Knapsacks & Blanket Rolls Redeux

[Old Reb]

Re: Knapsacks & Blanket Rolls Redeux

28th Louisiana retreating from near Alexandria were ordered to dump their knapsacks on the wagons with the promise when they arrived at Pleasant Hill they and their knapsacks would be reunited. Four days later the promise was kept and the men eagerly changed into a clean shirt and socks if they had such items. If they didn't, some took off their dirty shirt and socks and pretended to put on clean ones. So, throw your stuff on the wagons and hope you are reunited with the wagons, or, just carry your stuff and hope it isn't too heavy for making 25 miles a day. Of course, that is real war stuff and refarbactors ain't the same.

[EVOC]

Re: Knapsacks & Blanket Rolls Redeux

At BGR, I only recall two Confederate soldiers with blanket rolls. I was one of them and perhaps there were a couple more. Granted the soldiers we portrayed had acquired a lot of Federal gear, but it still did not seem representative to me.

Description of "Typical Soldier from Confederate Veteran Magazine, 1893:

Across his body from his left shoulder there is a roll of threadbare blanket, the ends tied together resting on or falling below the right hip. This blanket is Jobnny's bed. Whenever he arises he takes up his bed and walks. Within this roll is a shirt, his only extra article or clothing. In action the blanket roll is thrown further back and the cartridge box is drawn forward, frequently in front of the body. From the right shoulder, across the body, pass two straps, one cloth the other leather, making a cross with blanket roll on breast and back.

[DougCooper]

Re: Knapsacks & Blanket Rolls Redeux

Lost in the 60+ pages of posts and fifteen thousand views this thread has had is perhaps one thought I'd like to again stress.

"If there is anything in the knapsack that you do not use in 5 days, you sure as heck won't use it in 2 days, so out it goes...forever." Doug Cooper

I'm picking on Doug a bit here (not that I don't like you Doug- you know the Hornets love to have you out!) but I would reason that it is incorrect to pack light, "for only two days," because that's not what these guys did. Yes, we may only need what we have for two days but our impression should be grounded in the notion of snatching two days randomly from four years of war. Clearly, every man's load would vary based on many factors but I'll say that Doug's post above is, in my opinion, not the best way to pack. Maybe some of that stuff is heavy but suck it up a bit. If you like chess enough to carry a little set, or a Bible, or letters from home, or a dime novel, or a journal, or some other trinket or knick knack- carry it. Think bigger picture. Yes, you would spread mess-gear out and lighten the load as much as you could but you still had to live and you still had people back home or some non-required, non-military item you were toting to help keep your sanity.

My two cents on a thread that could be printed and bound and sold due to the volume of posts...

I was not talking about Bibles (I always carry one) or other keepsakes. I was talking about extra mess gear, extra clothes, towels, etc.

[Silas]

Re: Knapsacks & Blanket Rolls Redeux

Greatcoats don't go on top of knapsacks. Maybe :

The Sunday morning inspection in camp will bear a brief mention. It takes place after guard mount, on the parade ground. Each man must appear to the best advantage he can. His brasses must be cleaned and his musket in good order ; knapsacks packed tidy, and everything about him must be as neat as possible. The band form on the parade ground, the companies march to the music and form as if on parade. The Adjutant turns and salutes the Colonel, telling him the batallion is formed. The Colonel then gives the order for the companies to right wheel, the right of the companies standing still, thus leaving a space between each company. Then the front ranks come to an about face, so as to face the rear rank, which has stepped to the rear about four paces, before the front rank has got the order to face about thus leaving a space between both ranks for the inspecting officer to pass through. "Unsling knapsacks' is the order after "ground arms," [167] and each man puts his knapsack at his feet, unpacked and the contents laid bare to open inspection. It is funny sometimes to see the contents, especially after a campaign. A soldier has perhaps a shirt; a pair of socks, and a prayer book or testament. Some have more, and some less, more generally the latter, but in winter-quarters, where there is a chance to have plenty of clothing, the knapsack of a tidy soldier is worth looking at. The overcoat is folded in a nice roll and strapped on top; the blankets, shirts, drawers and socks, with a soldier's album, which almost every soldier carries with the pictures of dear and loving friends at home. All have their proper places in the knapsack.

pp. 166-67, Four Years Campaigning in the Army of the Potomac by Color Sergeant Daniel G. Crotty, 3d Michigan Volunteer Infantry (1874).

[ewtaylor]

Re: Knapsacks & Blanket Rolls Redeux

Lost in the 60+ pages of posts and fifteen thousand views this thread has had is perhaps one thought I'd like to again stress.

"If there is anything in the knapsack that you do not use in 5 days, you sure as heck won't use it in 2 days, so out it goes...forever." Doug Cooper

I'm picking on Doug a bit here (not that I don't like you Doug- you know the Hornets love to have you out!) but I would reason that it is incorrect to pack light, "for only two days," because that's not what these guys did. Yes, we may only need what we have for two days but our impression should be grounded in the notion of snatching two days randomly from four years of war. Clearly, every man's load would vary based on many factors but I'll say that Doug's post above is, in my opinion, not the best way to pack. Maybe some of that stuff is heavy but suck it up a bit. If you like chess enough to carry a little set, or a Bible, or letters from home, or a dime novel, or a journal, or some other trinket or knick knack- carry it. Think bigger picture. Yes, you would spread mess-gear out and lighten the load as much as you could but you still had to live and you still had people back home or some non-required, non-military item you were toting to help keep your sanity.

My two cents on a thread that could be printed and bound and sold due to the volume of posts...

I agree with Fred and Doug on this one. I agree with Doug on the lines of taking to much stuff you will never use, however I agree with Fred on a soldier taking with him sentimental things (or hobby related items).
A friend of my wife's had an acestor in the 19th TN Inf. He was in that regiment for 4 years. She has the items he carried while in the War, which included a cameo from his mother, a ring he wore from his father, and 4 little baby spoons with the names of his brother and sisters engraved on them. He carried them for 4 years and brought them back home at War's end.
I think each of us should carry something we could have a good 1st person conversation about. Be it a pic of a sweetheart, a dime novel, cards, dice, newspaper, something.
everett taylor

[PrivateGross]

Re: Knapsacks & Blanket Rolls Redeux

That pretty much falls in line with my own experience backpacking. If your total load is any more than 40 pounds you're going to have a miserable time of it. One thing I've done for my CW impression is simply go for walks wearing my full kit. I have 40 minie balls I cast just to give my cartridge box its proper weight, and I go with full canteen and haversack as well. Given my average walk is about 4 miles, I learned pretty quickly what works and what doesn't as far as packing methods and how to wear things for maximum comfort goes.

Peter gross

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Knapsacks & Blanket Rolls Redeux

Hallo!

Agreed...
It can be a different "mind set" when one already, previously, "knows" the tim elimits of one's outting is going to be 1, 2, or 3 days versus not knowing whether 1-3 daze might end up being a month or a year or two...

An instance occurred during this march showing how easy it is to misjudge the carrying capacity of men by their size. One of the six-footer heavy weights of the company in the right files where the tallest men are paced, had been complaining considerably on account of his sore shoulders, although it was not in a cross manner, he being really one of the best natured of men, when he was jokingly scolded for his grumbling by the orderly, marching to the left- a light weight and much smaller sized man. The result was that another heavy member, known as ‘Buckshot,’ who marched in the center of the company, a tent mate of the orderly, made a wager that that the latter had the heaviest load in the company. This the orderly had no idea thaat was the case, although he was carrying besides the usual articles of "extras," shoes, etc., extra ammunition and the company books. However, when they reached Cumberland they weighed up, and sure enough the sergeant's knapsack weighed 28 lbs. to 22 for his tent mate, the third heaviest being 17, and that was not the big fellow's either. This is mentioned as showing that it was not always the biggest looking man that stood the greatest "wear and tear." For while it is true that there were some heavy men, and the two above mentioned were among them, who seemed able to stand everything—good marchers, rough and ready campaigners—yet is it also true that the light weights, from 140 down, were unexcelled for all manner of hard service.
We sometimes hear, out of service, of men carrying 70 lbs. in their knapsack. But no such back-breaking, side-splitting weight was carried by the soldiers—unless some
unfortunate was working out a sentence, walking a beat under guard thus loaded; in lieu of the ball and chain, or log substitutes for thumb-tying, the stocks and other hard
inflictions. A knapsack must not be shoddy to hold 70 pounds. In light marching order the knapsack, if carried at all, which was hardly the case, had little more within or on
top than a rolled blanket, sometimes extra rations, and the balance of 60 rounds of ammunition that couldn't go in a 40 round cartridge box. At other times the knapsack
varied all the way from a new outfit—generally with new troops—to the smallest possible kit or supply of extras, principally underclothes, poncho or rubber blanket, and
woollen blanket—overcoats turned in. These all told, with 9 or 10 lb. gun, 40 rounds, canteen of water (pretty weighty), haversack packed with hard bread, coffee, sugar, and pork boiled or raw, added, 40 pounds would be more with all accouterments ; and frequently half that was all the boys carried, particularly when off on some hurried service requiring quick movements, wherein the weight of the knapsack itself cut no figure. The average weight of a knapsack with us on general service would not exceed, well packed, 15 pounds.

C. A. Stevens, Berdan’s United State Sharpshooters in the Army of the Potomac, 1892

Curt
pp. 79-80

[Gallo de Cielo]

Re: Knapsacks & Blanket Rolls Redeux

Lost in the 60+ pages of posts and fifteen thousand views this thread has had is perhaps one thought I'd like to again stress.

"If there is anything in the knapsack that you do not use in 5 days, you sure as heck won't use it in 2 days, so out it goes...forever." Doug Cooper

I'm picking on Doug a bit here (not that I don't like you Doug- you know the Hornets love to have you out!) but I would reason that it is incorrect to pack light, "for only two days," because that's not what these guys did. Yes, we may only need what we have for two days but our impression should be grounded in the notion of snatching two days randomly from four years of war. Clearly, every man's load would vary based on many factors but I'll say that Doug's post above is, in my opinion, not the best way to pack. Maybe some of that stuff is heavy but suck it up a bit. If you like chess enough to carry a little set, or a Bible, or letters from home, or a dime novel, or a journal, or some other trinket or knick knack- carry it. Think bigger picture. Yes, you would spread mess-gear out and lighten the load as much as you could but you still had to live and you still had people back home or some non-required, non-military item you were toting to help keep your sanity.

My two cents on a thread that could be printed and bound and sold due to the volume of posts...

[DougCooper]

Re: Knapsacks & Blanket Rolls Redeux

Recently I attended the WIG-hosted LH at Chickamauga NBP where I carried, (in addition to the usual musket, cartridge box, canteen, haversack/canteen ensemble) a knapsack that contained; knit nightcap, one blanket, a painted groundcloth, pair of socks, shirt & a small chess set and a brand new mess kettle attached to the back of the knapsack. And that was the MOST I've carried to an event in years. I felt I was traveling heavy till I spied some of the other folks tricked out in what could only be described as a Si Klegg "serious miscalculation" knapsack look. Folks should travel light whenever possible. This malarchy about what will we do w/o this or that is just so much guff. If you can't carry it, just do without it. If you get cold or wet or you can't cook your rations the way you like because you don't have proper mess gear then bully, you've just experienced something of what the original soldiers had to go through.

Exactamundo James. As a former Si Klegg (carry it all just because I can and because somebody once did) I have changed my ways to traveling lighter. BGR was the great teacher, not because the knapsack was too heavy...but because I kept careful track of what I used over 5 days. If there is anything in the knapsack that you do not use in 5 days, you sure as heck won't use it in 2 days, so out it goes...forever.

[justthemiller]

Re: Knapsacks & Blanket Rolls Redeux

Recently I attended the WIG-hosted LH at Chickamauga NBP where I carried, (in addition to the usual musket, cartridge box, canteen, haversack/canteen ensemble) a knapsack that contained; knit nightcap, one blanket, a painted groundcloth, pair of socks, shirt & a small chess set and a brand new mess kettle attached to the back of the knapsack. And that was the MOST I've carried to an event in years. I felt I was traveling heavy till I spied some of the other folks tricked out in what could only be described as a Si Klegg "serious miscalculation" knapsack look. Folks should travel light whenever possible. This malarchy about what will we do w/o this or that is just so much guff. If you can't carry it, just do without it. If you get cold or wet or you can't cook your rations the way you like because you don't have proper mess gear then bully, you've just experienced something of what the original soldiers had to go through.

[Abrams]

Re: Knapsacks & Blanket Rolls Redeux

What I would carry would totally depend on the season, distance from re-supply (wagon/car) and distance traveled.

Winter travel demands more gear.

If a short distance is to be travelled, I would likely take more creature comforts. If a long distance to be hiked, then believe me, I can get by on an amazingly small amount of stuff.

If the trip is to be done circular, or end up near a re-supply point, I would travel very light to enjoy the trip more, and not wind up chanting to myself "step, breathe, step, breathe.." while staring at a spot 4 feet in front of myself.

So it all depends on many factors as to what I would carry.

[ley74]

Re: Knapsacks & Blanket Rolls Redeux

Are we going to have a 3rd year anniversary party for this thread? I know of only one other this old. It is approaching 3,000 posts, on another forum, that is.:)

[Charles Heath]

Re: Knapsacks & Blanket Rolls Redeux

Hank,

To point out the obvious, very few campaigner, progressive, or hardcore events provide 24-hour access to conveniently parked vehicles, although this happens more often than not at static living histories. Grumpy calls these "SOYAs," and for good reason. Come to think of it, I can think of at least one event in 2007 where the nearest of the two vehicles involved was literally over 75-miles away(as the crow flies), but I digress.

Sometimes we do have wagons, and sometimes the Kabukimobile (I'd call it a Kurokomobile, but how few other than Sparky and Silas would understand that level of detail, and, besides, 2 of 3 are painted white not black!) Contracting for wagons is both risky and expensive, however, in recent years more and more events have functional wagons. By "functional" I do not mean the pneumatic tired, metal sided, touron-totin' variety seen here and there. One day, perhaps before the 175th anniversaries, the issue of modern breeds and modern horse furniture will be addressed, but that's an old issue batted around in other threads. As for me, I liked seeing four-ups of right smart oxen at not one, but two CW era events this year. :)

Campaign events (those with signifcant movement) are few and far between. Far too many people interpret campaigning as "sleeping without tents." Moving bodies of troops overland is still a formidable challenge, even if the battalion sizes are smaller than they were ten years ago. Extended play events are somewhat rare, although the 2009 season shows great promise. Blah, blah, blah...same old song and dance.

This comes down to figuring out how much tail to put on the dragon.

[Hank Trent]

Re: Knapsacks & Blanket Rolls Redeux

YEs, I say go light. Remember too that really the idea of only using what you carry on your back is really not correct. These guys had lots of cooking gear, food etc. in the wagons. I hate to say it but it is probably most correct to travel as light as possible and then go back to your car and get stuff that would have very often been in camps in the evening once they had been retrieved from wagons.

To restate the obvious that others have stated, that only works if

1) you're portraying someone at a time and place where, historically, they retrieved their gear from the wagons at night

and

2) some form of "wagon" is being portrayed, either an actual wagon, a magic invisible kabuki truck that drops things off, or I suppose there could also be a loop-around march with a scheduled window of opportunity to leave camp briefly to return to your car.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[Charles Heath]

Re: Knapsacks & Blanket Rolls Redeux

Some events are measured in square feet, some events are measured in square miles, and then there is that linear thing.