AGEOD Forums

Here's something all Union and CSA fanboys can get together and discuss over a jug of Oh Be Joyful.

The Smithsonian site has a poll on who had the best facial hair:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/Who-Had-the-Best-Civil-War-Facial-Hair.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=twitter

but feel free to write in candidates here. It's not multiple choice - discuss!

* Ambrose baby has to be up there. Got in the dictionary and set trends, big time.

* Given the Smithsonian choices, I'm partial to Carter Stevenson; yes, no beard or 'stash, but some impressive muttonchops. Jeb Stuart gets major props, too.

Who do you like?

I always liked Alpheus Williams crazy mustache/handlebar thing. I don't think I could grow that if I had a thousand years.

Hey, and what about Kilpatrick's sideburns? He had a sideburns to make two braids!

Alpheus Williams' is most impressive for its outlandishness, but I'd have to go with Ambrose Burnside's famous facial hair. He just carries it off with so much pizzazz, and I frickin' love that hat:

He strikes me as the kind of guy you'd want to hang out with and have a beer. He wasn't a stellar commander, but he was aware of his unsuitability for army command, and I admire that.

My wife is rolling her eyes at me as we speak. She's grudgingly come to accept my pirate/viking/wizard beard, but has threatened to leave me if I grow muttonchops or a giant handlebar

Have on hand your beard trimmer machine, just in case!

Regards!

Hah, yes, I will keep the beard trimmer handy. It was a Christmas gift from her parents - I think they were trying to tell me something? I was sporting "the McClellan" for a while, but now I more closely resemble my avatar

Burnside will win, as the general public just can't get enough of him.

Can't say I disagree.

I want them all to win!

Heck, the most outlandish of all probably woulda been clean-shaven.

I voted Dunlap, because it most resembles my own moustache (in better days, before it met with fire ;-) )...

Pat "Stonewall" Cleburne wrote:I always liked Alpheus Williams crazy mustache/handlebar thing. I don't think I could grow that if I had a thousand years.

+1

I could have voted for a number of those guys, but I enjoy his the most

I voted for Stuart, but it's inevitable that Burnside will win the poll. Longstreet had a pretty good thicket, too. Personally, I've always liked Grant's neatly trimmed beard (not the spade-shaped one he wore at Belmont) and relatively short hair; very distinguished.

In the Mexican-American War it was rare to see a military or political figure with a beard or even a moustache; clean-shaven was almost the rule. Yet, 15 years later, it was just the opposite.

I went with Romeyn B. Ayres. The photo from the side doesn't do his man hair glory but i do like the snarl. As someone who has struggled to grow a beard for many years i know how hard it is and I think he managed to pull off the rugged but still sophisticated look very well indeed.

I liked W.B.Hazen's combination mustache and goatee.

Its what I would wear had I lived back then. apy:

Hood had a little zztop in him but having facial hair named after you pretty much seals the deal as to who wins imo.

You guys are all kidding, right. Check out Daniel Ruggles - now there's a face full of fighting fur.