A Confederate skirmisher kneeling on one knee, rifle braced at the shoulder, slouch hat, butternut shell jacket and trousers. Period: American Civil War, Battle of Gettysburg, 1-3 July 1863.
By 1863 the Army of Northern Virginia wore a mix of regulation grey, civilian butternut, and captured Federal kit. The kneeling skirmish-line posture was drill-book standard for advance and retreat. At Gettysburg, Lee's army crossed the Mason-Dixon line at high tide of Confederate fortune; they were turned at Cemetery Ridge.
Painting tips
- Shell jacket: faded butternut tan or muted grey (paint either - both were common).
- Trousers: matching, often mismatched in practice.
- Slouch hat: dark brown felt with sepia wash.
- Rifle: warm wood stock, dark steel; cartridge box on dark leather belt.
Historical sources & further reading
- Echoes of Glory: Arms and Equipment of the Confederacy
- Coddington, The Gettysburg Campaign
⚠ Small parts. Not suitable for children under 14.





