Contacts

E-mail Richard O'Sullivan
r-osullivan@55thva.org
James Sykes
j-sykes@55thva.org
Correspondence

Richard O'Sullivan
36 Bedford Terrace
Bridport
Dorset
DT6 3LZ
United Kingdom

Further Reading

Richard O'Sullivan, 55th Virginia Infantry, H E Howard Inc, Appamattox, Va. USA. 1989. ISBN 0 930 91973 4.
A narrative of the regiment's operations, accompanied by a roster containing short sketches of the military careers of all its soldiers.
 
   
Evelyn Ward, The Children of Bladensfield, Viking Press 1978. ISBN 0 670 21661 5.
An amusing account of the 55th at the start of the war, with poignant recollections of life on the home front. Evelyn was the daughter of the unit's first major.
   

Carroll M Garnett, Fort Lowry and Raiders on the Rappahannock, Vantage Press Inc. 2002. ISBN 0 533 13766 7.
A detailed study of the fort manned by the 55th Va during the first year of the war. It contains three contemporary diagrams and two contemporary sketches of the fort, an appendix listing the slaves (and their owners) and the free-blacks who built it, and numerous illustrations including six previously unpublished pictures of 55th Va officers. There are also chapters about the US flotilla that operated on the Rappahannock, the infamous Draper's Raid and the last days of John Wilkes Booth. Two of the author's ancestors (Private Muscoe Garnett Jr. and Lieutenant William Kemp Garnett) served in the 55th Va.

As at November 2002, this book does not appear on either of Amazon's US or British web sites. Genealogy.com gives a review of this book and details how to buy it.


   
Tell the Children I'll be Home When the Peaches Get Ripe, Wartime letters and journal of Lt. Robert Gaines Haile Jr. Essex Sharp Shooters, Co F, 55th Va, 1862; compiled and edited by his great-great-grandson, Robert M Tombes, Tizwin Publishing (PO Box 35552, Richmond, Va 23235) 1999. ISBN 0 967 50740 5.
A young, able and self-confident member of Essex County's slave owning gentry describes his martial experiences.

If you have difficulty in finding this book, it may be purchased through Amazon Books in the USA (ie amazon.com, not amazon.co.uk).

Sutlers

'Sutler' was the name given to a trader who was licensed to sell goods to soldiers (mostly Union) from their wagons. They sold luxury goods such as: tinned food, matches, cigars, chewing and pipe tobacco, candles, soap, superior quality under-clothing, newspapers, and sometimes illicit whisky.

The term is now also used to denote traders who supply re-enactors.

Below are two sutlers who can supply good quality re-enacting equipment:

Lederarsenal

Lederarsenal specialises in:

Leather goods including: shoes; brogans; boots; saddlery, and accoutrements such as cap pouches, cartridge boxes, slings, and waist belts.

Clothing such as shirts, uniforms, drawers; as well as high quality suspenders (braces).

Hot-dipped tinware including canteens, cups, and plates.

Hand-forged ironwork like tripods, fire strikers, etc. which are available on request.

Miscellaneous kit including knives, forks, spoons, and buttons.

Jan Henrik Berger
Bentingstrasse 10
49477 Ibbenbueren
Germany

www.lederarsenal.com

Phone +49 54 51 / 742 95
Fax +49 54 51 / 896 331
E-mail: J.H.Berger@lederarsenal.com

   

Nathan Richardson

Nathan makes hand sewn kepis, shell jackets, frock coats, civilian sack coats, shelter halves and white militia webbing.

Nathen works in Germany. Contact him by e-mail at sanne-nate@web.de to discuss materials, measurements and prices.

Other web sites of interest

5th Virginia Regiment (part of Historische Darstellungsgruppe München e.V – HDGM)

Top German American Civil War re-enactment group. This site also includes details about the re-enactment of other historical periods. The site has both English and German language versions. You may write to them at: info@hdgm.de

American Civil War Round Table (UK)

UK organisation studying of all aspects of the Civil War.

Confederate Regimental Histories Directory

A large list of links by state, branch of service and unit designation.

Flags Of The Confederacy

Illustrated histories of the flags of the Confederate nation and its armed forces. This site has an alternative address: http://home.att.net/~dcannon.tenn/fotc.html.

Lazy Jacks Mess

Our comrades-in-arms.

Library of Congress

Huge resource. If it does not give you what you want, it will tell you where to find it.

Louisiana State University

Over 2,100 links to Civil War web sites – easy to use and a fine source of information.