Greatcoats and Knapsacks

[robwall1861]

Hey Guys,

After doing some searching on packing knapsacks...I was curious, if one were to bring a greatcoat to an event would you be better off packing it IN the knapsack (M1855 Doublebag for Union Impression) and having your blanket and shelter half rolled on top of the bag or vice-versa (greatcoat on top and blanket in knapsack). Right now, I have it with my greatcoat IN the knapsack and the blanket/shelter half are rolled on top.

FYI: In the envelope portion, I have an extra pair of socks/shirt/rope/small lantern/poke sacks for hygiene, cleaning kit and some small personal stuff.

Thanks and I guess this is more of opinion then anything....

Sincerely,
Robert Wallace

[cprljohnivey]

Re: Greatcoats and Knapsacks

Couple things here:

1. Knapsacks were not issued with greatcoat straps... the straps were issued with the coat.
2. You need to think like a soldier. Your marching along and it starts to rain. Whats going to get wet first... the things that are on top of the knapsack. A wet blanket = a cold and miserable night!

From experience and from how the pack was designed to work: Pack your blanket and shelter half in the knapsacks. Tuck your gum blanket in between the two bags when you close it so you can have a pard reach in and pull it out if it starts to rain with out taking off the pack on the march. Put the coat on top.

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Greatcoats and Knapsacks

Robert, I think the best answer to your question is to do what your first sergeant wants you to do because practices varied during the war, just as they do in the hobby.

Augustus Myers describes the regulars garrisoning Governor's Island before the war having their coats rolled on top (or, actually, sections of stovepipe covered neatly in cloth -- a trick that failed to fool one inspector). However, later in the war the "Army and Navy Journal" states that one should carry coats folded within the flaps.

There is some confusion about straps, too, but Kautz clearly lists knapsack straps and greatcoat straps as distinct, separate items ("Register of Camp and Garrison Equipage" in The Company Clerk, p. 29). Rolling your coat into the cape with only the underside exposed does keep it drier, but a tightly rolled blanket will shed quite a bit of rain with only a small part getting wet.

Later in the war U.S. general orders encouraged wearing the blanket on top so that the inside of the knapsack could be used to carry up to a hundred pieces of hardtack. If you ever wondered how anyone managed to tote more than two or three days of rations, that's how.

I have attached a brief discussion of the matter with references that you may want to read anyway. Hope this helps.

[robwall1861]

Re: Greatcoats and Knapsacks

Michael,

Thank you for article...I will most certainly take a look and keep it for future reference.

[Silas]

Re: Greatcoats and Knapsacks

Of course there are those pesky regulations which state clearly that greatcoats should be placed inside and between the double bags.

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Greatcoats and Knapsacks

I prefer, when carrying both, to have the coat folded between the bags/flaps, but I have seen people read para. 316 and come away with two entirely different interpretations. The Governor's Island reference surprises me, too. But you're one of the people I would most trust for the answer to this: did the Regulations change in '61 on this issue from the previous edition? Did the knapsack change?

I'm just glad it warmed up for Shiloh so I didn't have to carry both. As it was, my extra stationery nearly did me in. :)

[HOG.EYE.MAN]

Re: Greatcoats and Knapsacks

Right now, I have it with my greatcoat IN the knapsack and the blanket/shelter half are rolled on top.

I say go without, since it's 95 degrees outside......

[robwall1861]

Re: Greatcoats and Knapsacks

Brad, having the blanket in the bag was the way I had it...I just wanted to experiment with the greatcoat (g/c) in there as well. Silas, the way I have it now is the regulation way (g/c in the knapsack and the blanket and shelter half rolled on top (per regulations I found on the Sykes website)). Michael and Aaron, yeah...I agree with you on the heat, especially down here in NC (been down here since 2007, lived and grew up in CT before) and with the recent 90+ degree weather we have been having I certainly don't need it; I was just experimenting.

For what it's worth, I got home last night after work and weighed my pack with the following: g/c in bag, extra shirt/socks, small folding lantern, some rope, a few poke sacks (hygiene/personal effects/cleaning kit) and gum blanket inbetween the two halfs. Then on top I have my blanket with my shelter half. Total weight was 17.5 lbs :).

Now for the kick in the pants, right when I was taking my knapsack off a portion of the stitching broke where the shoulder strap connects to the buckle...so until I can get that fixed, I'm going to have to convert to a blanket roll. Oh well, a whole new experiment to try out:)....luckily I have become less annoyed with blanket rolls while using one for my CS impression before getting my Kibbler pack.

Sorry for the ramble...but wanted to thank everyone, etc.

Robin

[HOG.EYE.MAN]

Re: Greatcoats and Knapsacks

Michael and Aaron, yeah...I agree with you on the heat, especially down here in NC (been down here since 2007, lived and grew up in CT before) and with the recent 90+ degree weather we have been having I certainly don't need it; I was just experimenting.

Robin,

I know you're experimenting.......I was just giving you a hard time.... Thought the topic was funny since it's so hot out.

As you been reading the posts here, there are different ways it was done back then.

Here is a picture of a friend and I wearing our knapsacks, overcoats, and blanket differently. (Yes, a reenacting photo, but a good example taken from research)



I'm on the left....I decided I was going to wear my overcoat and all the extra "stuff" inside the pack while wearing the blanket roll outside to keep some of the weight down, for this particular day. My friend, Joe Hill, is on my right and his overcoat is on top of his pack, with everything else inside. (We were free to wear this stuff as we pleased.)

PS. My knapsack is coming apart at the same spot as well. Need mine fixed too.

[robwall1861]

Re: Greatcoats and Knapsacks

Aaron,

No worries, I knew you were just messing around (btw, anyone with common sense would stow the g/c till colder weather to save themselves of the extra weight). I'm going to put it back to the way it was since my knapsack is out of commission until I can get it fixed (that way it can just have the g/c on top and when I do my union impression again; I can grab my blanket etc and go...leaving the knapsack and g/c behind for the time being.

Take care,
Robin

[John McPherson]

Re: Greatcoats and Knapsacks

As Silas mentioned, the 1861 Revised Regulations are pretty clear on the subject. Overcoats are to be kept inside the knapsack between the flaps and folded on the flaps (not rolled) for inspection. Rain does happen while on the march and it will ruin one's experience no matter what is folded on top of the knapsack; you'll get wet and miserable regardless. What has confused me about the Regs is the placement of the overcoat during the inspection manuevers as they mention that the coat is folded on the flaps but in the same passage indicate that the knapsack leans on the coat. Huh? I'm a bit confused by this wording and wonder if it reflects a blending of different steps from previous Regs? Anyways, two pards and I marched 14 miles across San Juan Island last weekend depicting Regulars from the 9th U.S. Infantry Regiment (Co. C under Capt. Lyman Bissell) with our knapsacks packed in regulation style. Here's a photo of us coming into our second night's camp after covering 14 miles that day.