Spectacles in the field

[billmatt04]

I know this subject has been covered ad nauseum, but I came aross a reference to a soldier wearing spectacles in the field in the 1993 Historical Supply Catalogue , published by Camden House Publishing in Charlotte, VT and compiled by Alan Wellikoff. On page 184 he quotes a soldier of the 52nd Massachusetts Infantry who wrote home with glowing praise for his newly-issued Springfield rifle-musket.

The soldier writes that the "guns were issued to us the other day....Mine is behind me now, dark black - walnut stock, well oiled, so that the beauty of the wood is brought out, hollowed out at the base and smoothly fitted with steel....The spring of the lock, just stiff and just limber enough...barrel, long and glistening-bound into its bed by gleaming rings - long and straight and so bright that when I present arms, and bring it before my face, I can see the nose and spectacles and the heavy beard on lip and chin...."

I thought this was not only an interesting description of the soldier's weapon but also evidence that soldiers did wear spectacles while in the field. I know the arguments to the contrary, but I thought this would be an interesting bit of information to add to the discussion. It's a shame he does not include the soldier's name.

Best,

[brown]

Is there date for that letter, even without the name?

[billmatt04]

No, there are no dates or names ascribed to the quote. Without them it's hard not to have some degree of scepticism about it since that's how we historians are trained. Still, if someone could comeup with the author and a date it would prove valuable.

[BobRoeder]

The letter is also quoted in Francis Lord's Civil War Collector's Encyclopedia (Vol. 1?) on page 244. Of course he gave no source and there is nothing in the bibliography that helps.

I was going to ask the same question regarding the original source of the letter a few months ago but never got around to it. My main interest was the soldier's glowing description of his new Springfield, my "defarbed" repop was sitting nearby and I tried to look at it the same way......but it just isn't.

[jpbab]

my "defarbed" repop was sitting nearby and I tried to look at it the same way......but it just isn't.

You don't have to rely on it to save your life.

[boozie]

Library of Congress image, Colonel George Chapman (later Brig. Gen.) of the 3rd Indiana Cavalry.