Re: pig sticker tie down?
Hallo!
A Unit, Time, and Place trivia bit...
;) :)
Apparently fearful that his sharpshooters would be used a light infantry and not as marksmen, Hiram Berdan looked the other way when the new Berdan Contract NM1859 Sharps Rifles arrived in May/June1862- giving the men the "option" of taking the socket bayonet or not.
When a December 12, 1862 inspection found roughly half the Sharpshooters without bayonets, Berdan lied, and also blamed some of the men- falsely saying that some rifles did not come with bayonets and that some men had lost or thrown them away in the companies that did get them.
Of 426 rifles on hand, only 247 had bayonets (roughly 60%).
Berdan was court-martialled on March 2, 1863, and the bayonet issue became Specification 4 of of the charges and specifications.
(Having political connections), he was found "Not Guilty" of all charges.
The verdict was appealed, including new claims of witness intimidation.
The review held that the charges were proven, but that a "Not Guilty" was given anyways contrary to evidence.
The general in charge was not pleased, ordered the publishing of the proceedings which served to quiet Berdan's boasting of total exoneration.
For reasons unknown, but suspected as political influence, the general rescinded his disapproval of the verdict.
Somewhere where I cannot find at the moment- I have an image of a CW belt, holster, and belt knife where the knife sheath has a tie-down loop.
HOWEVER, the surviving artifacts lack provenance and context. Meaning, while a Civil War soldier could have worn the rig as it is in the image, the "ensemble" could have just as easily been worn by an 1870/1880/1890's or 1940's, etc., or later lad.
IMHO and IMHE, a properly made and fitting bayonet scabbard (or knife sheath) does NOT need a tie-down loop.
SOME reproductions... well....
Others' mileage will vary...
Curt
Hallo!
A Unit, Time, and Place trivia bit...
;) :)
Apparently fearful that his sharpshooters would be used a light infantry and not as marksmen, Hiram Berdan looked the other way when the new Berdan Contract NM1859 Sharps Rifles arrived in May/June1862- giving the men the "option" of taking the socket bayonet or not.
When a December 12, 1862 inspection found roughly half the Sharpshooters without bayonets, Berdan lied, and also blamed some of the men- falsely saying that some rifles did not come with bayonets and that some men had lost or thrown them away in the companies that did get them.
Of 426 rifles on hand, only 247 had bayonets (roughly 60%).
Berdan was court-martialled on March 2, 1863, and the bayonet issue became Specification 4 of of the charges and specifications.
(Having political connections), he was found "Not Guilty" of all charges.
The verdict was appealed, including new claims of witness intimidation.
The review held that the charges were proven, but that a "Not Guilty" was given anyways contrary to evidence.
The general in charge was not pleased, ordered the publishing of the proceedings which served to quiet Berdan's boasting of total exoneration.
For reasons unknown, but suspected as political influence, the general rescinded his disapproval of the verdict.
Somewhere where I cannot find at the moment- I have an image of a CW belt, holster, and belt knife where the knife sheath has a tie-down loop.
HOWEVER, the surviving artifacts lack provenance and context. Meaning, while a Civil War soldier could have worn the rig as it is in the image, the "ensemble" could have just as easily been worn by an 1870/1880/1890's or 1940's, etc., or later lad.
IMHO and IMHE, a properly made and fitting bayonet scabbard (or knife sheath) does NOT need a tie-down loop.
SOME reproductions... well....
Others' mileage will vary...
Curt
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