Formal Knapsack Inspection

[Co D-1st FL]

Recently my unit was garrisoned at Ft Pickens for the day. After our weapons inspection, we proceeded to the formal knapsack inspection. One item that seemed to cause the men an issue was the unslinging of knapsack. As we had been taught from our NCO's your canteen is the last item to slip on. So it is above the knapsack straps and becomes an issue unless you remove the canteen and place it on the ground first.

My question is this, what is the proper way to unsling the knapsack while you have all of your kit on, especially the canteen?

[Co D-1st FL]

Re: Formal Knapsack Inspection

Any help on this?

[LeftCoastYank]

Re: Formal Knapsack Inspection

In the famous set of photographs modeling regulation uniforms, the one labelled "fatigue marching order" clearly shows the canteen over the knapsack straps. However, I find my canteen always rides forward when I do this, which drives me nuts. So I tend to wear my canteen under my knapsack straps. This makes it more difficult to access the canteen, but my logic is that I'd rather deal with periodic inconvenience than constant discomfort. In the picture, from where the canteen is resting (forward of the bayonet), you can tell that this fellow is having the same issue...

EDIT: But he's also wearing the haversack on the right side, which can't be comfortable with a full load of 40 rounds in the cartridge box and any quantity of rations in the sack!

[Michael Comer]

Re: Formal Knapsack Inspection

I don't know of a particular way to do it that would appear in any regulations. The simple answer of course is to remove the canteen first. The order to unsling knapsacks doesn't mean it has to be synchronized. The men can lay the canteen down, and then unsling and hold them until the order to ground knapsacks comes. The other alternative is to just put it on under the knapsack for the inspection so you don't have to mess with it.

[Co D-1st FL]

Re: Formal Knapsack Inspection

We were curious if there was something that we were not obviously seeing.

Thanks,

[Ferris41st]

Re: Formal Knapsack Inspection

In the famous set of photographs modeling regulation uniforms, the one labelled "fatigue marching order" clearly shows the canteen over the knapsack straps. However, I find my canteen always rides forward when I do this, which drives me nuts. So I tend to wear my canteen under my knapsack straps. This makes it more difficult to access the canteen, but my logic is that I'd rather deal with periodic inconvenience than constant discomfort. In the picture, from where the canteen is resting (forward of the bayonet), you can tell that this fellow is having the same issue...

EDIT: But he's also wearing the haversack on the right side, which can't be comfortable with a full load of 40 rounds in the cartridge box and any quantity of rations in the sack!

It appears that the chest straps are actually fastened to his leather belt? With the "J" hooks, is this how it looks to anyone?

[James Brenner]

Re: Formal Knapsack Inspection

While it doesn't show anything new, the attached photograph from Dave Taylor's most current catalog, shows an unidentified Union soldier in full kit with the canteen over the knapsack.

[LeftCoastYank]

Re: Formal Knapsack Inspection

It appears that the chest straps are actually fastened to his leather belt? With the "J" hooks, is this how it looks to anyone?

That is exactly correct. The straps on the M1855 knapsack were designed to attach to the M1855 rifleman's waist belt via the "J" hooks. However the the "J" hooks can also be used to attach to other waist belts. This transfers the weight of the knapsack forward, off the lower back. It also has the added benefit of not compressing in-and-out movement of the rib cage when inhaling and exhaling, which can occur when the "J" hooks are attached to the shoulder straps.

[john duffer]

Re: Formal Knapsack Inspection

That is exactly correct. The straps on the M1855 knapsack were designed to attach to the M1855 rifleman's waist belt via the "J" hooks. However the the "J" hooks can also be used to attach to other waist belts. This transfers the weight of the knapsack forward, off the lower back. It also has the added benefit of not compressing in-and-out movement of the rib cage when inhaling and exhaling, which can occur when the "J" hooks are attached to the shoulder straps.

It also keeps the belt riding high without being cinched as tight.

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Formal Knapsack Inspection

It appears that the chest straps are actually fastened to his leather belt? With the "J" hooks, is this how it looks to anyone?

Yes, that is correct. The model 1855(?) rifleman's belt was designed with a brass keeper on either side of the buckle. Those straps with the "J" hooks were NOT intended to be worn hooked across your chest. They were designed to be hooked to the keepers on the rifleman's belt in order to help distribute the weight of the load.

Pretty cool, eh?

[CompanyWag]

Re: Formal Knapsack Inspection

I would advise caution using any of the 1865 quartermaster photos as guidance how accoutrements were actually worn in the field. As detailed and attractive as the images are, there are major errors such as haversacks on the wrong side, cavalrymen with carbines slung so they'd bang on the saber, dress hats incorrectly turned up, etc. Additionally, the knapsack straps on the photographer's model appear to be hanging free and not bearing weight even though everyone knows they were designed to hook into the 1855 rifle belt.

[Ferris41st]

Re: Formal Knapsack Inspection

Good information!

[Pennvolunteer]

Re: Formal Knapsack Inspection

Definitely you wear the canteen on the march over the knapsack for accessibility, but if you are in garrison, and know you are doing an inspection, I suggest a common sense solution is put the knapsack on last. That's what I did for our Sunday morning inspection in garrison this spring. It worked fine. Soldiers weren't dumb, they figured stuff out.
I wish there was a like button on the posts for the J Hooks on the belt. I always do that on the march, hook my straps to my belt. It is much more comfortable and helps keep everything riding high as you walk. Much more stable.

[Jon VanBeckum]

Re: Formal Knapsack Inspection

One thing to keep in mind, in some old photos from that era, the image that we are seeing now may be reversed. Without seeing/ handling the original print, it is tough to say if that image is reversed or not.

Jon Van Beckum
41st VA, Co E

[Brent Dacus]

Re: Formal Knapsack Inspection

Revised US Army regs 1861 available as google ebook.



It doesn't go into specifics about the canteen other than on the left and outside the haversack.



I would suggest as Frank said and did you just learned what was practical. Inspection is an announced or "known" part of the day. The Regs do allude to it just unsling and resling. There is no mention of a canteen.

Get the ebooks a lot of them are here http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...links.php?c=20