6th Massachusetts - Enfield Rifled Musket gear

[RyanBWeddle]

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/ppmsca.27124/?co=lilj

Great image of Enfield pattern leather gear!

[Michael Comer]

Re: 6th Massachusetts - Enfield Rifled Musket gear

Very nice. The fellow on the left has his bayonet fixed but you can see the shank of his still in the scabbard. Wish there was a better idea of the date on this. LOC just says sometimes between 1862 and 1865.

[Mississippian]

Re: 6th Massachusetts - Enfield Rifled Musket gear

There were three "6th Massachusetts" Militia Regiments:

1. The 1861 90-day regiment that was attacked in Baltimore
2. A 9 month regiment that served in 1862-63 in SE Virginia
3. A 100 day regiment that served in the summer of 1864 in the defenses of Washington.

Will MacDonald

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: 6th Massachusetts - Enfield Rifled Musket gear

Great pic... Thank you, Ryan!

[ScottCross]

Re: 6th Massachusetts - Enfield Rifled Musket gear

And British accourterments to boot! Great image.

[ContinentalMorganGuard]

Re: 6th Massachusetts - Enfield Rifled Musket gear

I find it interesting that they are wearing the ready round pounches/ball bag as cap boxes, and it appears that no British cap envelopes are present.

[Matt67thNY]

Re: 6th Massachusetts - Enfield Rifled Musket gear

hmm the soldier on the left also has a pair of gloves on....I wonder why?

[FrockCoat1862]

Re: 6th Massachusetts - Enfield Rifled Musket gear

That is just too interesting! I love finding "odd" things like this in original photos. Those frocks are an interesting combo with the accoutrements!

The 1861 90 day regiment was a militia regiment, and I believe were armed with Springfields.

Thanks for sharing!

[MassVOL]

Re: 6th Massachusetts - Enfield Rifled Musket gear

The boys of the Sixth mass had M1855 Springfields in their way to Washington. When they returned home from their 90 day service they were re-issued to a 3 years regiment that was heading out. After that they were issued a full set of English Accouterments from the Crowninshield purchase. They were one of only several regiments to get the full issue. My guess is that this photo is from their Nine months call up. The most interesting part of this photo for me is that it would appear that the rifles were issued with the cap protectors and with Enfield Slings as well. I was thrilled to see this photo when the collection first posted it as it answered a bunch of questions I personally had.

[Gus49OVI]

Re: 6th Massachusetts - Enfield Rifled Musket gear

Hey Toad, How's it going? I'm enjoying your postings. Would you be so kind as to give me a path to surf to find a good collection of early-war images? The searches aren't going too well.
Best,
Gus

[J. Donaldson]

Re: 6th Massachusetts - Enfield Rifled Musket gear

I'm not completely familiar with the Enfield firing system, as others have referred to it, but wouldn't the cap pouch be on the cross belt, covered approximately by the right elbow/forearm in this image?

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: 6th Massachusetts - Enfield Rifled Musket gear

Somewhere or another in my files I have a pic of what I think is a 6th Mass marked Potts and Hunt Enfield. If I recall, it was marked on the nosecap.

I'll keep a lookin'!

Edit: Found the pic, but I was wrong... 12th Mass, not 6th. Marked 12/H/6 for...
12th Reg't
Company H
6th Man on the roll

[MassVOL]

Re: 6th Massachusetts - Enfield Rifled Musket gear

Bob,
The English were going through some experiments between 1855 and the 1860's on where and how they were going to carry everything. The waist belt was re-introduced in 1855 setting the ball rolling on what would go where. The caps moved around a bit between a pocket, a cap pouch expense pouch combo, and a sling mounted cap pouch. As well as having cartridge boxes with tin sections for caps or even cap pouches attached to the cartridge box.
In its simplest the English system treated the cartridge box as the reserve and all the fighting and loading was to be done from the front of the body. This created all the expense and ball bag stuff, many of which also had a place for caps. The "American System" was bullets are in the box, use them. Caps go here, use those too.

[RyanBWeddle]

Re: 6th Massachusetts - Enfield Rifled Musket gear

Yes, to answer the cap pouch question. This pattern of the 'ready round' or 'ball pouch' and an internal pocket or pouch where the caps were to be stored. Cartridges were per the British system of accoutrements to be drawn from the 'ready round' or 'ball pouch' which held around 10/20 rounds depending on the model and then percussion caps therein as well. The 'cartridge box' was to be a reserve, which held 50 rounds.

To Gus; my old Irish Peat Ape friend, I am very well thanks, how are things in Wista' ?

For early war images, depends on what you want I guess.

You can either search through the Library of Congress www.loc.gov which contains the Liljenquist Family Collection or I think Cowans has a searchable database, not to mention the Mass.MOLLUS collection at Carlisle Barracks.