Knapsacks & Blanket Rolls Redeux

[Chris Suppelsa]

Re: Blanket Roll

Always good the check with your unit NCOs.

http://www.cwreenactors.com/~sykes/instruction/blanketroll.php

[toptimlrd]

Re: Blanket Roll

To echo others,

I usually carry my gum on my belt where it is easily reached. If rain suddenly begins to fall, it is much easier to pull the gum from under the belt and wrap it around you than it is to untie your blanket roll to get at it. Plus once it is around you it will help to keep your blanket dry as well which can be much appreciated when you bed down for th evening. I would also reccomend though that you check with your NCOs as if they have a preferred method for you to carry it then you should do so. If the method of carry is at your discression, the above is what I have always found to be the most efficient.

[Silas]

Re: Blanket Roll

Link to "The lowly blanket roll".

[Edmund{Road Apple}]

Re: Asbestos Groundcloths

If I'am not mistaking dosen't Asbestos cause cancer?

Or could I possibly be thinking of a diffrent kind?


Respesctfully,
Edmund Lockhart

[Charles Heath]

Re: Blanket Roll

Most of these are from the articles section on this forum, which could be quite difficult to find until a link was installed on the main menu bar this morning. Hey, now that's progress!

Jason Goodnight's knapsack and blanket roll article:

http://www.26nc.org/Articles/knapsack%20and%20blanket%20roll.pdf

Kevin O'Beirne's packing article:

http://www.columbiarifles.org/Articles/Blanketroll_Packing.html

Mark Popish's light marching order article:

http://www.geocities.com/rowdy_pards/articles/LMO_.html

Steve Acker's campaigning article:

http://home2.owc.net/~domet/campaigncamping.htm

One from Bob Braun:

http://web.archive.org/web/20010124033000/33rdwisconsin.civilwarmuseum.com/33articles/blanketroll.html

Now let me add this, if none of the corporals or sergeants in your home unit are capable or willing to instruct you in something as simple as the packing of a knapsack or construction of a bedroll, then you need to find some group who at least has that much on the ball.

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Re: Blanket Roll

There's an updated version available of my old "Knapsack and Haversack Packing 101" article. Anyone who wants it, drop me a note VIA E-MAIL (I cannot provide files via PM) at the address link below.

[MillerTime]

Re: knapsack question

Would it be alright to use a canteen sling cut in half and used for straps? That has always worked for me. I just tie it like a shoe string.

Avery Miller

[pvtheath]

Re: Blanket Roll

Thankyou gentlemen.

Pvt. Brad Heath

[Silas]

Re: Blanket Roll

Mr. Heath,

You've received a wealth of information in your second set of posts on the A/C forum. You're lucky to have received so much. Other new members on this forum who have asked similar, basic questions had their heads handed to them on a platter. Maybe the season of season of giving helped save you.

Anyway, you'll do yourself a huge favor by doing a little searching on your own before asking a question. Searching this forum is a good start. Also, don't overlook basic search engines such as google. Search terms such as civil war, horse collar and blanket roll will provide many hits.

An interesting feature on the A/C forum is the "similar threads" box at the bottom of each topic. Your query on blanket rolls popped up several other threads from this forum. This won't help you on new queries, but when you see an interesting thread, take a gander to the bottom of the page. You may find other similar topics of interest. Food for thought.

[Gallo de Cielo]

Re: Blanket Roll

One nice description I've run across was penned by a lad in the 9th Texas infantry in the late fall of 1861 in which he describes rolling his blanket to the folks back home as one man holding an end and the second twisting the blanket as if he was wringing it out. Clearly, images and written descriptions (which I would rely on far more than a modern reenactor- NCO or otherwise) are best and show a large number of methods.

My two cents.

[paulcalloway]

Re: knapsack question

This was a 2004 discussion and I don't see it as being particularly useful to dredge it back up again.

[IowaYank]

Two gum blankets??

Hello. I have seen others in the field carrying two gum blankets, one for above you and one for below you. I was wondering how much documenation there is out there for this??? I tried a search and didnt come up with an answer.
Thanks

[brown]

Re: Two gum blankets??

A private in the 105th Ohio by the name of Nisbett (I believe his first name is James) wrote to his father shortly after enlisting requesting that his father send him an india rubber blanket from home b/c he needed a second on. In a latter letter, he thanked his father and told him that it was so large that he cut it in half to share with another fellow.
**To my knowledge, these letters have never been published, but I read a transcription a number of years ago to prepare a first person impression for my seasonal position at an NPS site.
For what it's worth,
Lindsey Brown

[AZReenactor]

Did the men you depict carry two gum blankets?

So we now have documentation that it happened at least once during the war. However, does that mean we now all have the green light to carry two gum blanket pieces?

I would be most curious if those you saw carrying two rubber blankets were doing so because they did back in 1861-65 or if it was merely a matter of conviennce today. You know, sorta like a single occupancy wedge tent, only smaller and more portable. It probably happened at least once, right?

Having rubber blankets above and below is quite handy and I am always glad to be bunking with a comrade who can make this possible in the field since even a single gum blanket is quite a luxury in the unit we depict.

The key to authenticity is to find out what the men you are portraying actually did and do that, not to see if someone back in history happened to do the latest reenacting fad on occaision to see if you can too.

A philisophical issue I know, but something worth considering when looking at possibly coppying other reenactors.

At least that's my $.02.

[IowaYank]

Re: Two gum blankets??

Troy, I agree that there probably isnt enough documentation to have lots of people carrying two. I wasnt planning on doing this, I was just curious as to how much documentation there is out there of this being a common occurance.
Thanks!!