Stuffers

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Curious as to what types of recreational items soldiers carried in their haversack. I am also looking for period patterns for a deck of cards. I would like to make a deck of cards for myself and for a friend. Does anybody have leads on this?

Paul B. Boulden Jr.

RAH VA MIL '04

[TeamsterPhil]

My haversack is reserved for food and cooking/eating utensils. Any recreational items I carry go in my knapsack/bedroll of my pockets. Playing cards are quite portable. I have also enjoyed a game or two of checkers on a board inked onto the back of a comrade's gum blaneket. And a housewife (used properly) can be the source of lots of laughs. Cap'n Crabby can attest to that fact.

Phil Campbell

[Kevin O'Beirne]

The typical soldier used his haversack for rations and some of his mess furniture ("mess gear"), not for "haversack stuffers" (a modern-vendor term). If you're carrying two- or three-days rations in your haversack, with a tin plate or canteen half and some rags and possibly a tin dipper, you shouldn't have any room for 'stuffers'.

There's a lot of articles online with recommendations on what to carry in your haversack and knapsack. For my article, drop me an e-mail and I'll gladly shoot you a copy of it.

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Try http://www.sullivanpress.com/

Here is a photo of cards offered by them.

[bluebellybugleboy]

also me and a couple of friends made a deck of cards out of some old paper that is very much like the period letter paper to the sight and touch. all you need is a cedar pencil . i'm not sure how authentic but it's better that throwing burning sticks at each other :D :wink_smil .another thing that in my opinion would be of period entertainment would be dice , it's a very simple game and the dice are small and wouldn't be much of a load to carry around .of course i'm sure that such a thing would be among the first things discarded of by a soldier on campaign.so opinions can be pending . if anyone else has some insight I would love to hear it .


Rob young