question about hardpacks

[westcoastcampaigner]

Hello All,

I recently puchased a really nice hardpack knapsack and I had a question. At what point during the WBTS did the Confederate army phase out hardpacks? or were hardpacks used through the entire war? Is there any documentation that says they were seen as late as 64 and 65? Any help answering this question would be great, I want to make sure I'm using this pack correctly at the right events. Thanks a lot.

Best Regards,

Josh Sawyer
Liberty Rifles
Hardtack Society

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

Re: question about hardpacks

At the interpretive center/museum at Averasboro, NC, there is a Confederate hardpack that was found on the battlefield there, and that battle was one of the later ones. I'm not sure if it is still there, as I last visited over 7 years ago, but it struck me at the time how out of place a hardpack was that late in the war. I do not know the provenance other than it was found on the battlefield.

[Gallo de Cielo]

Re: question about hardpacks

There is a hardpack, believed to be a French import, in Stone Mountain. This style of pack was imported on both sides. I believe it shows up in some of the Sharpsburg battlefield photos and there's a monument of some Federal troops showing one wearing one as well. It's a neat item with provision to carry the blanket roll in a horseshoe roll.

Echoes and other publications show they were indeed out there. Like most generalizations, it's probably not completely correct to say that such packs were only "early-war items."

My two cents on this.

[Charles Heath]

Re: question about hardpacks

Ross,

Averasboro saw a number of CS units that had previously served as garrison troops, and that may or may not have anything to do with a hardpack in service during March 1865, but it is worth considering. IMHO, that battle was Gen. Hardee's finest hour.

[Milliron]

Re: question about hardpacks

I am not sure this is a hard pack per se, but can anyone identify this knapsack? Might this be the French import knapsack of which we hear so much? Note that this Confederate wore it into battle. Surely somebody knows--I've been wondering this for years.

Detail from Gardner's photo of dead from Wheat's Louisianans along Hagerstown Pike.

[arsenal guard]

Re: question about hardpacks

Ross,

In reference to the Averasboro pack, Charles is spot on. Written accounts from the SC units describe the Soldiers belonging to Rhett and Elliot's Bde swapped older more obsolete arms for new ones as they came through the Fayetteville Arsenal prior to the battle. So to come out of the Charleston area with a perceived outdated item such as a hardpack is possible.

Wade Sokolosky

[Gallo de Cielo]

Re: question about hardpacks

Bob,

Nice image. Yes, that appears to be a hardpack. Note also the leather straps on the side (near the base). Those hold the sides of the horseshoe roll down.

Regards,

[Milliron]

Re: question about hardpacks

If you blow up the .TIF from the LOC you can really get a good look at that pack. It has a hook release a la the standard Federal doublebag, and a large flap that buckles at the bottom. In the photo the flap is open. There is also a chest strap as well.

Another interesting feature about that series of photos is that nearly every soldier appears to have been wearing an issue cap with the trademark blue(?)strip along the bottom. Fun stuff.

[PanzerJager]

Re: question about hardpacks

Here is a blown view of the pack in question. You can really see the details in the photo I attached as well as a cap with the dark band mentioned in the post above.

Regards,

[Gallo de Cielo]

Re: question about hardpacks

I am attaching images of a reproduction of this pac I own. It was made by a fellow named Bruce Mac, who made about 15 I believe. I'm copying his notes to me to this thread:

"The original is in the Stone Mountain museum in Ga. My knapsack is a French patterned knapsack,that is in the Stone Mountain museum, Ga. I got to examine it and I copied it. I had the priviledge to study it for about an hour, took measurements, ect. Its correct even to the crooked hand stitching of the original. The piece is completely hand stitched, with a red cedar frame. They didn't have alot of info on it except who donated it (A local Collector). They even had it marked as a Federal hardpack. But that was just a hypothesis with no data to back it up. It should have been marked as a French pattern Knapsack- they may change that so I was told."

Kind regards,

Fred

[Milliron]

Re: question about hardpacks

Sharp pack, Fred. Does this pack have a hooked strap release on the bottom? It does bear a strong resemblance to the one in the photo.

[Gallo de Cielo]

Re: question about hardpacks

No, that's the one feature that's not shared. I posted the images to give folks a better ooncept of what the beast looked like.

Regards,

[1stMaine]

Re: question about hardpacks

Comrades,

A couple of points.

1.) the fellow in the image is wearing a checked shirt. it looks like someone rifled through his pack and tossed his jacket up over him. Maybe the photographer. Who knows?

2.) Most of those dead along the pike are wearing their knapsacks, but I wouldventure that that is because they haven't DROPPED them yet. The dead were members of various regiments of two brigades who were struck by artillery fire while moving through the area.

Thus, it would be a bit dicey to claim that the variety of clothing/uniforms shown represents a hodge-podge worn by all soldiers of these commands. Rather, I feel it more accurate to infer that the types of clothing worn indicate the styles available within the brigades, and that the soldiers within each regiment may well be better, or, more uniformily clothes than these images would at first suggest.

Respects,

[Gallo de Cielo]

Re: question about hardpacks

To bridge on the topic Tim has addressed (which takes us away from the original question posed)- I find the weave of the cloth of the hardpack knapsack wearer's trousers very interesting. I would wager that it may be cassimere. Anyone else see that?

Kind regards,

[PanzerJager]

Re: question about hardpacks

Fred,

I attached a close up of just the trouser portion of the unfortunate individual, you definitely can see what appears to be a diagonal weave on the trousers that looks like Cassimere, especially towards the cuff of the pants. Another interesting note about this photo is how worn the shoes on the two individuals in the fore ground are. The first photo you can see the sole is beat to all hell, while the man laying on the left has his toes peaking out, see the second image.


Regards,