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The 127th NY was on the Peninsula from April through June, 1863 for a failed campaign on Richmond which ended near the time of the Gettysburg battle. Henry W. Prince of the 127th NY wrote to his mother in Southold, Long Island the following:
Tues. June 24, ...We are very glad to have our knapsacks sent back. On the Peninsula 30 miles from Yorktown, light marching order without tents, on the advance...
Camp near White House Landing, Sunday June 28 ...It now rains. I will tell you how I keep dry. Two of us take our rubber blankets, drive down 4 short sticks 2 1/2 or so ft. long, take our blanket, tie each corner to a stake, then spread our other rubber blanket under this and we have a good shelter. Just bushes on the sides. At night roll up in woolen blankets. We do not suffer by any means, only deprived of a few conveniences.
I did not bring this up to start another knapsack vs. bedroll thing, but rather to ask you more knowledgeable fellows about using the gum blanket in this manner. I'm not sure I've seen its use described exactly like this. I'm also wondering if the versatility of the gum blanket prompted these soldiers to question why they should need to tote around a shelter half on the march. Any advice would be appreciated.
These quotes are from "The Civil War Letters and Diary of Henry W. Prince (1862-1865)" Compiled by Helen Wright Prince and printed in 1979.
Richard R Prieto
Southold, NY
Tues. June 24, ...We are very glad to have our knapsacks sent back. On the Peninsula 30 miles from Yorktown, light marching order without tents, on the advance...
Camp near White House Landing, Sunday June 28 ...It now rains. I will tell you how I keep dry. Two of us take our rubber blankets, drive down 4 short sticks 2 1/2 or so ft. long, take our blanket, tie each corner to a stake, then spread our other rubber blanket under this and we have a good shelter. Just bushes on the sides. At night roll up in woolen blankets. We do not suffer by any means, only deprived of a few conveniences.
I did not bring this up to start another knapsack vs. bedroll thing, but rather to ask you more knowledgeable fellows about using the gum blanket in this manner. I'm not sure I've seen its use described exactly like this. I'm also wondering if the versatility of the gum blanket prompted these soldiers to question why they should need to tote around a shelter half on the march. Any advice would be appreciated.
These quotes are from "The Civil War Letters and Diary of Henry W. Prince (1862-1865)" Compiled by Helen Wright Prince and printed in 1979.
Richard R Prieto
Southold, NY