Post War recollections about the contents of a knapsack

[Matthew.Rector]

I couldn't recall if I had posted this before the crash or not. I may have been waiting for an opportunity, but I think its a good narrative and worth posting regardless.

Recollections of a Private [Part I], by Warren Lee Goss: pp. 107-113
The Century; a popular quarterly. / Volume 29, Issue 1
Nov 1884

p. 107

Just here let me name over the contents of my knapsack, as its contents were a fair sample of what all the volunteers started with. There were in it a pair of trowsers, two pairs of drawers, a pair of thick boots, four pairs of stockings, four flannel shirts, a blouse, a looking-glass, a can of peaches, a bottle of cough-mixture, a button-stick, chalk, razor and strop, the “tailor’s shop” spoken of above, a Bible, a small volume of Shakspere, and writing utensils. To its top was strapped a double woolen blanket and a rubber one. It was boiling over, like a ripe cotton-pod. I remember, too, many other things left behind because of lack of room in or about the knapsack. We would have packed in a portable cooking-stove each had there been room.

On our arrival in Boston we were marched through the streets — the first march of any consequence we had taken with our knapsacks and equipments on. Our dress consisted of a belt about the body, which held a cartridge-box and bayonet, a cross-belt, also a haversack and tin drinking-cup, a canteen, and, last but not least, the knapsack strapped to the back. The straps ran over, around, and about one, in confusion most perplexing to our unsophisticated shoulders; the knapsack giving one constantly the feeling that he was being pulled over backward.

We marched along the streets, my canteen banging against my bayonet, both the tin cup and bayonet badly interfering with the butt of my musket, while my cartridge-box and haversack were constantly flopping up and down — the whole jangling like loose harness and chains on a runaway horse. I felt like old Atlas, with the world on his shoulders and the planetary system suspended around him.

[cprljohnivey]

Re: Post War recollections about the contents of a knapsack

Good lord... and to think I carry too much in mine.

Button-stick? Is that a button polishing board perhaps? Any thoughts on what the chalk is for?

Thanks for posting this. I’d like to hear about the contents of the same knapsack about a month later.

[DJCasey]

Re: Post War recollections about the contents of a knapsack

You wouldn't happen to know what reg't Pvt. Lee was in, would you?

[Dignann]

Re: Post War recollections about the contents of a knapsack

You wouldn't happen to know what reg't Pvt. Lee was in, would you?

Goss was a member of the 2nd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery. He was a prolific author after the war. His serialized recollections, which appeared in The Century and later Battles and Leaders, were eventually compiled and published as Recollections of a Private: A Story of the Army of the Potomac (New York: Thomas Y. Cromwell & Co., 1890).

Goss also authored the following pieces:

Jack Alden: A Story of Adventures in the Virginia Campaigns, 1861-1865 (New York: Thomas Y. Cromwell & Co., 1895)

The Soldier's Story of His Captivity at Andersonville, Belle Isle and Other Rebel Prisons (Boston: Lee & Shepard, 1866)

Eric

[lhsnj]

Re: Post War recollections about the contents of a knapsack

Good lord... and to think I carry too much in mine.

Button-stick? Is that a button polishing board perhaps? Any thoughts on what the chalk is for?

Thanks for posting this. I’d like to hear about the contents of the same knapsack about a month later.

I recall reading somewhere that the chalk was to mark gear. I think there was something about an orderly sgt who carried it and used it to mark the cartridge boxes and such so he knew whose were whose.

I wish I could remember where I saw that..

[boozie]

Re: Post War recollections about the contents of a knapsack

I have often wondered how accurate the inventory 0f effects are in service records of soldiers who have died in service. I have two GG-Uncles that have some big diffrences in them.

Effects of Jonas B. Vroman, Co. D, 15th O.V.I.

Survived the hell of Picketts Mill only to die of chronic diarrhoea 10/64.

1 Hat
1 Blouse
1 Pair Trowsers
2 Pairs Cotton Drawers
1 Flannel Shirt
1 Pair Shoes
1 Blanket (Wool)
1 Knapsack
1 Poncho
1 Gun
1 Cartridge Box
1 Pocket Book

Socks and Haversack, who knows



While Henry Alward, 40th Ind. died 4/63 at Murfreesboro.

His can't be right, or else he was called the naked soldier.

Effects of H.M. Alward

1 Hat
1 Haversack
1 Knapsack
1 Pencase

Either they were passing out his gear while he was in his death bead, or the inventory guy was a slacker.

[1stMaine]

Re: Post War recollections about the contents of a knapsack

Comrades,

Yes, the button "stick" is a button polishing board.

As to overloading of the knapsack, the regimental history of the 19th maine Infantry also remarks about the same phenominon. I haven't my copy on hand, but the authors waxes about their first march which was about 2 miles, from their camp in Bath, Maine, to the rail station. They were groaning under the weight of all these "indispensible" items that their friends and family insisted they take with them, and wondered how in heaven they would ever have any strength left to fight at the end of the day. 2 miles!

The killer, of course, was when they reached the station and were met by all the locals who added to their burden by presenting them with baskets and pails of food and other delicacies for their trip.

I remember a similar feeling when I departed boot camp, weighed down with all of the items that Uncle Sam had felt I should be issued and thus gave to me to lug about. He had given me a sea bag, but instructions for the packing of same, not so much.....

My knowleadge base as to what was actually needed was also, like the examples given above, gleaned and refined upon my first deployment.

Respects,

[GreencoatCross]

Re: Post War recollections about the contents of a knapsack

Most of the diaries, letters, or memoirs I've read written by members of the U.S. Sharpshooters describe their first marches from Camp of Instruction, Washington, in early 1862. It's really surprising to see what those guys packed away, even inside the Tiffany & Co. hardpacks they were carrying at the time (less room than a double-bag).

Although James Mero Matthews (Co. D 2nd U.S.S.S.) doesn't describe the contents of his knapsack before his first march he does intimate what he left behind in his March 19th, 1862 diary entry;

"...the night came upon us with no other shelter than woolen blankets and the devises the ingenuity of man concocted a different aspect of affairs. Some useful articles were left with our quartermaster for storage in Washington which would have been serviceable just now, but if we had taken them with the rest of our pack a larger field would have been carpeted with refuse matter from soldier's knapsacks than had already been. Of my dunnage, a blanket, pair of boots, almost new, coat cape, etc....Maxey Hamlin and myself erected a brush camp which we partially covered with our rubber coat."

The next day, after an all-night, bone-cold rain, his regiment was issued rubber blankets! On March 29th he describes the theft of some personal property at the hands of a 14th Brooklyn soldier;

"Someone supposed to be from the New York Regiment cleaned my knapsack of writing paper, envelopes, ink, pens, toothbrush, shaving brush, gold pen, holderall, portfolio, Net's miniature, etc."

The lessons of an over-stuffed knapsack made an impression on the men and by the end of the Peninsula Campaign the soldiers of the 1st U.S.S.S. reduced their personal baggage to the clothes on their bodies, haversack, canteen, accouterments, rifle, rubber blanket, sewing kit, and a single change of drawers and socks. Around the same time the 2nd U.S.S.S. was stationed in Falmouth, VA, in a static camp and managed to retain most of their knapsacks and their contents.

However, despite the heavy duty these two regiments saw they seem to have fluxuated between heavy and minimal knapsack loads. For instance, during the reorganization of the AoP in early 1863, each man had drawn a full suit of green clothing, fatigue blouse, extra pants, spare shirts, drawers, and socks, leggings, hat, cap, eight days rations at any given time, rubber blanket, shelter tent half, plus all sorts of personal and comfort items. At Chancellorsville both regiments worked in conjunction for the first time in the war and dropped packs in order to maneuver through the forests easier....the same packs were documented to have been left behind completely before they were captured, burned, or stolen. Veteran sharpshooters who retuned to the Wilderness in 1864 happened upon their old knapsacks, some of which had been ransacked but they noted that most were still packed tight with spare blankets, overcoats, clothing, personal items, etc.

The constant issuance or drawing of surplus clothing and equippage, and the major losses of these items suffered at Beaver Dam Creek, the fall of 1862 (knapsacks put into storage came back totally looted and vandalized), and then finally at Chancellorsville taught the men to drastically reduce their packs or else toughen up and keep the things on while in combat situations.

Brian White
Wambaugh, White, & Co.

https://www.wwandcompany.com

[BerdanBraafladt]

Re: Post War recollections about the contents of a knapsack

This is a very interesting topic because I have read through a lot of inventory rolls of deceased soldiers and it seems to vary greatly deping on the person who is doing the inventory and what the consider personal effects. I have seen some like was mentioned above where the uniform knapsack and even rifle were listed and then there are others where they seem to feel that it was limited to your personal items like a bible. There were a lot that I have seen where only a pencil, razor, cards, or only one items was listed this would seem to me that there was looting and their items were "lost." It would seem that even the most experienced soldier would at least have writing materials, letters from home or even a photo of a loved one.

There is another aspect that I also think may be overlooked commonly and that is combat losses. Like the the 2nd U.S.S.S. at Chancellorsville they dropped their packs together before they went into battle to attack the rear of Jackson's column and they were pushed back by the rear guard action and ended up in a different area so most of the regiment, as I understand, lost their packs and possesions.

So if you did have a combat loss of your pack, and blankets would you be charged for drawing a new issue equipment? Then you would also have to wonder how long would it be before you could replace your personal items, such as a writing set? I would imagine if you did a study of these records as the war progressed would you see fewer personal items listed for dead soldiers the further into the war? Not only for the fact that you want to carry less but also due to a combat loss which I imagine was quite common.

Just my thoughts!