How Thick Should It Be?

[PogueMahone]

Well, I give up. Either I'm using the wrong search keywords or the topic has never been discussed here.

What thickness is the rope for a tent or shelter half? Quarter inch?

And, no, I don't have the book.

thanks,

[Silas]

Re: How Thick Should It Be?

From the "shelter tent specifications, December 1864" from appendix 3 of "that book" as taken from General Orders, No. 60 from Bvt. Maj. Gen. Montgomery Meigs :

"Three loops to each half tent, at lower corners and foot of seam, of six-thread Manilla line, small, soft, and pliable.

"Guy lines, one with each half tent, six feet ten inches long, of six-thread Manilla line, small, soft, and pliable."

Or you could buy some from my usual source for Hemp Twine, 5mm, 120 feet, Item #154 at $18.99 from http://www.hempfest.org/shop-hempfest-central/rope/

Don't let the company's initial hemp product suggestions at the top of the page deter you. Just scroll down until you see the picture of the only rope product they sell, "5mm hemp twine." It's much stronger, lighter and takes less space than usual 1/4" sisel. I hit mine with beeswax periodically.

[rmilstead]

Re: How thick should it be?

Joe,
From your post it is not clear if the question pertains to CS or Federal. Clearly I would suppose that CS would be variable as I am not sure that all of the Clothing Bureaus (yes, they apparently made or contracted for QM issued equipage including tents as well as clothing) had any standard to which they worked. Relative to Federal, yes I do have "The Book," the draft 1865 Quartermaster Manual edited by Gaede and Coates as well as Fred Gaede's study of shelter haves. The specifications in the 1865 Quartermaster Manual for tents are:

Hospital Tents - door lines 6-thread Manilla line;eave and foot lines 9-thread Manilla line; guy lines 12-thread Manilla line
Hospital Tent Fly- eave lines 6-thread Manilla line
Wall Tents - eave, foot, and door lines 6-thread Manilla line
Wall Tent Fly - eave lines 6-thread Manilla line
Common Tents - foot lines 6-thread Manilla line
Sibley Tents - foot strings 6-thread Manilla line
Shelter Tents - loops and guy lines 6-thread Manilla line

In Fred Gaede's book on Shelter tents he indicated that the loops and cords were either hemp or Manilla with hemp being earlier and more prevalent in the examples studied. As Manilla is specified in the late war QM manual, it was probably more prevalent at the end of the War, buy that is speculation. In terms of the meaning and diameter of "6-thread line", Fred gives a discussion of what that means but goes on to say that on the Shelter tents he studied it was always 3-thread (strand) cord and approximately 1/4' inch in diameter. I, again, would speculate that the line used for wall tents would be the same as for the Shelter tents.

Hope all of that is helpful.

Dick Milstead
The Company of Military Historians