What Do You Carry?

[106th PVI]

Gents,
Just curious as to what you should carry in your officer's haversack. What goes in an officer's sewing kit? My sewing kit has buttons, needles, period scissors, beeswax,#16 glace thread in indigo blue and natural, black silk thread and some patch fabric. Am I missing anything for the sewing kit? Besides my commission what else should I have in the ol' haversack?

Thanks!

[AZReenactor]

Re: What Do You Carry?

In the sewing kit I'd strongly suggest a darning needle and darning yarn. It seems after every couple days marching I'm having to darn socks. Of the items in my sewing kit it is one that I seem to have the most use for. It also greatly extends the life of socks. A stitch in time saves nine as they say.

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: What Do You Carry?

I think many officers sent their commissions home. Others, I believe, depended on their servants to carry their food, though there's certainly room in an officer's haversack for some items, like a cup, coffee, and some hardtack. In the English army, Sir Garnet Wolseley recommended items like a clasp-knife, drinking-cup and water-bottle, pocket-book, telescope, and compass. In the American army, you would probably also want to keep your memorandum account of ordnance, a journal for technical as well as personal observations (see Scott's dictionary entry for "journal"), writing materials, including pencils, blank paper, pen and traveling inkwell, and whatever forms you think you'll need, like morning reports, rosters, ration returns, &c. A piece of blotter board the size of a file card can be useful.

Anyway, it all adds up pretty quickly.

As far as sewing kit, it depends on what you usually need. I keep a couple of needles already threaded -- one with cotton for tears, one with heavier linen thread for buttons. I wrap them both around a small piece of card with extra thread, and I keep another strip of card with several extra buttons stitched to it.

That's all the sewing kit I've ever actually used, but I've been lucky with socks.

[PogueMahone]

Re: What Do You Carry?

Gents,
Just curious as to what you should carry in your officer's haversack. What goes in an officer's sewing kit? My sewing kit has buttons, needles, period scissors, beeswax,#16 glace thread in indigo blue and natural, black silk thread and some patch fabric. Am I missing anything for the sewing kit? Besides my commission what else should I have in the ol' haversack?

Thanks!

Are you asking as a staff officer or a line officer? You keep jumping back and forth.

A staff officer is probably eating from a mess prepared by a cook. Rations will be carried in the staff wagon. Your haversack would likely have a few eatables for the road (hardtack, cheese, fruit in season), some paper for making notes, a few forms that may be needed during the course of the march, etc.

A line officer is going to be carrying his own rations, not a servant, in the great majority of the examples you can find. That would be first and foremost. Again, paper and writing utensils, some daily forms, etc.

I think that, if you are carrying your commission on your person rather than storing it in your baggage in the wagon, you would carry it in a wallet rather than a haversack. It is going to get funky in the haversack pretty quick.

[106th PVI]

Re: What Do You Carry?

Sorry Joe,
I should have stated the question in a different way. I should have asked: What would a line officer carry and what would a staff officer carry in their haversack or sewing kit.
Okay, a staff officer would have a servant. A dedicated staff officer as well as a line officer? Would a simple line officer ( infantry company commander) on temporary staff duty be assigned a servant?
This is my "persona" when I am at events with General Hancock... a line officer from the 106th PVI serving on his staff. The rest of the time I will be in command of my company.
Hope this clears things up.

Forgive me gents for the flopping... I worked all weekend and am exhausted. Can't think clear. :D