"Off To War" Essentials

[piggriver]

This list of essentials is posted from a recruiting broadside dated June 7, 1861 for Wise's Legion (Va.). It is stated that every soldier volunteering for service should come with at least these items, or "the best substitute you can obtain."

2 flannel overshirts
2 woolen undershirts
2 pr. white cotton drawers
2 pr. woolen socks
2 pr. cotton socks
2 colored handkerchiefs
2 pr. stout shoes
2 towels
1 blanket - hole in middle
1 blanket for cover
1 broad brimmed hat
1 pound castile soap
2 pounds bar soap
1 belt knife
-
stout linen thread
large needles
thimble
bit of beeswax
buttons
paper of pins
"all in a small buckskin or stout cloth bag"
-
1 overcoat
1 painted canvas cloth, seven feet four inches long, five feet wide

The list pretty much speaks for itself, although that ground cloth that is called for seems to be on the large-ish side does it not?
One question I would like to posit to the readers is in the shirts that are called for. I would assume that the flannel overshirts would be your typical grey, blue or red wool flannel 'battleshirt'. What do y'all estimate the 'woolen undershirt' to be? A collar-less shirt of woolen knit fabric?

[ContinentalMorganGuard]

Re: "Off To War" Essentials

Where is the broadside located, I would love to take a closer look at it! Thanks!

[19thTexas]

Re: "Off To War" Essentials

I would like to see the broadside as well. This is very interesting.

On the undershirts it would most likely be a collar-less shirt; however, many "undershirts" had collars if we agree that our "shirts" were "undershirts." Wouldn't the Federal issue grey shirts be considered undershirts? I remember reading a thread here about the "itchy" woolen undershirts that Federal troops were issued in lieu of or in addition to the cotton shirts in some northern states.

Battleshirts were the overshirts, but remember, many "battleshirts" were undecorated plain shirts that served the same purpose but were much easier and less expensive to produce. Some Texas units were issued "overshirts" which were plain onasburg shirts, generously cut to wear over the "undershirt."

Thanks for the post that will help me gear up for Wilson's Creek 150th.

[Brandon]

Re: "Off To War" Essentials

You are right, a regular shirt is referred to as an undershirt since it is part of your underware, including a federal issue shirt. And I thought I have seen guys pack heavy hahaha. 4 shirts, 2 pairs of drawers, 4 pairs of socks, 2pairs of shoes, 2 blankets, an overcoat, and a groundcloth made for mongo.

[piggriver]

Re: "Off To War" Essentials

A "copy" of the broadside was included in the "Civil War Collection", which was a book-sized little box containing some quality repros of some period letters with some stereoscopic images and a little plastique viewer and such. What really sold me on the thing was the JJOmenhausser camp scene and the broadside itself, since Wise's Legion has been my main study for some time.


On the shirts themselves, what I am specifically getting at is that the "overshirts" are specified as flannel, which to us is that scratchy grey (or blue or red, typically) wool material like in the Federal issue undershirt. Not a problem. Well understood.
On the undershirts, it just says "woolen undershirts". It is the fabric that is problematic for me. If they also were to be of a flannel material, I would think it would state such - since the overshirt was specified differently. Certainly if they were made of wool flannel, a collar may or may not be a part of the shirt. A woolen knit, on the other hand, would likely not have a collar and be an "undershirt" in every sense of the word. I would reference the knit shirt available through NJ************ as what I am thinking of. It seems that in working with that fabric, it is necessary to use cotton or flannel for the collar-band and placket.
But anyway - am looking for thoughts on exactly what that "woolen undershirt" might mean. I think it not of "flannel".
Arguments for or against welcomed.

[Becky Morgan]

Re: "Off To War" Essentials

Not to mention three pounds of soap. I'm about to ask where the personal pack mule is.
One battlefield feature unlikely to be shown in any early war reenactment is the amount of stuff dropped by the roadside, especially when hurried movement is necessary. I suspect that men who packed according to this list were responsible for a bit of the debris.

[Horace]

Re: "Off To War" Essentials

The concensus I get is that generally battleshirts were just purpose adapted workshirts, worn over clothing as smocks. When the war came they suddenly became 'battleshirts'.

[J. Donaldson]

Re: "Off To War" Essentials

I found another list of advices to new soldiers in the Macomb Eagle, dated May 18, 1861.

Counsel to our Volunteers.
1. Remember that in a campaign more men die from sickness than by the bullet.
2. Line your blanket with one thickness of drilling. This adds but four ounces in weight and doubles the warmth.
3. Buy a small India rubber blanket (only $1,50), to lay on the ground or to throw over your shoulders when on guard duty during a rain storm. – Most of the Eastern troops are provided with these. Straw to lie upon is not always to be had.
4. The best military hat in use is the light-colored soft felt; the crown being sufficiently high to allow space for air over the brain. You can fasten it up as a continental in fair weather, or turn it down when it is wet or very sunny.
5. Let your beard grow so as to protect the throat and lungs.
6. Keep your entire person clean: this prevents fevers and bowel complaints in warm climates. Wash your body each day if possible. Avoid strong coffee and oily meat. Gen. Scott said that the too free use of these (together with neglect in keeping the skin clean) cost many a soldier his life in Mexico.
7. A sudden check of perspiration by chilly or night air often causes fever and death. When thus exposed, do not forget your blanket.
AN OLD SOLDIER

Has anyone heard of lining a blanket before, or perhaps seen an original example of a lined blanket? That's really the only one that caught me off guard.

[Kanawha Riflemen]

Re: "Off To War" Essentials

The Kanawha Valley Star, April 30, 1861

Kanawha Riflemen
Company Orders #1
April 26, 1861

1. In compliance with the requisition of a Proclamation of the Governor of Virginia dated at Richmond the 19th of April 1861, this command will hold itself in readiness for marching orders.
2. In case such orders shall arrive, each one must provide himself with the following articles at least in addition to dress and fatigue uniforms, to wit: two shirts, four collars, two pair of socks, two pair of drawers, one blacking brush and box (to any two files), two pair of white Berlin gloves, one quart tin cup, one white cotton haversack, one case knife, fork, and spoon, two towels, two handkerchiefs, comb and brush, and toothbrush. Some stout linen thread, a few buttons, paper of pins, and a thimble, in a small buckskin or cloth bag.
3. There being no knapsacks in the possession of the company one ordinary sized carpetsack will be allowed to every two men, for the purpose of holding such of the above articles as are not in constant use. The knife, fork and spoon, haversack and tin cup, must be worn about the person, the first three and the last articles to the waist belt. Immediately after the receipt and promulgation of marching orders, the carpetsacks, duly packed, must be delivered to the Quartermaster Sergeant, neatly marked with the names of the two owners. Each file will procure a comfortable blanket
4. It is earnestly recommended that all under clothes should be woolen, especially the socks, as cotton socks are utterly unfit for marching in and all files should wear woolen undershirts. Shoes, sewed soles, and fitting easily, but not too loosely to the foot, coming up over the ankle, are infinitely preferable to boots, and should be made string and serviceable.

The list goes on to cover having measurements taken of each for the production of (Grey cloth flannel) jackets for fatigue duty. It also states the duties of what the Assistant Surgeon, Quartermaster Sergeant and the Band. All in preparation of marching orders. These orders were signed by Captain George Smith Patton and were found in the book the Bullets and Steel, The Fight for the Great Kanawha Valley 1861-1865 by Richard Andre, Stan Cohen and Bill Wintz on pages 22-23.
_______________________________
John A. Miller
South Mountain State Battlefield
Monterey Pass Battlefield, Washington Township

[piggriver]

Re: "Off To War" Essentials

Excellent citation, Mr. Miller. I find the shared carpet-bag an interesting detail for a 'first-called' pre-existing companies impression. Certainly that company and the one I study passed each other in the mud between Charleston and White Sulphur a hundred times.
Sadly, I have no newspaper article to go off of for my pack of tobacco-toiling farmboys, only the broadside I referenced. I imagine it is also what they went by when they were in Richmond supplying themselves in the last week of June, '61. When they left Richmond, they were "fully supplied, with the exception of blankets," as well as lacking the "Harper's Ferry Rifles" that they were insisting on being furnished. How I wish I knew exactly what is meant by "fully supplied", other than using the broadside as a checklist.
I also find interesting from your post that it seems the KRs wore their cups and fork and spoon on their belts. I would imagine the fork and spoon in some kind of pouch or sheath. That seem odd to anyone else? I have seen more than a few images of the cup-on-the-belt thing. Does it look stupid? Absolutely! I'm sold!
Once again, the "woolen undershirt", with a mention of "flannel" for another garment. Is it perhaps that both of the fabrics are wool flannel, but one is of a lighter weight than the other?
What say the fabrics experts?

PS - I will post an I-M-G code of the broadside when I am allowed to. I tried a reply yesterday with it included and it didn't make it past the gatekeepers. RULES! I know...

[Horace]

Re: "Off To War" Essentials

"The knife, fork and spoon, haversack and tin cup, must be worn about the person, the first three and the last articles to the waist belt." He's calling for the knife, fork, spoon and cup to be attached to the belt?

[Hank Trent]

Re: "Off To War" Essentials

"The knife, fork and spoon, haversack and tin cup, must be worn about the person, the first three and the last articles to the waist belt." He's calling for the knife, fork, spoon and cup to be attached to the belt?

Attaching the cup to the belt was very common for civilian hunters/campers, and Gilham suggests the same thing, with an explanation about the knife, fork and spoon: "the cup may be carried on the waist belt or on the knapsack strap, and the knife, fork, and spoon should be carried in a leathern sheath which slips on to the waist belt, to be worn in front, and on the left of the centre of the body." (Manual of Instruction, Gilham, 1861--quote is at the bottom of the page at the link)

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Darrell Cochran]

Re: "Off To War" Essentials

that ground cloth that is called for seems to be on the large-ish side does it not?

I realize that this list is for Confederate volunteers, but the regulation U.S. Army blanket was 7 feet long and 5-1/2 feet wide, so maybe whoever made the list was thinking of that ...

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: "Off To War" Essentials

There's a certain overlap with this list of essentials from Sir Francis Galton's The Art of Travel (1853). See: http://books.google.com/books?id=XfI...page&q&f=false In reading this book recently I've found whole sections that later got incorporated in Scott's Military Dictionary and other works. It's a pretty interesting book. In any case, page 42 has a list of clothing that he took from an Australian traveler (I'd post it here but it's in two columns and doesn't cut and paste well).

It makes me wonder how many of these lists were themselves cut and pasted from existing works on travel or military service.