Sibley Tents

[AZReenactor]

I'm looking into building or purchasing a Sibley Tent in the near future and am looking for information on proper construction. Does anyone know of any extant originals? I have heard a rumors that there is at least one still in existance but have not yet tracked it down for examination. I'd like to know if they were hand sewn or machine sewn, the size and number of panels, etc.

If anyone has any information on the construction details or knows of any extant originals I would certainly appreciate hearing about it. I'd also like to know of any sources for authentic Sibley tents, stoves, or tripods. Thank you for your help.

[unionprivate]

Re: Sibley Tents

Sir, the gents in the 151st NY have a Sbiley that is currently up and working just beautifully. I would highly recommend getting ahold of either Kevin O Beirne, Scott Schotz or Dennis Schank as these fellows could help you in your quest. Good Luck

[CJDaley]

Re: Sibley Tents

Troy,
I have a copy of General Orders #60 which provides "specifications for the manufacture of various kinds of tents now in use in the Armys" I posted this document on the AC forums about 5 years ago, but was lost in one of the past crashes.

It list the descriptions of hospital tent (and fly), wall tent (and fly), Common tent and shelter tent. It also lists the types of ropes, poles and pins to be used for each kind of tent, but makes no mention of the Sibley Tent.

The document is dated December 12, 1864.

While this document doesn't list the details for the Sibley as being "now in use", I do know they used Sibley style or conicle wall tents into the 20th century.

As to originals, I know of at least one original wall tent and many shelter tents, but am unaware of any common or sibley tents that survive.

I wish I could be of more use, but if you can find an earlier war version of General Order #60, perhaps it would offer the dimensions for the Sibley.

[H. L. Hanger]

Re: Sibley Tents

At one time, I received a copy of the specs. along with some detailed drawings from Steve Osman and John Grossman. I would imagine that Steve might be able to direct you to the source of the drawings. I do not have a current email address, but I would imagine someone on this forum may able to supply it.

Good luck,

J

[Dignann]

Re: Sibley Tents

Troy,

I checked Sibley's patent for his tent (No. 14,740, dated April 22, 1856). It contains some drawings and figures, as well as overall dimensions. It does not, however, get into the specifics as to the number of panels, means of construction, and the like.

There was a time that you could view the patent specifications, and drawings, via the United States Patent Office website. When I try now, however, I can't seem to get the images to come up. Perhaps you may have better luck.

Eric

[Emmanuel Dabney]

Re: Sibley Tents

Better now is Google Patents. You don't need a number to search it.

I searched "Sibley tent" and found it.

Hopefully this will work: http://www.google.com/patents?id=8Jp...dq=Sibley+tent

If not then you can do you own Google Patent search: http://www.google.com/patents

Drawings and other information filed is present.

[Dignann]

Re: Sibley Tents

Better now is Google Patents.

I gotta admit, Google is amazing, but it does take some of the fun out of the "hunt" involved in research. :wink_smil

Eric

[rogue]

Re: Sibley Tents

Steve Osman and John Grossman had the paperwork and made several splendid Sibley tents for the 1st Minnesota, lo these many years ago, but Stevie O. may still have the information. Contact him at foragecaps@earthlink.net
Steve Sullivan
46th Illinois
CWPT
Co. Mil. Hist.
and older than Scott Cross...still!

[33rd VA Co. H]

Re: Sibley Tents

I gotta admit, Google is amazing, but it does take some of the fun out of the "hunt" involved in research. :wink_smil

Eric

I doubt everyone would call it fun but I've spent thousands upon thousands of hours beating the brush, woods and fields hunting for relics to build my collection. I want my research information to come as easily as possible. The finding is what is fun... the search to me is usually not. I'd rather be a finder than a hunter anyday.:D

[Rob Murray]

Re: Sibley Tents

Troy, Contact Steve O.. If you ca't get through to him, PM me and I'll give him a call.

[AZReenactor]

Re: Sibley Tents

Already done. Thank you. We were already in touch about a new set of nesting kettles and some wash basins.

[AZReenactor]

Re: Sibley Tents

Thank you for the suggestions and sources. I'll certainly be following up on them.

One particularly interesting article I found was Mark Wilson's " The Extensive Side of Nineteenth-Century Military Economy: The Tent Industry in the Northern United States during the Civil War" in Oxford's Enterprise & Society Journal. Lots of good information in it.

[markj]

Re: Sibley Tents

Dear Emmanuel,

I'd like to thank you for the Google Patents link. Otherwise, I would have never known about the existence of this useful item:

http://www.google.com/patents?id=75pSAAAAEBAJ&pg=PP1&dq=organ&num=100&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=1&as_miny_is=1776&as_maxm_is=1&as_maxy_is=1866#PPP1,M1

This will be just the ticket to preserve one's "precious bodily fluids."

Furthermore, take a really close look at the name of the inventor. Given that we're nominally discussing Sibley tents, we can only wonder....

Faithfully yours, &c.,

Viscount Field Marshal Sir Mark de Jaeger, K. G., K. B., V. C., D. S. O., M. C.,
M.P. (Monster Raving Loony Party, Eric-Upon-Half-a-Bee).

[packer01]

Re: Sibley Tents

Hi,
Sorry that I am coming to this discussion a bit late. I hope that this extra bit of information will help you with your repro:

Quartermaster's Manual
Chapter Thirteenth
Camp and Garrison Equipage
Tents, Water Proof Blankets and Ponchos, Poles and Pins, Etc.

[page 52]
.....
Sibley tent --- to be made of 28 ½ inch linen or cotton duck, clear of all imperfections, (as per specifications,) and to weigh 12 ounces to the yard. To be made in a workmanlike manner, with not less than 2 ½ stitches to the inch, of equal length, made with double parts of 5 fold cotton twine, well waxed; the seams not less than 1 inch in width, and no slack taken in them. Grummetts must be used in all the holes, and be well worked with waxed cotton twine: the door and stay pieces to be of same material as the tent; sod cloth, to be of 8 ounce linen or cotton duck, and 12 inches, in the clear, from the tabling, and extend from door to door. 22 door strings, 1 ¼ inches in width and 14 inches in length, in the clear, of linen webbing: foot strings, of 6 thread manilla line, 16 inches long, in the clear, and two small tent buttons to each string: hood, of same material as tent, 27 inches deep, must lap 6 inches, and be finished with 5 six thread manilla lines, each 16 feet long in the clear: chain holes, to have rope yarn grummetts, and leathered, and of sufficient size to admit the hook: foot and rim holes, to have twine grummetts: spindle holes, to have rope yarn grummetts. All lines to be well whipped, 1 inch from the ends, with well waxed cotton twine and foot lines properly knotted.
Dimensions: --- height of tent, finished, 13 feet: diameter of tent at base, finished, 18 feet: and height of door, finished, 8 foot 9 inches.

[page 55]
Tripod, Chains and Pole, for a Sibley Tent

Tripod --- 3 legs of bar-iron, 3 inches wide by 3-16 inches thick, pressed to a semi-circle, 1-5/8 inch diameter: tops welded close for 4 inches, on a piece of iron in the centre, 1 inch by 3-16 inch, with ¼ inch hole, for the rivet to pass through and into the ears of a cup, forming a hinge for the leg: bottom pressed out ½ inch, at right angles, to form the feet of tripod: all to be painted or laquered, to prevent rust. Cup, of best malleable iron, supported by the legs, for the lower end of pole to rest in; external depth, 2 ¼ inches, external diameter, 2 ½ inches; inside depth, 2 inches, and inside diameter, 2 ¼ inches: hole in bottom, ¼ inch for chain rivet, head inside, on which to suspend chain for camp kettle; 3 double ears, equi-distant, on outside of cup, for the legs to fit in; sides of ears, ½ inch apart, with ¼ inch hole, for rivet to pass through and hold the legs.
Chain for camp kettle --- 19 ½ inches long, of 3-16 inch iron, galvanized, made with 21 twisted links, and a hook at each end: strong enough to support a weight of 45 pounds.
Sibley tent chains: --- a set of these, by which the tent is suspended, consists of 6 iron chains, each of which is made with 14 twisted links of 3-16 inch iron wire, and provided with a hook at each end, made of ¼ inch wire, one of which is an S hook, closed and fastened to an iron ring of 3/8 inch wire, 2 ½ inches outside diameter: the hooks at the other ends of the chains to be left open, so as to attach them to a iron ring of ½ inch wire, 18 ½ inches diameter, sewed on top of the tent; length of the chains, including the hooks, 1 foot 4 inches: the whole to be well galvanized, and to weigh not less than 5 pounds 5 ounces.
[page 56]
Sibley tent pole, --- of whit pine wood, 9 feet long, 3 inches in diameter, at a distance of 3 feet from the lower end, tapering to 2 ¼ inches inches at top, and 2 ½ inches at bottom: spindle, or gudgeon, of 11-16 inch round galvanized iron, 6 inches long, pointed at one end, securely inserted in top of pole, around which is fastened, with four screws, a galvanized iron band, of 1/8 inch iron, 2 ¼ inches diameter and 2 inches wide.

.....

Tent slips --- to be made of cherry, birch or other close grained and suitable wood. For hospital tents to be 7-5/8 long, 1 ¾ inches wide at each end, and one inch thick throughout, with a hole at each end, ½ inch in diameter, to receive the tent cord. For wall tents, 5 ½ inches long, 1 ¾ inches wide at each end, 1 inch in diameter in the middle, and 1 inch thick throughout: a hole at each end, 3/8 of an inch in diameter, to receive the tent cord.
Tent buttons --- to be made of the same kind of wood as the tent slips, neatly turned, 1 inch in diameter and 7/8 of an inch thick, for hospital tents, and a hole through the centre, 3/8 of an inch in diameter. For wall, and all other tents, the hole in the centre to be ¼ of an inch in diameter.

[Heraldic Branch microfilm records, Quartermaster's Corps, Military History Institute, US Army Staff College, Carlisle.]


The preserved pages have large numbers of editing marks over them. It appears that these pages were cut from a then-current manual, and then used as galley proofs for the printing of a new manual. As the printed sheets have both the Sibley tent and the 'Tent d'Abri' rather than the shelter half, my assumption is that the Quartermaster's Manual is from late 1861 or early 1862 at the latest. The handwritten amendments conform to the G.O. 60 specifications from 1864 mentioned above.

These specifications in conjunction with the patent details should get you pretty close to an original. I for one would be really interested in hearing how it turns out.

Frank Packer

[Spinster]

Re: Sibley Tents

The 19th Alabama has recently constructed a cookstove from an image taken at Shiloh, showing it in conjunction with some Sibley tents. Its a wonder to behold, and a fine thing for the company cook, as long as the baggage wagon arrives.

You can contact them here for additional information:

http://www.19thalabama.org/