Timeline of the kibbler style knapsack

[fedhead]

I am very interested in the cut off date that the kibbler knapsack ceased use and or stopped being issued .

Any help would be greatly received.

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Timeline of the kibbler style knapsack

Go check out www.ha.com, auction number 6015. This was the auction of the John Henry Kurtz collection. A number of provenanced "Mexican War Style" Federal knapsacks are fully described there. That might yield some good anecdotal information regarding Federal usage.

[fedhead]

Re: Timeline of the kibbler knapsack

I shall try that right away, thanks but i was thinking more of confederate usage in the ANV. Would it of been issued in say 64 or if not issued is there evidence of there continued use at this time.

[JimConley]

Re: Timeline of the kibbler style knapsack

Eric Mink was kind enough to share a copy of this article with me when I was comparing specifics of the reproductions currently available for this style of knapsack.

See: Military Collector & Historian: Journal of The Company of Military Historians. Washington, D.C. Vol. XLIII, No. 1. Spring 1991.

Gaede, Frederick C. Collectors Field Book. Knapsack of N.B. Johnston, 1st Virginia Artillery, ANV.

From Gaede:

According to the donor, the knapsack and a canteen (NPS/RNBP#585) were with Johnston when he returned to Salem, Virginia after his surrender at Appomattox on 9 April 1865.

Ambler Johnston recorded the following about the knapsack:
"Some thirty or forty years after the War my father
wrote an account of it. He said that on the 28th of
September, 1864, when his outfit the Salem Flying
Artillery, was encamped down on New Market Hill
on the outerworks you see there now, the day before
the Battle of Fort Harrison, they received from Salem
about 2,000 pounds of food and clothing, and on the
same day they received from the government a new
issue of knapsacks. It was the next morning, September
29, that the Federals came across the river and the
Confederates had to leave behind all food and new
clothes that had been sent them, but they didn't leave
the knapsacks. And my father's knapsack that looks
so new is at Fort Harrison headquarters now."

The style of knapsack referred to is carried over from the U.S. Army patterns used during the Mexican War. As John Wickett mentioned in his reply, John Henry Kurtz's collection had some examples of this style knapsack. Additionally, it is difficult to determine certain details with these knapsacks because there were probably many different variants manufactured and issued by the Confederacy. They are not the "Kibler" or "Johnston" style knapsacks, rather they are two variants of the same base style of Confederate manufactured and issued knapsacks that we are lucky enough to have identified to those individual soldiers.

[fedhead]

Re: Timeline of the kibbler style knapsack

excellent that was just the sort of information i was after, i understand that the kibbler is a variation of the Mexican war knapsack but it is identified to a man serving in the ANV so as i am interested in the eastern use of this type of knapsack i thought it would be a good example.
thank you

[lukegilly13]

Re: Timeline of the kibbler style knapsack

I've looked into this several times...mostly before I purchased a reproduction of one...however I do recall these two images both taken in '64 (although it is arguable that one may be '62).
This one is of Confederates in Frederick
http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...6&d=1219208963
These are after the battle of Five Forks:
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/f...cub/forks1.jpg
Here's the problem...can't be sure that either include Kibler packs. However, I believe that in both images I can see knapsacks that I believe at least appear to be Kibler's...basing this on the crossing straps and the more tall and skinny bundle created. Again, the images are not really clear enough to be 100% sure, but it's at least some evidence.

[J_V]

Re: Timeline of the kibbler style knapsack

As to determining whether certain images are of "Kibbler" packs (whether they are a Mexican War-style Confederate variant), I would suggest you contact Don Smith of Trans-Mississippi Depot (approved vendor). Don's reputation for research and faithful reproducing is well known, and from the descriptions of his products, the variations between the original U.S. pattern and features and the Confederate copies appear to be quite subtle (difference in button material, perhaps a difference in leather strap color at times, maybe other, less noticeable details). If you are considering buying a repro and want to do some research into the details before doing so, you cannot go wrong in speaking with this expert.

My Mex-War style pack from Don should be arriving within the next couple of weeks...