June 2013
"Experience the Past"
Sutlers
Registered Sutler's - Vendors Sutler's-Vendors | 
What is a Sutler vs VendorSutler or victualer is a civilian who sells provisions to an army in the field, in camp or in quarters.Sutlers sell period items. Vendor sell items of interest, not necessarily period correct T-shirts etc |
These merchants often followed the armies of the American Revolution and the American Civil War to try to sell their merchandise to the soldiers. Generally, the sutlers built their stores within the limits of an army post or just off the defense line, and first needed to receive a license from the Commander prior to construction; they were, by extension, also subject to his regulations.
Sutlers, frequently the only local supplier of non-military goods, often developed monopolies on simple commodities like tobacco, coffee, or sugar and rose to powerful statures. Since government-issued coinage was scarce during the Civil War, sutlers often conducted transactions using a particular type of Civil War token known as a sutler token.
Sutlers played a major role in the recreation of army men between at least 1865 to 1890. Sutler stores outside of military posts were usually also open to non-military travelers and offered gambling, drinking, and prostitution.
In modern use the term sutler is often used to describe businesses that provide period uniforms and supplies to reenactors, especially to reenactors of the American Civil War. These businesses will often themselves play the part of historical sutlers while selling their modern-day goods at reenactments.
