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Nick1986
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Topic: Civil War beards Posted: 11-Oct-2012 at 08:19 |
The photo of Stonewall seems to have vanished. I'll post another
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Nick1986
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Posted: 12-Oct-2012 at 07:50 |
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red clay
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Posted: 12-Oct-2012 at 12:02 |
There are several reasons why beards such as these were common then. Certainly fashion was one, but one main reason was, to shave meant using a "straight razor". I don't know if anyone here has ever used one, or has tried to use one, but I have. I can attest to the fact that even a well honed and "stropped" straight razor is a true test of ones ability to withstand pain. And that was on a relatively smooth skinned face, which leads to another reason. Many men of that time had scarring from diseases such as SmallPox. Letting your beard grow not only saved you the pain and problem of shaving, but covered the scars as well.
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"Arguing with someone who hates you or your ideas, is like playing chess with a pigeon. No matter what move you make, your opponent will walk all over the board and scramble the pieces".
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Nick1986
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Posted: 13-Oct-2012 at 09:25 |
Looks like a dangerous implement. No wonder they used to call it a cutthroat razor
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Nick1986
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Posted: 14-Oct-2012 at 08:37 |
Soldiers with badly scarred faces sometimes wore false beards (attached to spectacles) until the real one was thick enough
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Nick1986
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Posted: 29-Nov-2012 at 07:44 |
Albion Howe
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Nick1986
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Posted: 30-Nov-2012 at 07:50 |
George Greene
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Nick1986
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Posted: 01-Dec-2012 at 07:27 |
John M Schofield
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Nick1986
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Posted: 12-Dec-2012 at 14:49 |
William Hoffman
Edited by Nick1986 - 12-Dec-2012 at 14:49
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Nick1986
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Posted: 28-Dec-2012 at 13:47 |
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Nick1986
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Posted: 29-Dec-2012 at 09:21 |
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Nick1986
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Posted: 13-Feb-2013 at 12:39 |
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Mountain Man
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Posted: 13-Feb-2013 at 14:58 |
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFy-yzj02FE
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Nick1986
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Posted: 14-Feb-2013 at 09:08 |
Veteran from the Grand Army of the Republic wearing a false beard, perhaps to cover the scars on his face until his own beard was thick enough
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cnh
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Posted: 29-Mar-2013 at 17:45 |
Since they only had straight razors then, obviously that was the only option for generations before Civil War soldiers grew beards. Is the whole "Civil War beard" style only called that because that's the first generation who were photographed with bushy beards?
Isn't it just as likely that as many Revolutionary soldiers, for instance, had big beards and scarred faces, but it's just that fewer portraits survived from their time?
Or was it really more of a style?
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Centrix Vigilis
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Posted: 30-Mar-2013 at 08:20 |
Either or is possible. As there were no definitive regulations or guidance on allowance of facial hair, at the time, that I have yet to discover. It could be merely style.
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Nick1986
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Posted: 02-Apr-2013 at 19:11 |
Location also probably played a part. Folk living in isolated areas (like fur trappers) would have allowed their beards to grow, unlike town and city dwellers who had access to barbers.
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Nick1986
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Posted: 04-Apr-2013 at 18:39 |
Strangely enough, the Indians didn't have barbers, but they're all clean shaven
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Nick1986
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Posted: 07-Apr-2013 at 19:13 |
US Surgeon-General Clement Finley
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Nick1986
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Posted: 27-Apr-2013 at 19:55 |
Samuel Garland
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