Centreville, Va. Fort on the heights, with Quaker guns

[tsgalloway]

I know we've discussed other companion images of Federal troops at Centreville around Quaker guns, but I haven't seen a thread on this image (I searched to no avail).

Title: [Centreville, Va. Fort on the heights, with Quaker guns]
Date Created/Published: 1862 March.
Reproduction Number: LC-DIG-cwpb-00979 (digital file from original neg. of left half) LC-DIG-cwpb-00980 (digital file from original neg. of right half) LC-B8171-0334 (b&w film copy neg.)

I really like the soldier in the foreground. He is carrying a classic "hobo roll" constructed of a leather strap and a small rope or cord. Is that some sort of pot strapped to his haversack? Anyway, it's a neat image Circa 1862.

[PogueMahone]

Re: Centreville, Va. Fort on the heights, with Quaker guns

I'm thinking that roll does not contain a blanket. The end-to-end length is pretty short, so a standard issue blanket would be doubled up in there. The individual layers of the roll would be much thicker than what we see. Perhaps a ground cloth only?

The "pot" may be a field stove of some sort.

He's a dandy!

[tsgalloway]

Re: Centreville, Va. Fort on the heights, with Quaker guns

You are probably right about the lack of a blanket in the roll. It seems to be a bit bigger than just a gum blanket. Maybe a shelter half is also contained...obviously we won't know for sure.

[rick35ovi]

Re: Centreville, Va. Fort on the heights, with Quaker guns

Looking At the pic if you look at his rifle he has no sling, it looks like the sling is being used on the roll, looking at a close up of the image you can almost make out the hook of the sling,

[ScottCross]

Re: Centreville, Va. Fort on the heights, with Quaker guns

Looking At the pic if you look at his rifle he has no sling, it looks like the sling is being used on the roll, looking at a close up of the image you can almost make out the hook of the sling,

I would definately agree that the strap here is the sling from his rifle, just tightened up to carry by hand.

Joe, I have to disagree with you on the roll. I have rolled a wool blanket with a rubber blanket on the outside many a time, and this is exactly what mine looked like. The nice thing is about this kind of rig, is that you can let the rifle sling out all the way and then sling it over the shoulder and head and comfortably carry it at an angle on the back. I carried mine that way for many years.

[kehall]

Re: Centreville, Va. Fort on the heights, with Quaker guns

Keep in mind that slings had all kinds of uses then. Unless my memory is seriously off the conf. bodies recovered at Glorieta some years back had evidence of more than a few having been bound by slings for carrying them to the graves. Creativity solves most problems then and now.

Kevin Hall
Land locked in the mine country of Colorado Terr.

[Kace]

Re: Centreville, Va. Fort on the heights, with Quaker guns

I am with Scott. It appears to be about the same size as the rig I carried at Backwaters: blanket, shelter half, extra shirt & socks. As damp as it was for the event I wrapped it up with my rubber blanket to make sure I had a dry blanket to sleep in at night.

Kace