Interesting Quote on Blankets in the ANV

[hiplainsyank]

Re: Interesting Quote on Blankets in the ANV

It would have to be one COLD night to get chilled being covered by a buffalo robe. It must have been a bear to carry, but with a reward of practically guranteed comfort at night...

[GreencoatCross]

Re: Interesting Quote on Blankets in the ANV

Here is another account backing up the use of carpets by Confederate soldiers captured at Donelson. This one comes from the Joseph S. Reynolds papers from the Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (#5060-z). Reynolds was in the 64th Illinois Infantry, and a member of Yates' Sharpshooters, and the quote comes from a letter to his brother dated February 20th, 1862.

"The prisoners taken at Fort Donalson were here yesterday on vessels. I went on some of the vessels and had a talk with the secesh. A motley crew were they certain--some dandies, doctors and dinines. Some whites, some half white and some no white at all. No two were dressed alike. Some had overcoats some shawls, some carpets, some bed quilts, some old dress skirts, and almost everything for overcoats."

Pretty consistent with other accounts. Also interesting is Reynold's comment about the "white, half white, and not so white" prisoners.

Here is a link to the papers online; you'll find various available media of the collection on the left-hand side of the page.

http://www.archive.org/details/unc_chapel_hill_Joseph_s_Reynolds

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Interesting Quote on Blankets in the ANV

Hallo!

IMHO, the one might be. But the others have the appearance of blankets being draped and held closed in the front "Indian style?"

[Little Rock] Weekly Arkansas Gazette, May 25, 1861, p. 2, c. 5

Good Suggestion.—We have been shown by Dr. Everett a most excellent article for our soldiers. It consists of two widths of cotton osnaburgs sewed together, forming a blanket 2 ˝ yards long and 2 yards wide. It has a slit in the middle, so as to serve as a Mexican ponchar [sic], and its chief use is to sleep on and cover with at night. A little paint and oil makes it an excellent water proof tarpaulin and the whole cost will be about 76 cents. Every soldier should instantly provide himself with one, for it is folly to go to the field without something to protect from rain and dampness.

Curt

[csuniforms]

Re: Interesting Quote on Blankets in the ANV

I have a newspaper article, while we are talking about Civil War blankets, that mentioned a blockade runner bringing in a shipment of blankets for the Confederacy that were marked "CSA" in the center. I saw a red blanket with a CSA in the center for sale some years past at the Nashville Civil War show and passed it up. "That cant be Confederate" I thought. I should have purchased it, as it was only some $200.:cry_smile

CSuniforms
Tom Arliskas