St. George's Notes XIII - The Impression(2.0)...
« on: February 02, 2005, 09:06:13 AM »
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Creating your persona is important to an accurate portrayal of the times and a good way to honor those in your family who went before.
It also allows you to concentrate and learn about specifics, and can save you some money as you put your Impression together properly - leaving frivolous purchases for later on.
I was lucky in having some interesting ancestors to draw from, as my forebears actually were soldiers, gamblers, gunfighters and lawmen - with nary a storekeeper in the lot.
My GG Grandfather rode with the 2d Iowa Volunteer Cavalry as a Corporal.
My GG Uncle rode with DeBray's 5th Independent Texas Cavalry as a Captain.
My G Uncle rode with G Troop - 1st Volunteer Cavalry (yeah - 'that' G Troop - TR's).
My own career has been spent in Combat Arms units - Airborne and Special Ops mostly - I commanded a Cavalry Squadron for The First Team, after I commanded an Infantry Battalion in The Big Red One - having first started out as a Rifleman and later - a Hard-Stripe E6 in a Paratroop outfit about 35 years ago.
I was retiring out of SOCOM when recalled...
Here's a thumbnail sketch - from the top of my head - and it hits the high points - allowing you to build upon it - fleshing out the Posts and the towns nearby - even the Saloons and the Dry Goods and Saddlers.
Why?
Because to make it more authentic - some of your equipment is going to have come from them.
For example - my saddle-shaped watch fob is from J.H.Haney & Company - a noted saddler from Omaha and first active in 1888, while my cigar case and a pocket knife both come from Union Stock Yards Company/South Omaha - that started in 1884.
These were places I'd have done business with or known men who did.
Retired, long-serving Cavalry Officer...
Served since the Civil War, when I rode with the 2d Iowa Volunteer Cavalry as a Trooper, in Sheridan's Cavalry Corps, from 1863 on.
Rode under Grierson, cutting telegraph and railroad lines near Vicksburg.
Brevetted to Major.
Chased Forrest, helped repel Hood in Tennessee.
Stayed in after the War and went West (with a company-grade rank) and fought throughout the Indian Wars - Apache, Comanche, Cheyenne, Ute and Nez Perce' Campaigns - rode with and later commanded a squadron in the 5th Cavalry.
Entered the Retired List out of the Headquarters for the Department of the Platte, at Omaha Barracks, where I served on Departmental Staff - in 1896 as Lieutenant Colonel, Cavalry.
Now, that's 'my' Impression.
Yours may vary widely - especially if you don't have a Military background and have picked another type of character to portray.
For example:
Let's say that you pick a Working Cowboy...
What you'd have in your pockets or in your vest would depend upon what your character would have and his station in life.
You may have to decide how educated you might be - you may not be able to read, write, or do sums.
If you can - you might want to carry a pencil and maybe a Tally Book, so you can keep track of stock and such for the Brand you're riding for this season.
The pencil would not have an eraser - you'd 'erase' with a knife blade - or cross through.
No pen, though, as the technology hadn't quite made it to that stage.
Pen and ink were found in desks.
You'd probably want some education though, and might have a McGuffy's Primer in your saddlebags - that you've gotten from the new Schoolmarm...
If you've been paid, some 'hard' cash - coinage in the form of both American and most likely Mexican would be in your pockets - paper wasn't quite as trusted back then, but greenbacks and shinplasters were also common, as was Army Scrip.
You may not have much money - since your pay goes to keeping up you - your outfit, and once in awhile - paying off your bunkhouse poker debts.
There might be a Bill of Sale for your horse - stuck inside your billfold (a simple fold-over thin leather case - similar in construction to a modern checkbook cover).
You wouldn't need a Pocket Watch - since you could tell time fairly accurately by the Sun.
Anyway - maybe the Ramrod would have one - maybe not - but if he did, it'd be a solid one - most likely a Turnip" - because they were pretty strongly-built -the more expensive having the closable "Hunter Case" and the less expensive the open face.
But then, not every man would own one - they could be pricey for a working cowboy and weren't as tough as needed, and besides, there was usually the one that the Ramrod had.
If you're using a pocket watch, then there were watch fobs and charms as well as watch chains - the fobs being anything from an Elk's Tooth to an advertising fob from a harness maker to a spent Minie' bullet that glanced off your cartridge box at Shiloh, and you kept for Good Luck
If you carried such a thing - a Watch Fob from a local business on a strap would be appropriate.
A carbon-steel-bladed pocket knife might be in order - wood or bone handles being quite common and any of the good English makers (some German as well) were common - I*XL being well thought of.
It would probably be a single-bladed knife, though two-bladed pen knives were quite common and they got that name because they were small enough to cut quills for writing.
A hoof knife was a large knife - it being the Multiplier of the day, so it would be found in the saddlebags
Let's say you were good at your job...
You'd want to show that fact off a bit - so your spurs would be top-notch as would your saddle.
Maybe a pair of Buermann's Gal-Leg spurs - or later on, McChesneys - or - of you're in the Southwest - a good pair of Mexican-made ones from the big Trade Fairs in Chihuahua - with jingle-bobs, so the 'town folk' would know you're comin', with your straps let out to the 'town hole' to add to the music.
The saddle - well - that's going to take some money - but once you've got a good one - it'll advertise to one and all that they're looking at a "Top Hand"...
You'll carry Tobacco - in one or more of its many forms - as most men of the time used it.
If that's the case - you'll want a Match Safe for your "Strike-Anywhere" Lucifers and your little bag of makin's - Bull Durham - or some of that black Mexican tobacco - and some papers(non-adhesive) or cut and scraped corn shucks - so's you could roll a smoke.
They didn't call 'em "quirlys" for nothing.
Maybe a plug of chaw will be in a vest pocket as well - or cigars.
Perhaps a pipe as well - because tobacco could still be smoked if no papers or cornshucks were available
Snuff came loose back then and was carried in small horn boxes with lids - some silver-mounted and engraved.
And - if you're just a Button - maybe a couple of Peppermints, since you're not quite used to smoking, yet.
And even if you're not a Button - you'd still have a sweet tooth... and might have a pair of reading glasses inside your vest
There may even be a small flask inside a vest pocket - especially for a gambler - or a 'sport' - and even a deck of pasteboards.
You can see how the creation of an historically accurate Impression can involve a bit of thought - but once given - and with some access to decent references - it's easy to create what you're after.
The list goes on - again depending on your character - and quality varies.
A working cowboy never had much money, but when he could, he'd buy what would give the most value for his dollar, and that thing may not be the prettiest in the hardware or drygoods store - just the most durable.
A townsman would have more opportunity to buy "the latest thing" and so on.
A big part of the overall enjoyment of NCOWS is the peripheral history
Good Luck.
Scouts Out!
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