stoneman, District of Columbia, served in the Shenandoah Valley and Washington defenses and was discharged at Camp Butler, Illinois, in July 1866. The rifle is accompanied by a letter from the Springfield Research Service (SRS) which states that information in the National Archives shows this rifle, serial number 7,419, was issued to Pvt. Lewis Reibrecht, Co. B, 3rd VVI. The SRS letter states that Pvt. Reibrecht was born in Wurtemberg, Germany and was 25 when he enlisted in the 3rd VVI on March 29, 1865. His occupation was listed as an engraver. Pvt. Reibrecht was discharged at Madison, Wisconsin, on March 29, 1866.

http://www.rockislandauction.com/viewitem/aid/58/lid/3087

From The Civil War Parlor on Tumblr

Extremely Rare Documented Confederate Civil War Augusta Machine Works Percussion Twelve Stop Style Revolver Attributed to a Surgeon in The First Florida Infantry

Known as the Revolver of Colt Model 1851 Navy type, these rare Confederate revolvers were manufactured circa 1861 to 1864 with a total production of only about 100 and only a few are known today. These revolvers were very well made and (like most Confederate revolvers) are almost identical in appearance to the Colt Model 1851 Navy revolvers. Among the revolvers made in the Confederacy, the ones said to have been made by the Augusta Machine Works is somewhat mysterious. They are not marked with a markers name and some question if the gun was made by the factory or if any revolver were even manufactured by Augusta Machine. The Confederate Government did own a factory in Augusta, Georgia which was known as the Augusta Machine Works, but what military weapons were manufactured has never really been established. These revolvers were marked with either a number or letter for assembly markings with this revolver being marked with the assembly number 1 in nine separate locations, twice in the grip channels, (on the back and bottom), the left side of each grip strap, the right side of the hammer, wedge, loading lever, back of the barrel lug and on the front cylinder face.

This particular revolver is attributed to Dr. Hugh Berkeley who was with the First Florida during the Civil War.The First Florida was organized in July of 1861 at Tallahassee and left for the Western theater in 1862. The First fought long and hard throughout the war and was in every major conflict in which the Confederate Army of Tennessee was engaged in.  Dr. Berkeley resigned in mid-1864 after being involved in actions at Perryville, Murphreesboro, Chattanooga and other Tennessee battles. He was ruined financially by the Civil War and moved his family to Missouri, where he practiced medicine until his death in 1884. He was buried in DeSoto, Missouri.

http://www.rockislandauction.com/viewitem/aid/58/lid/3108

From The Civil War Parlor on Tumblr

Greg Zelinski demonstrates the proper way to load and fire a Civil War era rifle. 

Members of the Col. Friedrich Hecker Camp #443 (SUVCW) participated in a living history day at the Gustav Koerner House in Belleville, Illinois, on Saturday, April 5, 2014.

“The universal practice of carrying arms in the South is undoubtedly the cause of occasional loss of life, and is much to be regretted. On the other hand, this custom renders altercations and quarrels of very rare occurrence, for people are naturally careful what they say when a bullet may be the probable result."

LtC Sir Arthur James Lyon Fremantle, HM Coldstream Guards, 24 May 1863

From: Defending the Heritage