Poor Boy Suspenders

Never in a million years would I have imagined that I'd be researching re-enactment suspenders! I read through 4 main pages (at the bottom) and here's a summary of what suspenders/braces can be.

My apologies for not documenting which detail came from which site!

Can be made of:

• cotton shirting
• linen
• cotton blue jean
• cotton jean
  
• stout cotton
• tapestry
• velvet
• woolen carpet
  
• sail cloth
• cotton webbing
• canteen cotton webbing
• twill tape
  
• cotton tick ("heavy, sturdy fabric with a close, even weave" http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-ticking.htm)
  
• leather
• braided leather
  

Potential fabric looks:

• brown/tan checkered
• red striped ticking
• plain
• print
  
• embroidered
  

Dimensions:

• 1-2" width (specifically mentioned 1 3/8" or 1 1/2")
• 52" long
  

Sewing:

• hand sewn 7 stitches to the inch
  

Thread:

• brown/blue linen thread on the cotton jean

Assembly:

• 2 separate straps crossed over in back either right over left or left over right
• Can be stitched together in back to form an "X"
  
• 1 - 2 buttonholes in the front and the back (to allow for adjustments)
• Rather than permanently stitching back together, can take a 6-8" long piece of fabric/webbing/tape and stitch either end of it on the inside of one of the straps about 4 - 5" above the back buttonhole. Then, slip the 2nd trap through that to hold he back together.
  

Buckles on suspenders came after the Civil War. The "X" was worn during the Civil War, while the "Y" back came probably in the 1870s.

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?1757-Poor-boy-suspenders

http://www.cwreenactors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7761&page=2

These two articles actually have references!!
http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?8278-Did-You-Know-They-Wore-Braces-in-the-1860-s-!-by-Aaron-Young

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?8272-Visible-Means-of-Support-by-Chris-Sullivan&highlight=suspenders