Campaigner Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

[styler]

Re: Campaigners tips, tricks, and techniques

Don't talk too much, especially about modern nonsense.
(Been there, done that, felt bad after.)

[Robert Braun]

Re: Campaigners tips, tricks, and techniques

After a quarter century in this so-called hobby, I can attest to the following:

1. When at the halt, never pass on a chance to refill your canteen or empty your bladder;
2. Clean your musket before dusk. During the night, lay it on one of the long edges of your gum and fold a portion of the gum over the musket. This will keep the "dews and damps" away... mostly;
3. March with a full canteen and full cartridge box. You can always scrounge for food...
4. Sleep with twice as many layers under you as over you;
5. Tents don't keep you warm. Fire keeps you warm;
6. Pool your grub and cook in "messes" of two, three or four;
7. Bring extra socks and change often. "As your feet go, so go you."
8. Even when wet and cold, you'll be more comfortable with a wool cap and dry wool socks at night;
9. Shelter tents will not protect you in a driving rain, but a gum thrown over the buttoned junction helps;
10. God gave you two ears and one mouth. Shut up and listen more;
11. First impressions can be poisonous. Get to know folks before jumping to conclusions;
12. Cook only on campfire coals. Never in the flame.
13. Coffee need not be boiled. Heat to the point of boiling, remove from the coals, and set aside for a few minutes. If you can't wait for the grounds to settle, dribble in a little cool water from your canteen.
14. Cook your rations carefully. Only stone idols appreciate burnt offerings;
15. If you are wide awake at 2 A.M., remember most of your chums are not. Keep your voice down.
16. Drying your clothing and shoes next to a fire can be tricky. Remember the rule of thumb: "if it's too hot for your hands, it's too hot for your shoes";
17. Warm wet shoes are better than cold wet shoes.
18. Your cartidge box and spare shirt inside your double-bag, with your hand towel spread on top, makes an adequate pillow;
19. A tin can makes an adequate coffe boiler. "Less" really is "more";
20. Some plantation cotton, stuffed into your ears before firing you musket, goes a long way to preserve your hearing.

There's more, but this will do for now...

Bob.

[Moonshine]

Re: Campaigners tips, tricks, and techniches

• Never carry moonshine in an other than hot-dipped canteen!
• Never drink moonshine on an empty stomach!
• Never mistake moonshine for water and take a big gulp when thirsty.
• Never smoke after drinking moonshine!!!


• Try not to wear your clothes to the event, rather, put them on when you get there, otherwise people will comment that "I thought the Amish drove wagins and horses, not cars" (if you have to stop).

Jim Ross

[MuddyTrowsers]

Re: Campaigners tips, tricks, and techniches

On a chilly or down-right cold night, three fellows sleeping together means three blankets, three gum blankets, possibly three overcoats, and three warm bodies. Away from a fire, it's the best way to stay nice and warm...well, as warm as possible anyway.

Also, I have learned that if I carry a blanket roll and it rains, I would rather protect my blanket with my gum blanket and let myself get wet. The clothes I wear will dry faster than a soaking blanket.

[Jonah Barleycorn]

Re: Campaigners tips, tricks, and techniches

Okay fellers, I'll bite. Always carry some tinder in a tin container in your knapsack. Bird's nests do well for this. If the weather is wet, when trying to get that fire going, snap small branches off of tree limbs, they tend to drip dry while still suspended in the air, while their fallen comrades on the ground tend to be saturated even after a slight rain. It makes the chore much easier and you'll expend less curses than otherwise.(This I learned from Frank Aufmuth--I'm thouroughly convinced he could make mud burn.)

Want to make a fast cup of coffee at the Halt? With your mates, build a SMALL fire just big enough to put your boiler in. Use only small twigs and kindling. The smaller the better, as these burn faster, bring the temperature of the contents of your dipper up quicker. Note, you will need more fuel since the smaller twigs burn up faster, but since you are at the Halt, time is of the essesnce. In 5-10 minutes you should have a hot enough brew to pass around with your mates.

Okay, who's next?

Bully,
Mike Palada

[markj]

Re: Campaigners tips, tricks, and techniches

Greetings,

Here are a couple (drawn from actual wartime sources):

On sunny days, light your pipe or cheroot with a "burning lens"--saves matches, you can do it on the march, and there's no "aftertaste" transferred from the ignited match.

Troops frequently kept their rifle-musket cones dry by simply dripping melted candle wax on them.

Also, here is one attempt to make a rudimentary tent heater:

"We have snow to the depth of six inches; and the thermometer indicates the cold to have been almost if not quite at zero. Our tents are made of heavy drilling that will not shed water; (but anything is good enough for a soldier—they go to give their lives, anyhow, and it seems that the powers that be, are determined they shall have every opportunity afforded them to accomplish that result,) these tents are heated imperfectly by filling a camp kettle with coals. This is extremely unhealthy. Ten or twelve pairs of lungs and a kettle of coals soon renders the atmosphere of a tent anything but pleasant or healthy. It is to[o] cold to stay long outside, and the soldiers huddle over the coals.
(Letter from a soldier of the 26th Indiana to the Rochester IN "Weekly Democratic Sentinel," 25 January 1862)

This practice was rather dangerous due to the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning in tightly enclosed spaces. Kids, don't try this at home.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[PrettyBoyDonovan]

Re: Campaigners tips, tricks, and techniches

Well, now I don't know how authetic matress ticks are but mine was a godsend. It keeps you off the cold-wet ground, makes it more comfortable to sleep, and best of all if its really cold, just crawl inside and use it as a sleeping bag.

Also, if you have a shelter half, try to get end pieces. It keeps the heat in better. Throw a blanket over the top since hot air rises and i will sort of hover around the top of the tent. My latern gives off a great deal of heat, its like a 19th century space heater.

Andrew - second mention to sign all of your posts with your full name. Also, while your suggestions would be appropriate in scenarios which allow for tents, most that frequent this board usually camp "campaign" style and wouldn't be carrying a tick or lantern. Maybe qualifying your response with something like, "when your are using a tent,....." - Mike Chapman

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Campaigners tips, tricks, and techniches

When spooning put one pards blanket on the ground and the other blanket over you. Alot of heat escapes through the gound.

Sleep in your shirtsleeves and use your coat as a pillow.

Always wear dry socks before turing in.

Use the sinks before turning in.

Always keep your kit dry, especialy your blanket.

Sleep three to a Dog tent, use the third half to cover up one end.

Use blanket straps to hang your muskets from the ridge pole of your shelter tent.

If you do not set your tent up, use the tent half as a ground sheet and use the gumblanket as a extra blanket.

If you do Fed, carry two issue shirts and use the spare as an overshirt when it is cold.

Dont abuse your gear by trying to artificially age it.

Take care of your pards, they are all that you have got, and you can never be issued new ones.

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Re: Campaigners tips, tricks, and techniches

These tips are great and here's mine:

Open a book by a Civil War soldier. Read it. Reenact what it says. It's incredible how many reenactors would find this to be a really stunning suggestion.

[GrumpyDave]

Re: Campaigners tips, tricks, and techniches

Sleep three or four in a dog tent in the rain. Use the extra half and gum for over the ends.

Set your dog tent low so's you can sleep perpendicular to the ridge in your dog. It'll deflect the wind and rain better, too.

Make sure your gum don't stick out under your dog tent in the rain.

A ball 'o string and part of an old birds nest in the bottom of your haversack is useful stuff, especially in the rain.

Bacon fat helps keep metal from rustin' and helps wet wood to burn.

If you're going to carry anything extra a gum blanket is never a bad choice.

Ash from the fire cleans gun metal and brass first rate.

Cookin' in messes keeps everyone fed.

Stay 'till the end.

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Campaigners tips, tricks, and techniches

Bacon fat helps keep metal from rustin'

DO NOT DO THIS WITH SALT PORK! :angry_smi

[PrettyBoyDonovan]

Re: Campaigners tips, tricks, and techniches

Cigars make good hand warmers.
Andrew Donovan

[Edit. Good to see you signing your name now, but "Cigars make good hand warmers?" I hope that's supposed to be a joke... in which case, I don't get it. I'm afraid you're serious though... -PC]

[tomarch]

Re: Campaigners tips, tricks, and techniches

I'm reminded of the Willie and Joe cartoon of Willie in the rain talkin' to a fresh fish " The experienced sojer will know how ta stay warm an' dry....Lemme know when ya figger it out!"

[tomarch]

Re: Campaigners tips, tricks, and techniches

Oh, yeah.... before I forget about it...
1.) Don't step on Superman's cape

2.) Don't spit in the wind.

3.) Don't pull on the mask of the ol' Lone Ranger..

4.) An you don't mess around with Jim.

Tom, this has nothing to do with CW reenacting on any level. - Mike Chapman

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Campaigners tips, tricks, and techniches

Warm up some water for grooming in the morning. I find having clean hands and a freshly washed face makes the mornings a little brighter.