Bell Tent

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am in search of any information; pictures, sketches, patents, dimensions...etc. relating to Bell Tents. To clarify and before this deviates...I am interested in solely Bell Tents like those seen in the Crimea and Early Part of the American Civil War and not the double-bell wedge, single-bell wedge...etc. I'm also interested in whether or not these came in multiple sizes or a single 'standard' size.

Picture available through the following link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Belltentdetail.png

Thanks,

Paul B.

[erik]

Re: Bell Tent

At the moment, I have at hand Arms & Equipment of the British Army, 1866 reprinted in 1986. This contains a substantial part of Equipment of Infantry (forming Part V of the Series of Army Equipments'), published by HMSO in 1865.
Page 98 under Camp Equipment details the following;

"The single circular or bell tent has only a roof with a curtain at the bottom a few inches wide. There is a wooden flooring, made in four quadrant shaped pieces, for use in permanent camps.
Tents are now made of linen duck and the cotton ones will be obsolete when the present stock is worn out."

Page 99 details the packaging and dimensions of those packages;

" Circular single
Valise, with roof, and bag containing 42 pins, and two mallets - 2' 8" long by 1' 4" wide by 1' 0" deep, weight 62 pounds.
pole in two pieces - 5' 5" by 0' 4"".

Page 100 details in chart form the scale of issue;

"Proportion when on service in the Field.
Tents, Circular -
2 for every field officer,
1 for each other officer,
1 for every 15 non-commissioned officers and men."

In this period they were white with the tops painted red.
They were 13' in diameter
The curtain at the bottom increased in size as the century progressed until, by WWI, it had a sod curtain added in hessian.
This tent was in use by the Reserves up in Canada until the 1970's mostly coloured khaki though some white ones were still around.
I will search my library to find photos and other details posting them as soon as I can.
Fort Henry Kingston, Ontario has a very nice repro and their Quarter Master can be contacted for detail of size, material and dimensions. If you would like, I could do that for you as they may remember me.
I hope that this is helpful.

Erik Simundson

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Bell Tent

Erik,

This is MOST helpful!!!

Yes, if you don't mind please do contact the Quartermaster at Ft. Henry since you already have a contact there.

I look forward to seeing what else you can direct me to (pictures/sketches would be nice if we can find these...as well as books).

If you need to email me anything, I can be reached through the following:
paulboulden@hotmail.com

Thanks,

Paul B.

[erik]

Re: Bell Tent

I will forward what I find as I find it over the next short while.
I glad it helped.

Erik Simundson

[Andrew Jarvi]

Re: Bell Tent

I am not sure if the tent in this painting was meant to be a Sibley or a Bell Tent. Some input would be great. This painting is of Capt. Adam Schuhmacher of the 9th OVI. Great painting at Memorial Hall in Cincinnati. There is a copy of a lithograph of another soldier from the 9th with the same tent in the background.

[topog]

Re: Bell Tent

Fremont had four Bell tents made for his 1845 expedition. These were used by Lts. Abert and Peck after the expedition split at Bent's Old Fort. Abert did a watercolor of one of the tents which can be seen at http://www.topogs.org/b_abertjw.html

Best regards,
Don