Nebraskaland

July 2019 • Nebraskaland 39 Dressing for an 1820s Fort Like many living history volunteers in Nebraska, the reenactors at Fort Atkinson State Historical Park take seriously their duty of educating the public, and the attention to detail shines through in their clothing. Many pieces are handmade, and some are custom-ordered. Pictured are (left to right) Kristy Ericson of Omaha, dressed as a laundress, and her daughters Taylor and Lylah. Bob Baker of Omaha portrays the captain of the rifle regiment. Baker's entire ensemble cost around $2,000, which is typical for someone portraying a soldier. For him, the cost is worth it. "I get to share my cost with lots of people and get a great deal of satisfaction and enjoyment in the process," he said. 1. Shako A shako was a leather cap worn by enlisted men. The color of the wool pom sticking up from the top signified that the wearer belonged to the rifle regiment. The cap plate – the brass insignia on the front – is a copy of an original found on the site of Fort Atkinson, and shows an eagle carrying a rifleman's horn. 2. Eyeglasses The prescription reading glasses Baker is wearing are copies of an original that dates back to about 1790. "The lenses in these do have a bifocal, which is not something that was made back then," he said. 3. Undershirt and bowtie Along with a wool vest, beneath the coat Baker is wearing is a long white cotton undershirt. "They didn't really have what we refer to as underwear," Baker said; the long undershirt was worn instead. The bowtie is "a nod toward civilian fashion," Baker said, and also an homage to the neckstock, a piece of leather worn by lower-ranking soldiers that kept them from looking down at their feet. 4. Coat This 1812-period wool coat is something an officer would have worn in a social setting. "It was something so ostentatious that it would draw attention. And as an officer that's what you would want to do in social situations," Baker said. "You couldn't brag about your rank, but you could certainly wear something that looks like you could afford it." 5. Buttons Baker has a pewter casting operation and makes the buttons the soldiers wear. The design is based off of buttons uncovered by archaeological digs at Fort Atkinson. 6. Officer's Sash Sashes indicated rank and were used to wrap injured soldiers in and carry them off the battlefield. They were dyed scarlet/burgundy to blend in with any arterial blood that was shed. The fear was that if nearby soldiers saw how badly wounded an officer was, they would become demoralized and run away, rather than continue fighting. 7. Gloves Gloves were typically worn by officers mostly in ceremonial situations, just as they are today, and were made of calfskin or goatskin. Baker got his from a period supplier. 8. Trousers Baker is wearing narrow-fall drop front trousers. They are made of hemp, a flexible, durable fabric similar to denim. 9. Shoes Baker's shoes are "almost a boot," he says, "what we call a three-quarter height shoe." This height allowed more freedom for someone on foot, as a company captain likely would have been. Baker had his pair custom- made at Omaha's Dehner Boot Company for about $400. 10. Sword An officer's sword was more ceremonial and not necessarily used in battle. An officer on horseback was more likely to carry a curved sword, or saber, to avoid cutting the neck of his horse with his sword when drawing it. This replica was made in Pakistan and cost Baker $175. 11. Cap The working-class women and girls of Fort Atkinson would typically have their heads covered while outside to protect themselves from the sun and any debris and insects. Kristy's head covering is called a country cap, and Lylah's is a colonial cap. Kristy sewed both using period patterns. 12. Shawl The wool shawls pictured here were handmade by the Ericson family, woven on a triangle loom. They used wool from Columbia sheep that Kristy's mother-in-law raises. 13. Chemise Like the men's undershirt, the chemise was a long, loose undergarment that doubled as sleepwear. 14. Dress The fashion of the day was the Empire waistline, falling just below the bust. Drawstrings at the neck and bust made it easy to dress yourself. Work dresses are made of cotton and feature earthy, natural tones and a repeating pattern, which would have been easy to manufacture at the time. 15. Apron Aprons were worn quite frequently to protect clothing. They can have other uses, too, for a living history volunteer: "I use mine as a hot pad some days," Kristy said. "Just super convenient." 16. Canteen This tin canteen was made by Chris Hagemann, who portrays a tinsmith at Fort Atkinson and taught himself how to master the craft. Hagemann's workmanship can be seen throughout the Fort. Lylah wove the canteen's strap on a rigid heddle loom at the fort.

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