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THE WATCHDOG. - A QUARTEX,, IEVIEW FOR CIVIL WAR ENACTOR, Volume 9, NO.2 Guarding your interests.. SPRING 2001 The Civil War Artifact Forum. New Staff Additions and a New Watchdog Web Site. Anyone interested in the "real stuff' should heed W.C. I am pleased to announce two additions. Jomarie Soszynski Fields and, frankly, be in Philadelphia at the end of October. will be using her knowledge of textiles, sewing methods and Why? Because the Civil War Artifact Forum take place at the nineteenth-century clothing to increase our coverage of civilian city's beautiful Union League facilities during the weekend matters. Her educational experience includes a degree in Home of 26-28 October 2000. Economics and certification in consumer's education. She is a The conference is for collectors, curators and historical member of the Costume Society of America, and has practical interpreters interested in civilian and military items. The list of experience in nineteenth-century garment design and scheduled presentations and topics is impressive.. .some of the construction. Jomarie and her husband, Dennis, have been best and most knowledgable experts in their respective fields of enacting for over ten years with the Mid-Michigan Civil War interest. You will learn more in two days than you could research Reenactors and the Citizens of Wheeling. One of her primary in two decades. We are supporting the Artifacts Forum and interests is in pattern design and construction. urge you to attend if at all possible. Watchdog subscribers who Larry See is joining the staff as the editor of the Watchdog's register for the conference before 1 September 2000 get an early web site. ..the brand new one! By the time this issue is on your registration discount. Am! ARF! table, you should be able to find the site nearly complete at: A thorough bill of particulars can be found at The Civil http://www.watchdogreview.com War Artifact Forum web site: Larry, an experienced journalist and administrator, has again http://www.artifactforum.com to come to my aid. During my stint as a Western Brigade or by e-mail at [email protected] and by mail at The battalion commander, Larry was a valuable asset to that Artifact Forum, 95 Briarwood Drive, Holland, PA 18966. organization and my staff. Larry has been part of the community The presentations include the following speakers and topics: for over fifteen years as a member of several Michigan units and the Western Brigade. He is a modern newspaperman so we Jon Isaacson - Popular Music and Musical Instruments now have an "authentic" journalist on our staff. Fred Gaede - A Qpology of the Federal Shelter Half In the wake of increased time demands that computers have Ross Kelbaugh - Studio Photography provided for on us, Larry has agreed to help keep the "e" part Les Jensen - Confederate Officer's Uniforms of our business fresh and timely. Andrew MacFarlane at Suzanne Carter Isaacson - Broaches, Buckles and Combs Leelanau Communicationsredesigned the site. He did a fabulous Paul Johnson - Bayonet Scabbards in the Union Army job creating new features, including links to other sites consistent Juanita Leisch - Contributors and Inhibitors: The Road to with our mission. Larry will make sure images from printed being a Fashionable Woman articles get posted (something I never got quite right). Greg Biggs - Sewing Circle to Supply System: Flagmakers Your suggestions for web site improvements and features of the Confederacy will complete the redesign efforts. Let Larry know what you Mike Woshner - From Buttons to Water Beds: India-Rubber think. He and all the editors can be contacted through links on and Gutta-percha in the Civil War the web site (as well as by land mail). Ross Kimrnel - Material Culture of Maryland Confederates: "Clothing a Band of Brothers in Exile: Uniforms of the We're Late. Maryland Confederates" Usual and important real world issues have put this number Linda Duffy - Fashion Plates and Periodicals on your reading table late. As a small token we have added four Gil Hocker - Fashionable Clothing for Men extra pages. For extra "real stuff' on a regular basis we need Dean Nelson - Winter Huts in Federal Camps more articles and feedback, along with more subscribers. Your Jim Mundy - History and Tour of the Union League help and continued encouragement is appreciated. Collection Mr. Christen A "MUST" FOR YOUR LIBRARY The Columbia Rifles Research Compendium The Columbia Rifles Research Compendium (CRRC) is a approximately 280 pages in length and is cleverly illustrated. must for the military enactor's reference bookshelf. It joins the The content, which sets the CRRC apart, is broken into five ranks of the classics we have recommended over the years. The sections: focus of the CRRC is the Federal Infantryman's material and social culture. However, either military impression (US or CS) can benefit General Philosophy: Four articles titled "Introduction," from the wealth of information included in this compilation. It "Campaigner's Manifesto," "Why Do Hardcore?'and "Accurate contains the latest research on uniforms and equipment, notes Impressions: More than Money can Buy" on how to be a vigilant soldier and observations on the current Minutia: Twenty-eight articles on clothing and equipment used by movement toward increased accuracy of impressions in the the soldier (illustrated and fully documented). enacting community. There are even some tidbits for male civilian Methods: Seven articles on using a soldier's equipment. impression (i.e., clothing, hair and beard styles, first-person tips The Man Inside the Uniform: Ten articles on doing an effective I and contemporary life-style). impression. The CRRC has evolved from the early efforts of Nicky and Columbia Rifles References: Authenticity Standards and Susan Hughes who started The Watchdog in 1993, Cal Kinzer who Recommended Vendor List. put together The Hardcracker Handbook: A Guide for Re-creating the Western Federal Infantryman around 1995 and the Third The CRRC is printed on loose-leaf paper and is provided in a Mississippi Camp of Instruction Handbook compiled by Thomas three-ring binder. Updates and new information can easily be added Czekanski, in 1998. Recently, Robert Braun (one of our esteemed in the future on a more-or-less annual basis. Future editions will editors) and other members of the 33rd Wisconsin, Company E, include new articles and the latest editions of revised articles. The have placed another outstanding body of work on-line: updated material will be available for a nominal copying and mailing http://www.amtma.com/33dwis fee to individuals who have previous editions of the book. The This also served as inspiration for the CRRC. availability of subsequent editions will be advertised on the Columbia The CRRC is not a typical unit organizational handbook. Those Rifles' web site and various Internet forums. Registered holders of handbooks usually provide only a list of required equipment authorized copies will be notified by e-mail when updates become purchases and information on the unit's actual military history. In available. The cost of each update will depend on its page count. these little is provided in the way of detailed, documented To obtain a copy send a check or money order for $26 (US) information. Unfortunately, the majority of enactors at the present payable to "Andy Metheny." Include your name, mailing address time do not take time to look closely at the material culture or the and e-mail address. The cost of the book includes the binder and historical background of the roles they are enacting. There are places shipping within the continental United States. For each copy, five to get this information ...museums, private scholarship and the dollars will be donated to Civil War preservation projects. At this Company of Military Historians, other publications, etc. This time proceeds from the first edition will be used to conserve New research possibly requires more energy and effort than the York State's Civil War battle flags. mainstream is willing to expend. Now, for those folks (and the rest The Columbia Rifles makes no profit from sales of the CRRC. of us) who have been looking for a source where it is (at least for the The cost you pay is their production cost, plus a donation for Federal infantry impression) complete in one format it exists. This preservation. All labor required for researching, writing and is the CRRC from the Columbia Rifles. producing the book is donated by Columbia Rifles members. The Columbia Rifles was formed in April 2000 as a campaign As for a Confederate version, we are still searching for one that based organization. The membership base is primarily in the compares to the CRRC. Greg Schultz's illustrated "owner's manual" northeastern United States. The Rifles are affiliated with the Potomac for Company E of the Seventeenth Virginia Infantry is a strong Legion battalion. Their goals are "accuracy" and a "constantly candidate. Any others out there? improving portrayal." The staff of the CRRC's first edition includes Managing Editor, I The research and information contained in the CRRC is virtually John Eric Tobey; Associate Editor, Kevin O'Beirne and Production priceless. It is being made available to the entire Civil War historical Editor, Andy Metheny. All the members of the Columbia Rifles are and enacting community. There are fifty-one articles in the first to be congratulated on this outstanding effort. Am!ARF! ARF! edition of the CRRC. Members of the Columbia Rifles wrote all but two articles. Those are "The Campaigner's Manifesto" by Nicky The Columbia Rifles Research Compendium, Andy Metheny, i Hughes of the Breckinridge Battalion and "Accurate Impressions: 367 Burroughs Road, Boxborough, Massachusetts 01719 and More than Money can Buy" by John Stiteler of the Western Brigadel (978) 263-1753 and e-mail: aimetheny @aol.com .