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ORIGINAL UNION LATE WAR HAVERSACK
By Craig L Barry
“As soon as we had stacked arms, I left for the city to replenish my haversack, which had become rather flat…On entering town I passed by the abandoned Confederate Commissary department, and seeing a great abundance of food stuffs, I thought that I would go down into town for a while, and then on my way back would fill up my haversack. But when I returned, I found the building in flames and all the food which we could have put to good use was in ashes before daylight.” [1]
Term: Haversack (Civil War)
Definition: “Linen or canvas bag about one foot square,which was slung over the shoulder and used to carry a soldier’s rations when on the march.” [2]
The haversack was a key piece of equipment for the Civil War soldier in the field. Without it there were very few options for the soldier to carry several days’ worth of rations, except in his stomach, which was sometimes done whether a haversack was available or not. The term haversack actually derives from the 18th century German word hafersach or “oat bag” which was a canvas bag used by the Prussian Cavalry troops to feed their horses. Perhaps by outward resemblance to the hafersach the English etymology of the word evolved during the 19th century to indicate a single strap shoulder bag used by any branch of the military to carry marching rations. InAmerica
After 1851 the haversack provided through the US Quartermaster Department began to display the characteristics which would be common throughout the Civil War-era and on into the late 1870s. The first post-1851 change was that the haversacks were painted black and treated with linseed oil for water resistance. The dimensions still varied slightly, but the official size appears to have been between twelve inches square, or thirteen inches across by eleven inches deep. In any event, the haversack was not supposed to be longer than they were wide, although some no doubt were. There was a top flap secured with a leather strap and a japanned (painted) rollerbuckle. Inside the haversack was (a smaller) white cotton drill “rice bag” officially called the pocket, which washeld in place by three buttons. The rice bag was to be used to hold the actual field rations. It could be unbuttoned and removed for cleaning, a necessity dueto the messy nature of the usual ration of greasy salted meat. [4]
The rest of the mess kit (plate, knife, fork) were to be fit in the haversack around (but not inside) the rice bag. This includes the tin cup, if there was room for it inside. Tin cups were not automatically hung from the outside strap as they clanged around noisily when placed there and could get snagged. Soldiers make mention of this in their diaries. For example, aNew Jersey
Although much has been written about foraging for food to supplement the rations, an activity which may not always work out well as noted if the diary entry from the heading is to be believed; it is nothing but a simple fact that the vast majority of the sustenance that a soldier consumed during his term of enlistment would have been furnished through the Commissary Department and carried in his haversack. One Union soldier noted that “…one shoulder and the hips support the ‘commissary department’ ---a haversack withits odorous mixture of salt pork, salt junk, sugar, tea, coffee, rice and leftover bits of yesterday’s dinner.” [6]
This description brings up a good point. Used as intended painted cloth haversacks would not last long, they wore out and were replaced on a regular basis through the Quartermaster Department much like clothing or shoes. Very few items of issuance were replaced on a fixed schedule and the replacement of the haversack was not automatic or at any particular interval. Replacements were ordered on the basis of individual need. Note the following from the diary of a soldier in late 1862:
“The men drew new clothing today just as fast as the quartermaster could receive the supply from the general quartermaster. We were pretty hard on our clothes in the Army…Nearly every man in the regiment isdrawing a full suit, out and out. Some of the men will need new knapsacks,canteens and haversacks, while others are getting new shoes. I drew a pair of pants and a fatigue blouse (sack coat), a pair of drawers and a pair of socks.” [7]
As time went on, US Army Regulations even added procedures for the return of a damaged haversack for repair or even for a return to stock if there was any excess supply. Note the following:
SURPLUS AND DAMAGED STORES
3044. On arrival of recruits at their destination, the clothing-bags and haversacks which they turn in as unnecessary, unsuitable, or unserviceable, will be properly packed and turned over to the Quartermaster's Department for transportation to Watervliet Arsenal. [8]
There are two accepted variations of the Regulation Federal Civil War-era haversack. Without making things overly complicated, the typesare broadly defined as "Early War" and "Late War." The two styles are almost indistinguishable except for the leather closing strap, or rather how the leather strap is attached to the outside of the bag. On the"Early War" haversacks, the strap and the buckle are sewn to theouter surface of the haversack. On the "Late War" haversacks, thestrap is reinforced with a copper rivet.
The shoulder straps were between 42-48 inches long. The inside seams were flat felled, like the seams of an unlined Union sack coat. Sometimes the haversack appears to be sewn after the material was painted black and other times before. Some of the main seams are machine sewn while others show evidence of being hand-sewn throughout. A variety of different contractors supplied haversacks to the various US Arsenals over the course of the war. It is a safe estimate that millions were produced. The cost to the Quartermaster Department was about 56 cents each. [9]
The item pictured above is an interesting piece of material culture. At first glance, the black cloth haversack in the image appears to bean “Early War” variant in very good condition which would be unusual given that very, very few haversacks from the US Civil War-era survived intact. This is because of the hard use they received in the field. Its external dimensions are approximately 12 ½ inches square. On closer inspection, the haversack is actually a repaired “Late War” variant where the closing strap apparently pulled away from the upper flap (along with the rivet) and was re-sewn by hand,although slightly off center. The closing strap is also slightly shorter than usual, probably due to the necessity of using the remaining length of leather strap just past where it the split from the rivet. Likewise the roller buckle is also hand sewn back onto the bag, no doubt adjusted for height.
The shoulder strap has been shortened on the haversack and the method employed to do so is noteworthy. It was not knotted but rather detached and re-sewn at the desired height. It is also obvious from the image how short the shoulder strap is relative to most reproduction haversacks. The average Civil War soldiers were as a rule smaller, but even allowing for height/weight differential the shortened strapssuggest the bag was worn fairly high up on the soldier’s hip. This is for comfort, so it did not bounce off the thigh while on the march. As a final point, the cloth used on original haversacks is surprisingly thin compared to most reproductions which areproduced from heavier (almost tent thickness) canvas. On some surviving haversacks the material used for the outside bag is only slightly thicker thanthe rice bag (about as thick as a cotton shirt), although the coating of black paint and linseed oil on the surface did reinforce it.
NOTES
[1] Olynthus B. Clark (ed), Civil War Diary of Alexander Dowling,Homestead Printing Company (Des Moines, Iowa ) 1916, p. 254. The entry isfrom late February 1865.
[2] Dictionary of Civil War History: “haversack.” CourtesyWisconsin Historical Society.
[3] George H. Crosman, Asst QM Genl, US Quartermaster Manual May1865, United States War Department (Washington, DC) Camp and Garrison Equipment,p. 47-51.
[4] US Army Field Mess Gear: Haversacks and Knapsacks (www.history.army.mil/html /messkits) updated July 2009. See images of pre-1851haversacks.
[5] Bradley Gottfried,Kearny ’sOwn: The History of the First New Jersey Brigade in the Civil War, RutgersUniversity Press (Piscataway, NJ ), 2006, p.85
[6] Jack Coggins, Arms & Equipment of the Civil War,Doubleday & Company (New York
[7] Ibid: Diary of Alexander Dowling, p. 103.
[8] Regulations of the Army of the United States, US Govt Printing Office (Washington, DC) 1871 p. 269
[9] Ibid: Diary of Alexander Dowling, entry dated December 28,1862 as follows: My bill for clothes up to this time is as follows: One overcoat, $7.20; two dress coats, $13.42; four pair pants, $12.12; two pairdouble woolen blankets, $5.12; three pair drawers, $1.50; two pair shoes,$3.12; three woolen shirts, $2.64; one rubber poncho, $2.73; four pair socks, $1.04; one hat, $1.55; one cap, 60c; one knapsack, $1.56; one haversack, 56c; one canteen, 44c.
By Craig L Barry
“As soon as we had stacked arms, I left for the city to replenish my haversack, which had become rather flat…On entering town I passed by the abandoned Confederate Commissary department, and seeing a great abundance of food stuffs, I thought that I would go down into town for a while, and then on my way back would fill up my haversack. But when I returned, I found the building in flames and all the food which we could have put to good use was in ashes before daylight.” [1]
Term: Haversack (Civil War)
Definition: “Linen or canvas bag about one foot square,which was slung over the shoulder and used to carry a soldier’s rations when on the march.” [2]
The haversack was a key piece of equipment for the Civil War soldier in the field. Without it there were very few options for the soldier to carry several days’ worth of rations, except in his stomach, which was sometimes done whether a haversack was available or not. The term haversack actually derives from the 18th century German word hafersach or “oat bag” which was a canvas bag used by the Prussian Cavalry troops to feed their horses. Perhaps by outward resemblance to the hafersach the English etymology of the word evolved during the 19th century to indicate a single strap shoulder bag used by any branch of the military to carry marching rations. In
After 1851 the haversack provided through the US Quartermaster Department began to display the characteristics which would be common throughout the Civil War-era and on into the late 1870s. The first post-1851 change was that the haversacks were painted black and treated with linseed oil for water resistance. The dimensions still varied slightly, but the official size appears to have been between twelve inches square, or thirteen inches across by eleven inches deep. In any event, the haversack was not supposed to be longer than they were wide, although some no doubt were. There was a top flap secured with a leather strap and a japanned (painted) rollerbuckle. Inside the haversack was (a smaller) white cotton drill “rice bag” officially called the pocket, which washeld in place by three buttons. The rice bag was to be used to hold the actual field rations. It could be unbuttoned and removed for cleaning, a necessity dueto the messy nature of the usual ration of greasy salted meat. [4]
The rest of the mess kit (plate, knife, fork) were to be fit in the haversack around (but not inside) the rice bag. This includes the tin cup, if there was room for it inside. Tin cups were not automatically hung from the outside strap as they clanged around noisily when placed there and could get snagged. Soldiers make mention of this in their diaries. For example, a
Although much has been written about foraging for food to supplement the rations, an activity which may not always work out well as noted if the diary entry from the heading is to be believed; it is nothing but a simple fact that the vast majority of the sustenance that a soldier consumed during his term of enlistment would have been furnished through the Commissary Department and carried in his haversack. One Union soldier noted that “…one shoulder and the hips support the ‘commissary department’ ---a haversack withits odorous mixture of salt pork, salt junk, sugar, tea, coffee, rice and leftover bits of yesterday’s dinner.” [6]
This description brings up a good point. Used as intended painted cloth haversacks would not last long, they wore out and were replaced on a regular basis through the Quartermaster Department much like clothing or shoes. Very few items of issuance were replaced on a fixed schedule and the replacement of the haversack was not automatic or at any particular interval. Replacements were ordered on the basis of individual need. Note the following from the diary of a soldier in late 1862:
“The men drew new clothing today just as fast as the quartermaster could receive the supply from the general quartermaster. We were pretty hard on our clothes in the Army…Nearly every man in the regiment isdrawing a full suit, out and out. Some of the men will need new knapsacks,canteens and haversacks, while others are getting new shoes. I drew a pair of pants and a fatigue blouse (sack coat), a pair of drawers and a pair of socks.” [7]
As time went on, US Army Regulations even added procedures for the return of a damaged haversack for repair or even for a return to stock if there was any excess supply. Note the following:
SURPLUS AND DAMAGED STORES
3044. On arrival of recruits at their destination, the clothing-bags and haversacks which they turn in as unnecessary, unsuitable, or unserviceable, will be properly packed and turned over to the Quartermaster's Department for transportation to Watervliet Arsenal. [8]
There are two accepted variations of the Regulation Federal Civil War-era haversack. Without making things overly complicated, the typesare broadly defined as "Early War" and "Late War." The two styles are almost indistinguishable except for the leather closing strap, or rather how the leather strap is attached to the outside of the bag. On the"Early War" haversacks, the strap and the buckle are sewn to theouter surface of the haversack. On the "Late War" haversacks, thestrap is reinforced with a copper rivet.
The shoulder straps were between 42-48 inches long. The inside seams were flat felled, like the seams of an unlined Union sack coat. Sometimes the haversack appears to be sewn after the material was painted black and other times before. Some of the main seams are machine sewn while others show evidence of being hand-sewn throughout. A variety of different contractors supplied haversacks to the various US Arsenals over the course of the war. It is a safe estimate that millions were produced. The cost to the Quartermaster Department was about 56 cents each. [9]
The item pictured above is an interesting piece of material culture. At first glance, the black cloth haversack in the image appears to bean “Early War” variant in very good condition which would be unusual given that very, very few haversacks from the US Civil War-era survived intact. This is because of the hard use they received in the field. Its external dimensions are approximately 12 ½ inches square. On closer inspection, the haversack is actually a repaired “Late War” variant where the closing strap apparently pulled away from the upper flap (along with the rivet) and was re-sewn by hand,although slightly off center. The closing strap is also slightly shorter than usual, probably due to the necessity of using the remaining length of leather strap just past where it the split from the rivet. Likewise the roller buckle is also hand sewn back onto the bag, no doubt adjusted for height.
The shoulder strap has been shortened on the haversack and the method employed to do so is noteworthy. It was not knotted but rather detached and re-sewn at the desired height. It is also obvious from the image how short the shoulder strap is relative to most reproduction haversacks. The average Civil War soldiers were as a rule smaller, but even allowing for height/weight differential the shortened strapssuggest the bag was worn fairly high up on the soldier’s hip. This is for comfort, so it did not bounce off the thigh while on the march. As a final point, the cloth used on original haversacks is surprisingly thin compared to most reproductions which areproduced from heavier (almost tent thickness) canvas. On some surviving haversacks the material used for the outside bag is only slightly thicker thanthe rice bag (about as thick as a cotton shirt), although the coating of black paint and linseed oil on the surface did reinforce it.
NOTES
[1] Olynthus B. Clark (ed), Civil War Diary of Alexander Dowling,Homestead Printing Company (
[2] Dictionary of Civil War History: “haversack.” Courtesy
[3] George H. Crosman, Asst QM Genl, US Quartermaster Manual May1865, United States War Department (Washington, DC) Camp and Garrison Equipment,p. 47-51.
[4] US Army Field Mess Gear: Haversacks and Knapsacks (www.history.army.mil/html /messkits) updated July 2009. See images of pre-1851haversacks.
[5] Bradley Gottfried,
[6] Jack Coggins, Arms & Equipment of the Civil War,Doubleday & Company (
[7] Ibid: Diary of Alexander Dowling, p. 103.
[8] Regulations of the Army of the United States, US Govt Printing Office (Washington, DC) 1871 p. 269
[9] Ibid: Diary of Alexander Dowling, entry dated December 28,1862 as follows: My bill for clothes up to this time is as follows: One overcoat, $7.20; two dress coats, $13.42; four pair pants, $12.12; two pairdouble woolen blankets, $5.12; three pair drawers, $1.50; two pair shoes,$3.12; three woolen shirts, $2.64; one rubber poncho, $2.73; four pair socks, $1.04; one hat, $1.55; one cap, 60c; one knapsack, $1.56; one haversack, 56c; one canteen, 44c.
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