Know Your Place
         Before you spend a great deal of money on dresses, decide who you want to portray. For instance, an elite woman would not need a work dress and a lower class woman would not have the money to buy several fancy gowns. Generally, it s a good idea to base your impression on what you can afford. As in the 1860s, upper class clothing will still cost you a pretty penny. Those just starting out should probably gear their clothing toward the lower social status and work their way up if they so desire. Most keep the clothing simple throughout their reenacting experience excepting maybe a splurge on a ball gown at some point.
          Every woman wants to be upper class. Many women new to reenacting suffer from "Scarlet Fever" which is to say they want to be Scarlet O'Hara at an event. Thankfully, most leave this behind the more they reenact. There are several things to consider when you are choosing a role to portray. Many people decide to create a biography for a first-person experience though it is not a necessity. It can be as detailed or as basic as you'd like.
          Who are you ?Your name forms the basis of your period identity. If you have a period appropriate name, it might be easier to use your own. Read through diaries or letters of the period to get an idea for a name. Another possibility would be to portray an ancestor from the period.
          Where are you from ? Is your persona from a rural community, a town, or a city ? This will strongly influence how you dress, talk, and interact with others. Have you lived there all your life or a recent resident ? Find books or online material about the area to learn facts about your period home. Company A of the 2nd Battalion Georgia Sharpshooters was raised in Bibb County, Georgia which is in the Macon area. Company E of the 31st Indiana was raised in Terre Haute, Indiana in Vigo County on the banks of the Wabash River.
          What is your occupation ? Do some research to find an appropriate occupation for yourself and family members to portray or discuss with the public. One possibility that is fun and exciting is the Vistorian Housewife. During the war, she was required to do the work of her husband as well as her own.
          How old are you ? Your age is an important consideration for it will dictate what other events you remember. For example, you would remember the war with Mexico if you were born in 1832. It will also influence how you dress and with whom you interact.
          What is your marital status ? Are you married, single, or a widow ? This is logically dictated by your status in the modern world and will also influence how you dress and interact with others. The exception being many don widow garb for special memorials or dedications.
          What is your education level ? Often this is decided by your age and where you live. Can you read and write and if so, how much ? Where did you receive your education and what subjects were studied.
          What are some family member names ? This is an important consideration for they may well be involved in the war effort. In addition to your significant other in the unit, you may have a brother fighting in Virginia, a cousin in the navy, or a father killed at a certain battle. The possibilities are endless. The war touched everyone in the country in some fashion. Work your own family history into it for an interesting twist.
          How do you feel about period issues ? Read period diaries, letters, or newspapers to form your own opinions and ideas on issues important to them. In so doing, remember not to look at the issues with 21st Century hindsight. They have to be viewed and discussed in the mindset of the times. Some to consider would be the war itself, abolition, the President, women's suffrage, or the temperance movement. These are the basis for carrying on period conversations at events.
         Religion ? Church had a profound influence on the people of this time both at home and at the front. Your choice of religion will influence your views on period events.
The Elite Class
         Women of an elite or upper class most likely would not be in the camp of a Civil War army. If you choose to portray a lady of this status, be prepared to spend much of your time on Sutler's Row and very little time in camp. If you have children, this is probably not a class you wish to portray. These women most likely would still be on their plantations or fled to family elsewhere. Nursemaids were employed to care for children requiring little motherly duties themselves.
          The most layers of clothes were worn by this class. A properly dressed lady would wear around eleven layers of clothing. These consisted of socks, pantaloons, chemise, corset, corset cover, petticoat, crinolines ( hoop or cage ), another petticoat, shirt, hoop skirt, and jacket. The hoops would have been large and about six bones ( or rings ). Jewelry would have still been affordable as well as other niceties such as polished cotton and silk. Their dresses would have been made of more expensive prints or large checks. Prints such as this took more fabric to match the pattern. Extravagant ball gowns made entirely of silk also would have been financially possible.
          Their families usually owned more than twenty slaves and work was something practically unknown to them in their pampered lives. The equivalent of a 7th grade education was followed up by being sent to finishing school.
          The O'Hara family from Gone With the Wind and the resulting "Scarlet Fever" fit into this category.
The Middle Class
         Women of the middle class were more likely to be found in a Civil War camp. They would have been the ones most likely to have lost their homes to the invading armies and become refugees. These women were more likely to have their children with them taking an active role in their care. Many would visit the army if camped nearby during the winter. Wives would travel to spend time with their husbands. Others would take on jobs cooking, mending, or washing. They also often made items for the soldiers by knitting or crocheting scarves, socks, etc. These are the women most portrayed in the camp of the 2nd Georgia/31st Indiana. If you plan to spend a great deal of time in camp, please be prepared to be actively sewing, knitting, crocheting, cooking, or washing. All materials we produce which are not for a specific person will be put into company stores to be used by new members.
          They would have worn almost as many layers as an elite woman consisting of socks, pantaloons, chemise, corset, corset cover, shirt, crinolines ( hoop or cage ), hoops kirt, jacket, and possibly one petticoat. The fabric of their dresses were not as fancy. usually they would have used plain cotton for a majority of their dresses and the print would be small for it would take less material to match. Being able to afford a few nice dresses was not out of the question including possibly a ball gown of cotton or partly of silk. Their jewelry would have been more modest and most likely sold off during the war to provide for their families.
          No strangers to work, many took an active part in work even before their men left for war. Their families owned few if any slaves. Their education would have been about a 7th grade level without the benefit of finishing school. These were the women most likely to take active roles in organizations providing aid to the troops, becoming *nurses, or **attempting to hide their feminity and join the ranks of the army.
The Lower Class
         Women of the lower class would also have been in the Civil War camps. Many of these were sharecroppers who had been working alongside their men now gone to war. They had no homes to stay without their husbands. Following the armies out of necessity, they performed jobs such as washing clothes, mending, and cooking. Some became ***prostitutes in order to survive while most in those profession were so before the war.
          There is little difference between the role of a middle or lower class woman in regards to camp activity excepting the seedier elements mentioned above. If spending much time in camp, you will need to be actively engaged in sewing, washing, cooking, etc. The main difference is their clothing would be more functional than fashionable and lacking any jewelry except for a wedding ring which they might have had to sell at some point. The clothes were made of cotton or wool in remakes of older fashions. She had no use for a fancy ball gown. Instead, she would have worn her best dress to a party and wouldn't even have a new gown for her wedding.
          Severely lacking in education, they would have been lucky to know how to read or write. For the most part, they were barely considered above slave status.
Notes
         * Nurses would have been employed by the medical services of the army and thus would not have been in the camp of the 2nd Georgia/31st Indiana. Their place was in the hospitals.

          ** Women disguised as soldiers were very rare during the Civil War. It did happen and a small number succeeded in pulling off their disguise throughout the war. Most were sent home as soon as it was discovered. Others became known while being treated for wounds or other sickness. Therefore if you wish to portray a soldier in the 2nd Georgia or 31st Indiana, please provide documented proof that a woman served as a soldier with our unit in the battle in which you wish to join the ranks. Please also be aware if you choose to portray a soldier in our camp, you will be a soldier in all aspects the entire weekend. You must act and perform duties as the other men in the ranks are required to do. Please do not plan on fighting in the ranks during the day and a lady at the ball.

          *** Hopefully this goes without saying, but it must be said anyway. Due to the family nature of our unit we request that prostitute impressions not be done in our camp.
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