Knapsacks & Blanket Rolls Redeux

[markj]

Re: Making a horsecollar blanket roll

Greetings,

I've posted this elsewhere but it might be of interest as it depicts an interesting variation on the blanket roll.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[Gallo de Cielo]

Re: Making a horsecollar blanket roll

Here is a nice description as penned by Private John Kennedy Street of the 9th Texas Infantry. The letter was written immediately after the fight at Shiloh.

In answering a query from his wife Street states: "'Did you lose all your clothes love your blanket[,] knapsack and everything you had in the battle?' No love I expected that a knapsack would be burdensome to me so I did not take any with me when I left for the battle ground neither did I take a cot. I only tied around me the blankets Ma gave me. I wore it around me all day Sunday- it was twisted as you would bed clothes in wringing the water out of them- the ends tied together and thrown over one shoulder and under the other arm and all day Monday till late in the evening it came untied in the last charge we made and I would not stop to tie it on again.'"

For what it's worth...

Kind regards,

Fred Baker

[Yellowhammer]

Re: Making a horsecollar blanket roll

Regarding the "right" and "wrong" was to make a blanket roll, there are only so many ways to combine a strap or twine, blanket, ground cloth, etc... into an item that could be carried over the shoulder. Given the millions of men in uniform 1861-65, I'm pretty confident every variation was tried at least once.

In the end, many soldiers would have arrived at the same conclusions but I'm sure there were always soldiers who through stubborness, ignorance, or laziness tramped along with an uncomfortable, ill-fitting conglomeration over their shoulder.

Soldiers during the war would have tried different approaches to make their load fit their body in a way that was comfortable. I think Ryan's excellent post illustrates that pretty clearly.

[Yellowhammer]

Re: Richmond Depot Ground Sheets

I am unaware of any CS groundcloths that are documented to a maker. There are such items id'd to soldiers who served in the ANV and documentation showing such items being produced, but I'm unaware of any groundcloth maker being linked to an extant original or pattern.

[Jimmayo]

Re: Richmond Depot Ground Sheets

Excavated brass grommets are extremely rare in Confederate positions/camps. The only ones I have found are in late war sites and are the same as and probably came from captured Federal rubber blankets.

[Hank Trent]

Re: Making a horsecollar blanket roll

In the original post, this line stood out: "your half of the two tent poles..."

Don't know how long Span Am tent poles were, but could the poles have prevented the Span Am blanket roles from being made into more of a C shape and forced them to be worn like a U with the two sides long and straight?

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[Michael Comer]

Re: Making a horsecollar blanket roll

The blanket rolls in the Span Am photo look to me to be created by folding the blanket over on itself as opposed to rolling it up to make the desired shape. This would result in a flatter, wider look.

[pvtbordonaro]

Re: Making a horsecollar blanket roll

The blanket rolls in the Span Am photo look to me to be created by folding the blanket over on itself as opposed to rolling it up to make the desired shape. This would result in a flatter, wider look.

Michael,
From what I read, I think the Span-Am.-era soldiers rolled their blanket and effects, then folded their tent and laid it on top of the roll and bent the resulting "horse collar" over their shoulders. This would result in an excellent "Civil War-type" blanket roll with a "Army-neat" look to it created by a neatly folded tent being the visible part of the horse collar. Of course, as Ryan points out, the "Army-neat" look would've been a post-Civil War technique because during the Civil War the soldiers were supposed to be issued, and to use, knapsacks. Hence, regulations would not have been issued on how to use a blanket roll. Again, as Ryan's posted pictures clearly show, the lack of official Army approval didn't keep soldiers from using blanket rolls. In the case of the Confederates, this was probably due to necessity. For Union troops, it was probably more a personal choice, or due to their "losing" their knapsacks one way or another. The fact that at the time of the Civil War the blanket roll was a soldier-driven technique would account for the fact that we don't see pictures of them with "Army-neat" horse collars, but rather the more practical, easy-to-make blanket roll.
-Joe

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Making a horsecollar blanket roll

I may be wrong, but I think the US Army had a perscibed way of making a blanketroll in the SpanAm period.

[pvtbordonaro]

Re: Making a horsecollar blanket roll

I may be wrong, but I think the US Army had a perscibed way of making a blanketroll in the SpanAm period.

Robert,
That's correct. If you look back at the first post in this thread, it has a quote from a soldier who served in the 71st New York Infantry in the Spanish-American War in which he described how he was taught by the Army to make a horse-collar, or blanket, roll.
-Joe

[pvtben]

Re: knapsack vs. blanket roll

Hello Gents,

I prefer a blanket roll; I had once purchased a good knapsack disliking the blanket roll.
I used the knapsack and found it very uncomfortable for me. I have stuck with a blanket roll and know love it.

Pvt. Ben Jenkins
19th La Infantry
Vance Guards

[Secede1863]

Re: knapsack vs. blanket roll

All,

As stated previosuly by a fella'; "Ive never woken up on a Monday morning with blanket-roll pain" or something to that effect.

I do have each, well a softpack and a blanketroll.
If I wanted to carry a small journal or somethign to write in I would, though some might not agree on the authenticity, in my haversack. A small pencil in my pockets (The Blessed Pocket). I wouldnt carry a pen because I wouldnt want ink flowing in my food-bag.
Gross, if it were to spill. Im not having salted ink meats and breads.
In My opinion it all depends on the scenario depicted. Probablry western theatre I'd think of as more of the blanket rollers.
Eastern early war I think of as the knapsackers, and east late war and some mid war I think of the blanket rollers. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, including this theory.
70% of the time I wear my blanket roll
20 percent of the time I wear my soft pack
And 10% of the time I wear nothing. ( So to speak :tounge_sm )

In conclusion; Im a Blanket Roller.

Your Pard

[Medic14]

Re: knapsack vs. blanket roll

Ian,
Definitly the Knapsack. The blanket roll can break your stuff and is not very comfortable.


Josh Coughenour,
Muddy Creek Mess

[Secede1863]

Re: knapsack vs. blanket roll

Josh, or Whatever your profile says....

By stating the blanket roll is uncomfortable, do you mean bulky, or large and not as tight or "strapped" on such as the Knapsack is?
True, the Civil War soldier did have a personal comfort level but as a soldier becomes more veteran the need to bring the heavy knapsack onto the field become more and more pointless. After the battle of Chancellorsville impaticular dozens of knapsacks were found dotted around the sides of the roads. After this you start to see troops turn to the blanket roll (Starting at the Gettysburg Campaign) Though not all ditched their knapsacks under orders to in the retreat from Jacksons Flank movements, many did. Some kept their knapsacks but at Appomatox in the eastern theatre a very limited number on both sides carried them.

There is a good article on blanket rolling at the Sykes Regulars website on Manuals I believe. Check it out for any new comers (Medic14 or whoever else might want it)

Your Pard

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: knapsack vs. blanket roll

Andrew

"After the battle of Chancellorsville impaticular dozens of knapsacks were found dotted around the sides of the roads."

This was due to the fact that the men were ordered to drop packs. These units were then forced to retreat thereby loosing their knapsacks.