Confederate Rain Fly

[27thNCdrummer]

Pards,
I was wondering if anybody has the dimensions for a Confederate Rain Fly. I know these were used extensively (almost exclusively) in the unit that I portray.

Thanks,

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: Confederate Rain Fly

...I know these were used extensively (almost exclusively) in the unit that I portray...

Hey Andrew,

What are the sources you used for this information? I do not doubt you at all; I would actually like to know myself.

If you are with the 27th out of Wyse Fork/Kinston area your Officers & NCO's should know this. Talk to Lynn Bull, Donnie Taylor or Abe Wiles.

It would be very cool if you searched this out, wrote up your findings and posted it here.

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Confederate Rain Fly

I would be interested, as well! I know of no information (specs) on CS tentage, let alone whether or not there are any extant examples in museums. However, I've seen several specific references to the use of tents in personal accounts and reminiscences.

[27thNCdrummer]

Re: Confederate Rain Fly

I am with the 27th out of the Wyse Fork area. I found out about the use of rain flies from a guy in my unit who is writing his masters thesis on the 27th NC. I will see if there is any mention of size in the letters he referenced but I don't think there was.

[Joe Walker]

Re: Confederate Rain Fly

My wife's ancestor was in the 27th- would like to know more about your friend's paper when completed. (His name was Sam Whitley)

Joe Walker

[DougCooper]

Re: Confederate Rain Fly

There are any number of references from personal all the way up to Army Circulars on CS tent/rain flys (how many authorized per company, etc) but I can not recall any information on dimensions, weight of fabric, etc. Wonder if there exists somewhere a CS QM description?

[Tom Ezell]

Re: Confederate Rain Fly

Nearly all the orders I've seen refer to "tent flies" as the authorized item... The Quartermaster Manual specs for these are:

WALL TENT FLY

Length: 15 feet 6 inches
Width: 9 feet

To be made of cotton duck, 28 1/2 wide, clear of all imperfections, and weighing ten ounces to the linear yard.

A three inch tabling to be finished on the ends and on and a half inch tabling on the sides, six thread Manilla line used under the tabling on the ends.

Strong Grommet holes to be worked on the tabling near the ends of each seam, and at the corners of the fly, of sufficient size to admit the lines, also near the ends of the ridge, to admit the spindles.

Stay pieces for the corners and ridge to be of the same material as the fly, and to be nine inches square.

The fly to be made in a workman like manner in every respect, with not less than two and a half stitches of equal length to the inch, made with double thread of five-fold cotton twine, well waxed. The seams not less than one inch in width, and no slack take in them.

The eave lines to be of six thread Manilla line, nine feet long in the clear and ten in number.

All lines to be well whipped one inch from the ends with waxed twine and properly knotted.
Slips as at present furnished.

HOSPITAL TENT FLY

Length: 21 feet 6 inches
Width: 14 feet

To be made of cotton duck, 28 1/2 wide, clear of all imperfections, and weighing ten ounces to the linear yard.

A three inch tabling to be finished on the ends and on and a half inch tabling on the sides, six thread Manilla line used under the tabling on the ends.

Strong Grommet holes to be worked on the tabling near the ends of each seam, and at the corners of the fly, of sufficient size to admit the lines, also near the ends of the ridge, to admit the spindles.

Stay pieces for the corners and ridge to be of the same material as the fly, and to be one foot square.

The fly to be made in a workman like manner in every respect, with not less than two and a half stitches of equal length to the inch, made with double thread of five-fold cotton twine, well waxed. The seams not less than one inch in width, and no slack take in them.

The eave lines to be of six thread Manilla line, fifteen feet long in the clear and fourteen in number.

All lines to be well whipped one inch from the ends with waxed twine and properly knotted.

Slips as at present furnished.

Other citiations refer to cutting up existing wall and other tents to make flies, so size will likely vary in these cases depending on what's available...

[27thNCdrummer]

Re: Confederate Rain Fly

Tom,
Thanks for the reply. I'm thinking about starting to construct these since there is no real truly confederate tentage available. Also, do you know which one most likely would have been issued for men to sleep under.

Joe,
My friends thesis is near completion, he is going to ECU right now so that's where it will come out of.

[militiaman1835]

Re: Confederate Rain Fly

Search: 'tent fly" for past thread from 2004 that covers this topic. Also visit www.lazyjacks.org.uk/tenting2.htm
JIM HENSLEY

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: Confederate Rain Fly

Well...so much for learning to do your own research...

[Dignann]

Re: Confederate Rain Fly

As Jim suggested, try:

Tent Fly

II know of no information (specs) on CS tentage, let alone whether or not there are any extant examples in museums.

There is a shelter half that exists in the collection of the North Carolina Museum of History. It's associated with a soldier in the 61st North Carolina. Could be CS in manufacture, maybe not.

Accession #: 1996.193.16
Artifact Description: "Off-white canvas w/wooden buttons & rope fastners for poles; known as a 'shelter half'."
Associations: "--May, Alfred/used by --Company F, 61st Regiment, NC Troops/Associated with --May Family/Associated with --Civil War/Associated with"

Eric

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Confederate Rain Fly

There is a shelter half that exists in the collection of the North Carolina Museum of History. It's associated with a soldier in the 61st North Carolina. Could be CS in manufacture, maybe not.

Eric,

Many Thanks! A happy coincidence... I will be traveling to NC this year!!

Kind Regards,

[27thNCdrummer]

Re: Confederate Rain Fly

Thanks for all the replies. This helps a great deal. Does anyone know if the confederate flies would have been issued with the ropes on the corners?

[PanzerJager]

Re: Confederate Rain Fly

As Jim suggested, try:

Tent Fly



There is a shelter half that exists in the collection of the North Carolina Museum of History. It's associated with a soldier in the 61st North Carolina. Could be CS in manufacture, maybe not.

Accession #: 1996.193.16
Artifact Description: "Off-white canvas w/wooden buttons & rope fastners for poles; known as a 'shelter half'."
Associations: "--May, Alfred/used by --Company F, 61st Regiment, NC Troops/Associated with --May Family/Associated with --Civil War/Associated with"

Eric

I was down to the Museum of North Carolina last November and viewed the Alfred May collection. I spent the afternoon handling his jacket and trousers. I also got to see his haversack. I had requested to view the shelter half but at the time of my visit it was on loan to another location.

Although I have not seen the shelter half, from the descriptions of the curators and museum staff and the photographs I have seen it is believed it is a federal shelter half May procured along with his other equipage. I know Ben Tart has viewed and handled the shelter half and he told me he felt it was federal issue as well. The May collection donated by his family includes his set of traps which are federal issue, federal issue knap sack and the most interesting, his field made haversack from half a federal knapsack as well.

Regards,

[BobRoeder]

Re: Confederate Rain Fly

and the most interesting, his field made haversack from half a federal knapsack as well.
Regards,

I realize this diverts from the original subject of this thread,but....

The haversack was one of my favorites in the collection too.

Here is a link to a thumbnail of the haversack:

http://www.ncmuseumofhistory.org/exhibits/civilwar/about_section2b.html#a1

Also, thought it was interesting that (if I remember correctly) William Fletcher mentions in "Rebel Private Front and Rear" that he made a haversack from an extra "oil cloth knapsack" - sorry don't have the book anymore and don't have the exact reference.