Interesting blanket roll

[CJSchumacher]

Re: Interesting blanket roll

I'm with Ryan on this one. He's also sporting a leather canteen sling complete with safe under the buckle.

Can anyone nail down a regimental number on the front of his kepi?? There appears to be something there...(other than "Ol' Shmokey")

[RyanBWeddle]

Re: Interesting blanket roll

This photo is most likely an image struck prior to the 7th NYSM departure to Washington on April 19th, 1861 . . . If you browse that LOC site you find quite a number of 7th photos . . .

His company number on his cap reads "6" aka "Co. F" . . .

"In 1857, the army changed from the use of a number to the use of a letter to designate the company, much to the annoyance of the regiment. The Board of Officers decided that in all official matters they would use the letter designation, but that internally they would continue to refer to the companies by number. This habit persisted up to 1917, but in late 1861, the company numerals on the fatigue cap were replaced by a regimental '7'."

and

"On 19 April 1861, The Seventh Regiment (National Guard), New York State Militia, was the largest military unit in the nation and, symbolically, the most important. The vast majority of regiments, regular or militia, existed in name only, their component comapnies scattered in various towns and cities in the states and, in the case of the Regular Army, around the nation."

From Military Collector & Historian Vol. 52 No. 2
"Overcoats Were Worn! - Or Were They? The Departure of the Seventh New York in 1861" by Kenyon B. Fitzgerald pp. 51-55

[RyanBWeddle]

Re: Interesting blanket roll

Here is the famous shot from the LoC of a member of the 5th Company, 7th NY:



We see that he mirrors 'Sgt. Cozzens' basically in uniform, and is carrying a Springfield of the 1855 variety most likely.

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: Interesting blanket roll

Same floor covering in each.

[The Pigman]

Re: Interesting blanket roll

The pipe in the hat thing!

I used to put a clay pipe in the band of my slouch hat but they kept falling out.

How do you suppose he is holding the pipe on his kepi?

Is it tucked under the chinn strap?

Thanks,
Mark C. Foster

[RyanBWeddle]

Re: Interesting blanket roll

Looks like it is held on by a string/ribbon which is wrapped around the base of the kepi, holding in the pipe... There doesn't appear to be a chin strap....
This ribbon/string he is using for this purpose, also partially covers his company number "6".

Check out the attachment . . .

It looks like a gag, for the photograph, I can't see how this is a feasible way to carry a pipe in the field, it just is an elite member of the "Silk Stocking Regiment" pimping for the camera.

[Minieball577]

Re: Interesting blanket roll

Maybe it's just me, but it has a post war flavor to it. Were the NYNG units armed with 1861 Springfields early in the war? (Personally I think it's and 1863 Springfield, and converted to the Allin Trapdoor .50-70 configuration.)

The rifle-musket has a swelled ramrod, which eliminates the possibility of an 1863 type. This tells us that the rifle-musket is either an 1861 or an 1855. In my opinion, judging from the lock side of the rifle-musket in the photo, it is an 1855 Rifle-musket.

[RyanBWeddle]

Re: Interesting blanket roll








These are images of some boys from 8th Company, 7th NY, after their arrival in D.C. in late April. They were stationed at Camp Cameron, in GeorgeTown.

They show the same uniform as that of Sgt. Cozzens & the 'Union Volunteer' as well as the proof of the 1855 musket. See the blown up attachment for the last photo.

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: Interesting blanket roll

Ryan
If you have time, can you kindly add a few lines (or a link) about the fate of some of these boys?

[Minieball577]

Re: Interesting blanket roll

These are images of some boys from 8th Company, 7th NY, after their arrival in D.C. in late April. They were stationed at Camp Cameron, in GeorgeTown.

They show the same uniform as that of Sgt. Cozzens & the 'Union Volunteer' as well as the proof of the 1855 musket. See the blown up attachment for the last photo.

Cool photos. One thing I find interesting is the mix of different 1855 Rifle-muskets. Some of them have the long range rear sight, and some have the 1858 type sight.

[Matthew.Rector]

Re: Interesting blanket roll

Ryan,
Could you please provide the source of the four grouped photos ? I'm just curious. Just looking for a quick reference. Do they come from Library of Congress, too or National Archives?
Thanks!

[RyanBWeddle]

Re: Interesting blanket roll

Ryan,
Could you please provide the source of the four grouped photos ? I'm just curious. Just looking for a quick reference. Do they come from Library of Congress, too or National Archives?
Thanks!

Yes, they are LoC Photos.

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Interesting blanket roll

How the heck is that blanket staying like that? What a rube!

[KentuckyReb]

Re: Interesting blanket roll

Has nothing to do with equipage, but is that a dog or some kind of gargoyle under that guy's arm...?

[Fod]

Re: Interesting blanket roll

it could just be the arm position, but comparing the 6th and the 5th company men, there's a slight variation in the way the cuff trim and buttons was added. One looks centered over the thumb, the other the middle of the wrist.

Regarding the pipe in the hat and it's practicality, yes it may be a gag, but try it. When I was a smoker, I found that my hat band was actually a good place to hold a partially smoked (even still-lit) cigar. I could imagine it to be a good place to put a hot pipe with worrying about burning embers falling out inside your pocket.