fancy tobacco pouches

[Ian McWherter]

Re: fancy tobacco pouches

Of course fancy tobacco pouches existed, I've seen numerous originals and have Peterson's text illustrating many more. Just because this was a privately procured item, doesn't necessarily mean that any one or all of the styles of pouches available at that time would have been carried by soldiers. Its impossible to say, unless we can find original examples of these pouches that have known soldier provenance, which was my original point. If those originals in the Atlanta History Center were carried by soldiers that's the kind of documentation I'm looking for, not whether these existed or not (which of course we all know did). I prefer to have every article of my citizen or military impression documented in detail, I don't like going out on a limb with anything, may have or may not just doesn't cut it for me.

[Virginia Mescher]

Re: fancy tobacco pouches

Of course fancy tobacco pouches existed, I've seen numerous originals and have Peterson's text illustrating many more. Just because this was a privately procured item, doesn't necessarily mean that any one or all of the styles of pouches available at that time would have been carried by soldiers. Its impossible to say, unless we can find original examples of these pouches that have known soldier provenance, which was my original point. If those originals in the Atlanta History Center were carried by soldiers that's the kind of documentation I'm looking for, not whether these existed or not (which of course we all know did). I prefer to have every article of my citizen or military impression documented in detail, I don't like going out on a limb with anything, may have or may not just doesn't cut it for me.

I'm not sure if this will help but here are some excerpts from diaries or memoirs. Unfortunately they are just general references to soldiers carrying tobacco bags or pouches.

From Diary of Belle Edmundson
"September, Tuesday 13, 1864
Maj. Crump, Maj. Cheatham, Mrs. Reynolds, Lou, Mary Lou & I have spent a very pleasant day. Eddie arrived from West Point this morning - Lou made him a beautiful Tobacco bag, Mary Lou made Maj. Crump one."

From A Virginia Girl in the Civil War, 1861-1865: Being a Record of the Actual Experiences of the Wife of a Confederate Officer by Myrta Lockett Avary
"He had on a bedticking shirt, a tobacco-bag of bedticking hung by a string from a button of his shirt — a button which, by the way, was doing more than double duty."

From Four Years Under Marse Robert by Robert Stiles
"In less than two hours after the order was given, the wagon was gone and the men left in "campaign trim." This meant that each man had one blanket, one small haversack, one change of underclothes, a canteen, cup and plate of tin, a knife and fork, and the clothes in which he stood. When ready to march, the blanket, rolled lengthwise, the ends brought together and strapped, hung from left shoulder across under right arm; the haversack--furnished with towel, soap, comb, knife and fork in various pockets, a change of underclothes in the main division, and whatever rations we happened to have in the other--hung on the left hip; the canteen, cup and plate, tied together, hung on the right; toothbrush, at will, stuck in two button holes of jacket or in haversack; tobacco bag hung to a breast button, pipe in pocket."

From Red-tape and Pigeon-hole Generals: As Seen from the Ranks During a Campaign in the Army of the Potomac by Henry Morford (1864)
"Pipe in mouth, their troubles are puffed away in the gracefully ascending smoke. Many a non-user of the weed envies in moody silence the perfect satisfaction resting upon the features of his comrade thus engaged. Non-users are becoming rare birds in the army. So
universal is the habit, that the pipe appears to belong to the equipment, and the tobacco-pouch, suspended from a button-hole of the blouse, is so generally worn that one would suppose it to have been prescribed by the President as part of the uniform."

[Charles Heath]

Re: fancy tobacco pouches

The tobacco bag portion of this thread could be the catalyst for a future workshop from that fine gal in southern Pennsylvania, or some other source. Just a thought.

I'll be pondering what should be worn for a well-digger cooking a pig, and a freshly released Old Capitol Prison inmate with a right fair piece of road to walk at an event shortly thereafter. Those are my next two high end "fashion plates."

[Jimmayo]

Not fancy tobacco pouche

This tobacco bag came from General Dearing's possessions.

[Carolann Schmitt]

Re: fancy tobacco pouches

The tobacco bag portion of this thread could be the catalyst for a future workshop from that fine gal in southern Pennsylvania, or some other source. Just a thought.

So noted. It would also be a good workshop for a certain well-regarded civilian group. Or a good subject for a future competition at a conference. :)

[Shockoe Hill Cats]

Re: fancy tobacco pouches

While this thread is specifically addressing the provence of "fancy pouches", I might point out that not all tobacco was carried in pouches. What about the paper? A lot of nice period packaging labels can be found (e.g. Thos. C Williams & Co., Wm. H. Goodwin & Co., etc.)

However, one that came to my mind was that "My heart is true to Dixie" pouch housed in the MoC. Does anyone have a EoG copy handy? I can't recall if it was identified to a particular soldier or not. Worth a look.

I prefer to have every article of my citizen or military impression documented in detail, I don't like going out on a limb with anything, may have or may not just doesn't cut it for me.

Amen! More people should be as industrious as us; I mostly only carry N.Y.-manufactured stuff with labels or other "dating" that coincides with the working years of my impression. And to be honest, it takes a little more research and detailing but the overall result is well worth it.

[M_Kupsch]

Re: fancy tobacco pouches

Jason,

Glad you made mention of that particular tobacco pouch. The one Kara made me is based on that same pouch...and it was definitely owned/carried by a soldier.

[jdanner723]

Re: fancy tobacco pouches

I am wondering where I might be able to obtain one of the patterns mentioned earlier on in this thread. Particularly the ones that appeared in Peterson's. I've done a google search and most of the links seem to be editions of Peterson's that are for sale in antique stores.

[redkimba]

Re: fancy tobacco pouches

Are there any on-line websites to see examples of the Peterson's tobacco bags such as the ones listed below? I had thought to make one for a gift box, but can find only post-war examples (and my resources are limited)

Kimberly Scott

**

Peterson's December 1858, a braided, lined tobacco pouch with metal clasp closure.

Peterson's November 1859, a "crochet tobacco-pouch, ornamented with flowers in relief." This one had many crocheted flowers around the pouch and tassels hanging off the sides and from the bottom.

Peterson's February 1862, "Tobacco pouch, braided in gold and red cloth." This one just had the outline of the pattern for the pouch and the braid pattern with no instructions.

Peterson's July 1862, "Tobacco bag." This pouch was made of Russian leather with a braided design of blue velvet and lined with white kid.

Peterson's March 1865, "Tobacco Bag." This bag was a rounded pouch made of velvet, silk, cloth, or cashmere and lined with leather. The pattern for each side was included as was the design for the embroidery which was done in beads. The seams were covered with braid.

Peterson's May 1866, Tobacco Bag." This was a crocheted bag don in blue, red or green, lined with chamois.

Peterson's July 1866, "Tobacco Pouch in braid and embroidery." There was only a pattern with no directions for this rounded pouch.

[Virginia Mescher]

Re: fancy tobacco pouches

Are there any on-line websites to see examples of the Peterson's tobacco bags such as the ones listed below? I had thought to make one for a gift box, but can find only post-war examples (and my resources are limited)

Kimberly Scott

Kimberly,

If you live near an university, check their library database and see if they have the American Periodical Series (APS) online. If so, that database has Peterson's and should have all the examples you mentioned from Peterson's. This database is only open to staff, students or faculty off campus but most university libraries are open to the general public and you can use them on site.

Most local or community libraries don't have APS but it would not hurt to check there also.

I don't know of any other online source of Peterson's.