Painting Knapsacks

[lukegilly13]

Re: Painting Knapsacks

Addressing the Mason thing:
I believe an approved vendor was recently added who carries items of the period related to this. Some of their items may be of use if you want to portray a soldier who belonged to your organization.

Addressing the painting:
I have viewed only one original knapsack that had some really neat stenciling of militia letters....this was on an early war wooden framed knapsack. The letters were veary neatly stenciled in what seemed to be an oil based paint. I would recommend using maybe a linseed oil based paint and whitening it (as you would blacken it for say a groundcloth)....and I think there is a recent thread about how to create different color paints. Now, if you're painting an emblem then you will need to make sure you get the period correct stencil...Can show pictures of common letter font, but would recommend in your case finding a period emblem painted on gear somewhere to get the proper size, shape, etc.....
I don't recall ever seeing one but i'm sure if you find one we'd all enjoy reading any info you'd be kind enough to post.

[pistolpete1863]

Re: Painting Knapsacks

I first wanted to say as someone who knows Jon, I do not think that any one who knows him personally would question his authenticity only talking to him for a short time you would find he really knows his stuff. For the paint try contacting Eric Woods of Dirty Back Boys he should know what would be good.

[tinman1863]

Re: Painting Knapsacks

In response to the whole "symbol on the knapsack" deal, the few items (that I have seen) and what not that were Mason in origin seemed to be small and inconspicuous and though may have been in the open, probably went unnoticed (such as watch fobs).

Kristoffer Lee Tinney

[61' reb]

Re: Painting Knapsacks

Thank you guys for all of your input and advice. Thank you Kiev for showing others the pride of what if feels like to be known as a part of such an organization. My brother is a senior warden in the lodge and he advised me to not take any actions at least until i made it all the way through. I understand that this site and side of the living history is concerned about authenticity and i want to uphold that in my impression as much as possible. I know what you guys mean when you say that some take representation of things to a farby level that makes things stand out like a bull in a china shop, i have no intentions of doing that to myself, or to those who around me.

Thank you as well TJ, for clarifying my authenticity for those who do not know me.

Therefore i have learned from you gentlemen to research and see what was correct, and i believe i have learned to hold off on painting the symbol on my knapsack (after being taunted and harped at first), i soon learned that i shouldn't paint my knapsack.

Thank you for you help and advice.

My apologies to anyone that i offended as well.

[mountainman]

Re: Painting Knapsacks

Heck, I will paint it on there for you Jon. I as well as a good number on the forum are proud to have a good young man like you in the Brotherhood. You bring the paint.

[Bill]

Re: Painting Knapsacks

In regard to marking equipment with the Masonic square and compass. How about an entire ship? The USS Baron DeKalb had this Masonic symbol suspended between its smokestacks. (Photo from the Nov/Dec "Civil War Times")

[55th VVI]

Re: Painting Knapsacks

Welcome Jon. Having recently been raised, I can say, you are part of a wonderful organization.

Troy,
We are not a secret organization, we are an organization with secrets. If we were a secret organization no one would no we exist.

For all others who aren't sure of some of the good work Masons do every day, every hear of the Shriner's Children's Hospitals? The Shriners are a masonic organization.

[AndrewGrim]

Re: Painting Knapsacks

This is not about pride in joining a society, but the accuracy of those displays.

[61' reb]

Re: Painting Knapsacks

Thank you guys who have showed your support and who have welcomed me into the Masonic Order. I am greatly proud of my affiliation with such an esteemed organization. I look forward to representing the organization when I have made it all the way through for the rest of my life, whether it be civil war or modern day life.

I agree with Mr. Siegel, the Mason's are not a secret organization, if they were then heck, i wouldn't have had to worry about painting something on my knapsack to represent them.

Thank You men for your support, your help, your strives to tell me what is and is not accurate.

[lthull3rdla]

Re: Painting Knapsacks

I've been to the East!

Ronnie - Shreveport

[Bob 125th NYSVI]

Re: Painting Knapsacks

Ok, secret, we're not secret organziation stuff aside. Pride or not stuff aside. Don't I remember either the Civil War Historian or the CCG (NO Laughing) run a series of articles in the last two years about reenacting Freemasonary appropriately in CW camps?

And if it was true that units went about setting up lodges in permanent camps then it really wasn't "undercover" during the war.

That being said the knapsack belonged to the unit NOT the individual soldier (at least in the Union Army) and as such I think that individual whimsy (How do I decorate my pack?) would fall under the provence of your NCO or Officers as to whether or not they'd allow it.

If you can find evidence of it happening in the unit you portray then it would be authentic of you to do it. If you can't than you are going to have to limit your display of pride to personal items such as a ring or maybe a tobacco sack.

[kreftoon]

Re: Painting Knapsacks

Some years ago while visiting Gettysburg, I noticed an interesting thing. In the "Lee's Headquarters" Museum there was a cartridge box open in the display case showing the contents and the tins. Scratched in the inside flap of the box was the solder's name and a Square and Compasses, the symbol of a Freemason. I have seen photographs of officers wearing small masonic pins on their sack coats. There is a new book a available which tells numerous stories of Masonic recognition on the battlefield due to symbols on the soldier's uniforms and equipment: "The Better Angels of Our Nature: Freemasonry in the American Civil War" by Michael A. Halleran. This is a great book and a "must read" for members of the Craft who want to learn more about their Masonic Brethren during the war. For Non-Masons, it is an eye opening story of brotherhood amidst the horrors of war.

[Cyclesmith]

Re: Painting Knapsacks

I have done exactly no research on period paints or what modern paint would be acceptable... but as a former struggling artist I know that artistic oil paint in a tube was invented in the early 1840's. Now modern technology have improved the colors, enlarged the spectrum and extended the lifespan... but... it all began in the 1840's!!

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Painting Knapsacks

For what it's worth, I think Mr. Sandusky makes probably the most relevant observation: the knapsack belongs to the company, not the soldier. In the US army, it counts as "camp and garrison equipage" issued by the quartermaster. Kautz provides a form for tracking it, along with canteens, haversacks, etc. by the soldier's NCO. In the Confederate army I believe knapsacks were initially provided by the ordnance department, and then the quartermaster -- either way they were still the property of the company or, in the case of ordnance, the officer in command.

That said, it's not unknown for soldiers to have marked their ordnance or cg&e, but usually not openly. The cartridge box cited above is but one of several examples I can think of, but it's significant that the mark was on the inside of the box.

Clothing -- which includes blankets, gum blankets, and painted blankets -- is different. It belongs to the soldier and the cost comes out of his clothing allowance (US volunteers) or commutation allowance (CS army to late '62), or annual allocation (US Regulars & CS under the "depot system"). Clothing you can mark up to the extent your officers allow, which in the confederate service could be quite a bit.

As far as what you mark it with, as Mr. Reynolds indicates, today's artists oil colors are simply ground pigment in a linseed oil base. Lampblack was certainly around, as well as "ivory black," which is a pretty name for charred bone.

I've marked the fabric side of my gum blankets and oil cloth with my name using a dip pen (Gillott 404) and oak gall ink. It's easier than you might think, but I'd recommend practicing on something else first. Walnut ink might be a nice touch for a Confederate impression.

This is all probably much too late for the original inquiry, but the question of customizing gear seems to come fairly often, so I thought it still warrants chiming in on.

[unclefrank]

Re: Painting Knapsacks

For what it's worth, I think Mr. Sandusky makes probably the most relevant observation: the knapsack belongs to the company, not the soldier. In the US army, it counts as "camp and garrison equipage" issued by the quartermaster. Kautz provides a form for tracking it, along with canteens, haversacks, etc. by the soldier's NCO. In the Confederate army I believe knapsacks were initially provided by the ordnance department, and then the quartermaster -- either way they were still the property of the company or, in the case of ordnance, the officer in command.

That said, it's not unknown for soldiers to have marked their ordnance or cg&e, but usually not openly. The cartridge box cited above is but one of several examples I can think of, but it's significant that the mark was on the inside of the box.

Clothing -- which includes blankets, gum blankets, and painted blankets -- is different. It belongs to the soldier and the cost comes out of his clothing allowance (US volunteers) or commutation allowance (CS army to late '62), or annual allocation (US Regulars & CS under the "depot system"). Clothing you can mark up to the extent your officers allow, which in the confederate service could be quite a bit.

As far as what you mark it with, as Mr. Reynolds indicates, today's artists oil colors are simply ground pigment in a linseed oil base. Lampblack was certainly around, as well as "ivory black," which is a pretty name for charred bone.

I've marked the fabric side of my gum blankets and oil cloth with my name using a dip pen (Gillott 404) and oak gall ink. It's easier than you might think, but I'd recommend practicing on something else first. Walnut ink might be a nice touch for a Confederate impression.

This is all probably much too late for the original inquiry, but the question of customizing gear seems to come fairly often, so I thought it still warrants chiming in on.

The quartermaster must have gone crazy trying to track all that gear, including knapsacks, that got flung to the side of the road during a tough march. I know that at Backwaters I was really tempted to do the same thing. ;) I have read that on a few occasions when a soldier saw a Mason symbol on an enemy, they spared them if they could.