Knapsacks & Blanket Rolls Redeux

[smithjub]

Gum blanket vs. poncho for junior officers

Which would be more appropriate for a junior staff officer to use as raingear; a gum blanket hooked about the shoulders, or a poncho? If anyone wants to throw in their two cents I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you!

[James the Haggard Ranger]

Re: Gum blanket vs. poncho for junior officers

Which would be more appropriate for a junior staff officer to use as raingear; a gum blanket hooked about the shoulders, or a poncho? If anyone wants to throw in their two cents I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you!

Here is a stab at it,

First it depends on whether or not you are a Union or Confederate junior staff officer. Next I hope you have a horse, unless you are a company adjutant, because staff officers were always mounted from the regimental level on up.

The first thing to remember is so called Civil War rain gear was not always that effective at keeping one dry especially in heavy rain, so expect to get wet if out in the rain at an event. Learn to live with the idea if it rains you will get wet that is if you are at a campaigner event.

The most important thing to do first is research the unit and even if possible the staff officer you might be portraying. Find out what they carried first, because that is what you must carry. You may find out that they may not have even had rain gear.

However, if you cannot find any historical evidence, then here are a few ideas.

If your a Confederate get a properly made painted ground cloth with only a rare chance of having a Talma, painted coat, if you are a Major or higher.

As for a Federal then it is not too unrealistic to use a Talma. The other option would be a poncho because you are supposed to be mounted.

The one thing to remember is that Civil War soldiers seemed to prefer keeping their gear dry while they themselves got wet it was very hot in the summer. Life is better if you have a dry shirt, dry underwear, and dry socks to change into after a rain rather than trying to keep everything dry which of couse is almost impossible.

Hope this helps,

James Wooten

[GreencoatCross]

Re: Gum blanket vs. poncho for junior officers

I've read several accounts from the same regiment (1st U.S.S.S.) of enlisted men actually "going in" with their comrades to buy rubbierized talmas. It seemed from the diary that I read that two men would buy it and they'd simply swap the talma back and forth when it was bad out. From what I gathered though it looked like they used it to cover over brush shelters most of the time!

In the same regiment, Rudolph Aschmann, the captain of the all-German/Swiss Company A, carried a "coutchouc" coat. For a while I didn't know what he was talking about but I realized that "coutchouc" is the French word for rubber! Aschmann wore his rubberized coat throughout 1864 and had several bullet holes cut in it during a recon his company was performing near Petersburg later that same year (he also recieved holes in his canteen and haversack!).

I also just remembered that Captain Charles Stevens, Co. G 1st U.S.S.S., noted in a letter that he was using a poncho on campaign shortly before being assigned to be a staff officer.

Brian White

[Robert Braun]

Re: Gum blanket vs. poncho for junior officers

Then, as now, officers bought their clothing and equipage. Hence, personal preference blended with availability would dictate which item you choose.

I would suggest, however, that one's choice might mirror the item issued to the men of the company... as that was certainly available.

Bob.

[pops]

knapsack question

could someone tell me why most everything I have read talks about the confederate army and their blanket rolls,but from what I am getting from the A/C posting of the O.R.s knapsacks were readly available,is this just another myth along with the ragged rebel.

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: knapsack question

could someone tell me why most everything I have read talks about the confederate army and their blanket rolls,but from what I am getting from the A/C posting of the O.R.s knapsacks were readly available,is this just another myth along with the ragged rebel.

What are you reading? Many letters and diaries that I have read speak of knapsacks in the AoT. The period writtings (ORs and others) also back up large numbers of Knapsacks being made in the south, and thousands being imported from England and France. Hoods division reported in March 1864 13,000 knapsacks on hand, and Hardees Corps reported in April of 1864 to have 12,610 knapsacks on hand. Be very aware that many post war CS accounts were written with the "Ragged Rebel" agenda in mind.

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: knapsack question

could someone tell me why most everything I have read talks about the confederate army and their blanket rolls,but from what I am getting from the A/C posting of the O.R.s knapsacks were readly available,is this just another myth along with the ragged rebel.

Read the post Accoutrements in the Army of Tennessee currently running in the Authenticty Discussion.

[pops]

Re: knapsack question

Robert,I am curretly reading The Life Of Johnny Reb which states that after the firt year of the war knapsacks had comparatively little use p.306.Which is why I asked this question I have read other post and the O.R.s am I lost here just wanted to know which is correct

[BishopLynch]

Re: knapsack question

Darwin,
Yes this is a myth that the Confederate army did not have knapsacks. I was just "informed" last summer by a know it all that it would be wrong to carry a knapsack at Gettysburg if portraying a Confederate because knapsack were an early war thing. This is a bunch of b/s. There are numerous surviving knapsacks and pictures of confederates with knapsacks where we can see that the Confederate Army carried and had knapsacks available. There are surviving originals that were picked up by Federal soldiers of dead rebs at Petersburg and later. Regimental supply records indicate requests for knapsacks and those on hand. Echoes of Glory has quite a few knapsacks that were of Southern manufacture, or imported from England or France. An example of southern manufacture would be the Kibbler pack, or the Pritchard pack. The Kibbler is similar in design to a pack produced during the Mexican war, and there is evidence of several variations being produced in the South for the army. The Pritchard pack was picked up after the Battle of Williamsburg in May of 1862. The Richmond Depot produced knapsacks similar to the Pritchard pack, one which was picked up at Sharpsburg in September of 1862. Many knapsacks were produced by Issac & Campbell of London and run through the blockade to supply the South. While it is true that many of the Confederates, as well as Federal soldiers wore blanket rolls, this did not mean that they did not have them. For those who insist otherwise, or say that it was an early war thing, i think that the ace in the hand are the originals picked up at Petersburg and other late war battles. These people need to do a little more research instead of stating their "gut" feelings. Hope this helps you out, I know its very general but its a start.

[BrianHicks]

Re: knapsack question

It would appear that there is no definitive rule on this (unless you are doing an impression of a specific unit, at a specific time/battle for which their is a definitive reference which clearly details what the majority of the unit carried).

As you could see from the post titled Accoutrements in the Army of Tennessee in the Authentic Discussions folder, the official records indicate that at most times, at least two thirds (or more) of the number of rifles in the unit also had a knapsack to go with it... and this seems to have been consistent form 1861 through at least April of 1864.

Was the Army of Northern Virginia better supplied than the Army of Tennessee? From everything I've ever seen or heard, the answer is supposed to be yes. So... is there a case for the blanket roll getting more mentions in personal recollections and letters because they were something out of the ordinary and not taken for granted? I don't know. All we have to go on are the original source documents, and some times different source documents contradict other source documents.

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: knapsack question

I'm sure this will raise the hackles of several folks, but I never put much faith in the 1943 publication ...Johnny Reb.

I have always thought it reflected the above mentioned ''mythology'' of the ill-clothed, starving, barefoot Confederate and used it as an excuse as to why the South really lost the war.

The now easily available and researched primary sources should always be the benchmark.

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: knapsack question

If you look carefully at these images, you will note that they all have (mostly Federal) knapsacks.

[bonniegreenflag]

Re: knapsack question

While I believe that knapsacks were readily available, I also think that many soldiers ditched them for a blankett roll, on both sides. My personal preference is the blankett roll, because I find it more comfortable. I can carry everything I can carry with a knapsack. The only time it hinders me is in the firing line, but if its rolled tightly its not too bad.

Andrew McQuillen

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: knapsack question

While I believe that knapsacks were readily available, I also think that many soldiers ditched them for a blankett roll, on both sides. My personal preference is the blankett roll, because I find it more comfortable. I can carry everything I can carry with a knapsack. The only time it hinders me is in the firing line, but if its rolled tightly its not too bad.

Andrew McQuillen

Andrew

I agree that blanketrolls were used. But I for one cannot stand blanket rolls, and would rather be set on fire than use one. I am shure that US and CS soldiers would shared both of our opinions.

The fact is knapsacks were issued in great numbers on both sides and all theatrers throughout the war and were not as some people claim thrown out in mass on January 1st 1862.

[justthemiller]

Something else to Consider...

Hello All,

The use of knapsacks by any soldier on either side of the conflict should not be a problem so long as one considers certain factors. I believe that the use of knapsacks would be cyclical for anyone on campaign in that at the beginning of a campaign a soldier might well indeed carry a recently issued knapsack only to lose it at the first battle (usually through orders from above to drop knapsacks for the on-coming battle). Also, perhaps a soldier would be able to retrieve either his own or someone else's knapsack after a battle or perhaps he did not. Perhaps the knapsack broke so he had to do with a blanket alone. As the soldier would go through the campaign and because of wear, battles or carelessness one would have to do with just the blanket in a roll (or even without the blanket). Maybe later in the campaign the soldier would be able to "pick-up" another knapsack along the way only to lose that one at yet another battle. These, and many other factors, could apply to any soldier on either side of the conflict. As I said before the use or non-use, of knapsacks could depend upon what regiment you were in, the length of the campaign and just where and how far one was along that campaign. So, a soldier might go through possibly several knapscks in just one campaign, going from knapsack to blanket roll back to knapsack and then to having nothing! So finally, depending upon what your are portraying at that moment and what documentation you can come up with for the use or non-use of knapsacks should be the guides that one should use when determining the wearing of such gear. Take care.