Civil War cards

[nrandolph]

Re: Camp Life

Ron,

That's correct! You are a hard, but fair taskmaster! I might add that Mark T. and I also have fun!

Neil Randolph
1st WV

[ephraim_zook]

Re: Camp Life

Neil,

Good to hear that you don't have much time, otherwise I'd figure I was slipping!

Ron

[nrandolph]

Re: Camp Life

I'll second what Mr. Hicks had to say! Go to quality events and the free time thing shouldn't be much of a problem. As has been said many times before, "busy soldiers are happy soldiers!", or at least active complaining soldiers. I've never personally had that much time at a good authentic event. I'd wonder what the organizers and officers had been planning prior to the troops arrival if there was a lot of down time. If I do get some free time, I usually sleep!

Neil Randolph
1st WV

[BrianHicks]

Re: Camp Life

I am one of those guys who has to do something in camp. and since there is so much down time in camp. I can't carve, hate playing chess or chequers (checkers). You can only sleep so much. My other half is into raising sheep and goats, so I was wondering if any weaving was done in the camps and what type and devise or tool was used.

Cris Westphal
1st Mich Vol.

Must be nice to have so much down time.

Perhaps your experience in camp has been different than mine. Between Guard, Fatigue and Drill, a period of rest is much welcome.

What to do? Clean your self, your weapon and your clothing. Make your sleeping accommodations more user friendly. If you have a post or Regt. Sutler, visit them.

A well ran event should provide enough activities for the men in camp, so as to allow for little or no idle time.

[ElizabethClark]

Re: Camp Life

One very good resource you can look to for information on what soldiers did with bivouac time is the letters home--letters are a fantastic way to see what the people themselves found interesting and noteworthy. They either mention they did X and Y, or complain about needing some item or supply to be able to do X and Y, or talk about someone else doing X and Y, etc.

A good set of questions to ask is this:

What did the original people (in this case, quartered soldiers) do?
Can I duplicate that exactly?
If not, what other things did they do (use, make, think)?
Can I duplicate that exactly?
Which historic practice (item, philosophy) will work best for my situation?

This helps prevent the backward thinking of "I'd like to do X, can I justify it?" Start with what we can document as having been done, said, eaten, worn, thought, and our impressions stay more accurate, and develop more fully.

What collections of letter, memoirs, or reminisces of soldiers have you look at to this point, to find what men of the period were doing for recreation in camp? Knowing what books you've look at to now will help others point you toward books you've not yet seen.

(Reading, by the way, seems to have been a popular pastime for both military men and men in their "citizen" lives. With the abundance of newspapers, magazines, and books both fiction and nonfiction published during the mid-century, reading historic things would be a good way to increase the context of an impression and occupy "down time" as well.)

[Poor Private]

Camp Life

I am one of those guys who has to do something in camp. and since there is so much down time in camp. I can't carve, hate playing chess or chequers (checkers). You can only sleep so much. My other half is into raising sheep and goats, so I was wondering if any weaving was done in the camps and what type and devise or tool was used.

Cris Westphal
1st Mich Vol.

[easttnfed]

Re: Playing Cards

Chris,

Thanks for your explanation on what that mysterious white object was in the cuff.

[sedlakchristopher]

Re: Playing Cards

Mr. Ray,

As for the white "thing" in the cuff of the soldier on the left's pants...

since it is rolled up, possibly the white cotton tape used in finishing trouser cuffs
OR
if it is a mounted pair of trousers (or trowsers as an original QM sheet I have spells it) these had a button system that used a cotton strap placed under the foot to keep the pant in the boot, as this cavalry soldier is wearing, when tucked in the boot.
I don't know much about this system and how often it was used, I'm just familiar with them from the mounted trowsers we use from our artillery impression. I remember thinking that was interesting the first time I saw them in a repro... "what's this for?" kind of thing. This strap system also has some white cotton tape involved.
OR
It's a piece of a spare Ace poking out... just a guess.

Nice image.

Your obedient servant,
Chris Sedlak

[KCLoewe]

Re: Playing Cards

David,
If the photo is from the Library of Congress all you need to do is open the photo on your computer from their site, then select to download the large TIFF version. Depending on what sort of power your computer has could take a few minutes per photo. From that point you can save the image and zoom in at your leasure. One recommendation is to note the particulars of a photo so you can properly site the LOC if you ever decide to post a photo or portions of.

[ephraim_zook]

Re: Playing Cards

Kind of off the subject of the photo, but what programs do people use to zoom in like that? I would love to be able to do that on my own. And maybe find something worth contributing!

David,

I use Adobe Photoshop, but at $649 it's probably overkill for most average computer users. Fortunately my employer bought it for me. I think Photoshop Elements will work for you, that lists at $99.

Ron Myzie

[easttnfed]

Re: Playing Cards

Whats that tucked inside the guy's rolled up pants on the left? Could it be another card or a piece of paper?

[lambrew]

Re: Playing Cards

Great photo! I like how you can see both brick, and barrel chimneys.

Your obt' servant....
Sean Collicott

[DJCasey]

Re: Playing Cards

Kind of off the subject of the photo, but what programs do people use to zoom in like that? I would love to be able to do that on my own. And maybe find something worth contributing!

[ephraim_zook]

Re: Playing Cards

Hi

The photo is identified as "[Petersburg, Va. General view of camp of Oneida, N.Y., Independent Cavalry Company at Army headquarters, with men at leisure]." in the LOC collection on line.

http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/cwpb/03700/03713r.jpg

There is all kinds of neat stuff in here if you look around. There is a water well on the far left side of the image. Just behind the guy leaning against the tree in the center there is a black man leaning on a home-made washboard and tub. In front of the far distant hut, a regal-looking guy sitting in a very elegant armchair.

Ron Myzie

[Lone Guard]

Re: Playing Cards

Hmm, it almost looks like the man on the right is showing his cards to the camera.