Rope Halters

[rbruno]

I came across the following requisition and had a question. This request dates from early in the war (December 61) and is from Capt W.W. Mead who commanded the Loundon Rangers that became I think Co. C of the 4th VA Cav. If I have mistaken that background, my apologies and maybe someone will have better info. I just was scanning some documents and came across it. My question is, has anyone read a description of a "rope halter?" Could he be requesting halters with rope leadlines or was the halter itself made of rope. Were halters issued with leadlines? The other thing I found interesting is at least the officer requested picket rope. From time to time this has come up in discussions around camp as to what the men did with the horses. Did they just tie to trees, did they let horses graze, or did they use picket ropes. At least we can see that they at least requested to be issued ropes.

[Mike_Schramm]

Re: Rope Halters

The "Loudoun Cavalry" (later 6th Virginia Cavalry, Co. K) was commanded by Capt. William W. Mead @ Balls Bluff. If you blow up the last signature, you can see the "Wm W" with the "m" superscript.

The "Loudoun Rangers" actually fought for the Union under Samuel C. Means (really).

None of which should be confused with the "Loudoun Light Horse" that became 1st Virginia Cavalry, Co. H nor the "Loudoun Dragoons" which became 6th Virginia Cavalry, Co. A.

Now back to your questions, cause I am interested in the answers...

[rbruno]

Re: Rope Halters

Thanks Mike,
I had the William W. Mead right and I was originally looking for info on the cavalry that fought at Ball's Bluff under Col. Jennifer. This company came up in the research. Several of the companies that were assigned to Jennifer ended up in the 6th or the 4th VA. I thought I had this company in the 4th. Thanks for the info.

[ButtermilkRanger]

Re: Rope Halters

I'd like to hear more about the rope halter issue. I know some of the guys I've ridden with at 1830s-'40s events used rope halters, but I've never done any research on the topic myself. I know that we see way too few neck ropes used in the hobby, especially in the Trans-Mississippi, so maybe we're missing the boat with rope halters as well. I switched to modern rope halters instead of modern nylon ones years ago and I like them much better.

[moarkcav]

Re: Rope Halters

Here is a newspaper lost or stolen ad from 1862 that mentions a rope halter. http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi...18620613.2.4.6 I only use rope halters anymore and ifvappropriate would like to make a couple up for my impresion.

Chris Talburt

[ButtermilkRanger]

Re: Rope Halters

Chris,

Interesting article. I assume it's Australian? The spellings (draught for draft) and the fact that the rewards are in pounds (and a reference to Melbourne) would lead me to believe that it is. Another thing that caught my eye was the building materials. They mention corrugated galvanized iron. The use of what I grew up knowing as "tin" shacks and roofs here seemed to be pretty prevelant as building materials in colonial Australia. I wonder how common they were here in that period?

The article clearly mentions the mare wearing a rope halter, but what did it look like? I guess that's the real question.

[rbruno]

Re: Rope Halters

Interesting article on all those lost and found horses. I am also wondering what the rope halter would have looked liked. And, even more importantly is what one would have looked like as an issued piece of horse equipment by the CS Gov't. I don't recall ever seeing any specs on one in the regulations. I guess it could be a contracted item bought from local buisnesses and issued to troops, but still would like to see if anyone read anything about it or seen a description.

[ButtermilkRanger]

Re: Rope Halters

Rob,

My guess would be that it most likely would not have been an issued item at all. Like a neck rope, it would have been something crafted in the field by the individual. Once you figure it out, just about anybody can make their own rope halters in a matter of minutes and all you need is a few feet of rope. Nothing to it, no hardware required, and it would be something I'd consider a field expedient modification. Sort of like the theory of Trans-Mississippi cavalry using Infantry bayonets for picket pins. Speaking of which, I think I'll start another thread on that.

[Mike_Schramm]

Re: Rope Halters

Here is a mention in the Richmond Dispatch, 6/17/1862.

http://www.mdgorman.com/Written_Acco...6_17_18627.htm

Walter S. Leake is showing as serving with 12th Battalion, Virginia Light Artillery, Co C.

[VaTrooper]

Re: Rope Halters

Company C of the 4th Virginia was out of Madison County. Also known as the Madison Invincibles. My GGG grandfather William Washington Busick rode with them.

[Ken Knopp]

Re: Rope Halters

Civilian halters a.k.a. “Head Collars” were a different animal than the caveson but the terms were often erroneously interposed. Rope halters were most definitely a pre war civilian item. Other than leather other common materials used to make halters were webbing and hemp or jute. Notations of the use of rope as a halter material can be found in pre war writings. They, like so many civilian items of saddlery, were also a Confederate issue item in very small, limited numbers but only early in the war. When the Southern State governments and Confederate arsenals were attempting to equip its multitudes coming into service they purchased all manner of saddles, bridles, blankets, halters, etc, etc. from local harness shops and saddleries. As a result, virtually any pre war saddlery item of civilian manufacture and, all manner of militia and/or local, home-made interpretation of military saddlery (incl. five ring and single ring halters) came into service. As most of us know, as an issue item the South generally utilized the five ring and single ring patterns while the North generally employed the M1859 five ring halter.
Pre war civilian halters came under many names and styles such as stable halters, grooming halters, Yankee halters, Spanish and French halters all with different styles but most notable variations of materials and hardware. Generally each pattern is pretty basic to those we know today. Interestingly, most “post war” commercial catalogs make very little mention of halters. Why? For both pre and post war, I tend to think that in general except for when grooming, most of the time a civilian farmer, plantation or city dweller riding would have limited need for tying his horse and thus a halter. Furthermore, the halter was a very basic utilitarian item and easily made at home (including rope) or at the local harness shop with little need for commercial manufacture (catalog sales) except to the wealthier “riding-class” and thus, those found in the catalogs are usually of fine quality leather and web.
Rope halters were sometimes “quick-makes”using very little and often no hardware at all. They were generally not for your wealthier riding class. In my old cowboy days I would often quickly fasten a rope halter and lengthy lead from one lariat rope in the corral, barn or “in the field” as a means to pony a just-captured horse. One could imagine this same method being used for quick work. A fancier rope halter of the period could use any number of rings and buckles, etc. or none at all. However, the use of a tether rope in some cases depending upon your station in life, might be more common.
Larry makes a good point about the use of “tether-ropes”. They were certainly a pre-war item of wide usage particularly in the west and far west. Not so much in the eastern world of English dominated equipage and influence but still there too. In his 1859 book “The Prairie Traveler” Capt Randolf Marcy describes the use of tether ropes vs hobbles and picket pins and makes the opinion “that I think the plan of tethering by the neck or halters is the safest, and, so far as I have observed, is now universally practiced.”

If one, as a reenactor, wishes to make a pre-war civilian halter of leather or rope it would be best to use the simple patterns. Oak or hemlock tanned leather of russet colors is best. Rope would certainly be hemp or occasionally manilla (expensive). Woven hemp or occasionally cotton web (white or multi-colored rolled web) would also be common civilian materials. Widths (flat or rolled leather or hemp) could vary depending upon its pre war usage. Hardware should be very carefully chosen and limited in its employment. After about 1870 the patterns and materials used in harness hardware began to change so pick the right buckles and rings. Of course, employing a tether rope would be equally as correct if not more so.

Illustrations:

1. Confederate troopers of Terry’s Texas Rangers using tether ropes
2. A civilian "Yankee Halter” or “slip-halter”. Similar to our early military or Confederate halters
3. A typical civilian stable halter.

PS: Dont overlook my article on Confederate halters located on my web site.


Ken R Knopp

https://www.confederatesaddles.com

[rbruno]

Re: Rope Halters

Thanks Ken,
I was hoping you would add to this discussion. I have to do some more research, but when I saw this requisition for a rope halter, I thought this might be an inexpensive up grade for the coming early war events. Because most of us ride horse equipment fitted for the later war events, anything civilian will be a good addition for the coming year. Thanks for the pictures and I will go back again to your great website. If anyone else comes across a picture or description of these period type halters, please post. It could be a good winter project to make a better impression for the coming early war events.

[Ken Knopp]

Re: Rope Halters

Rob, Thank you. The above styles were just two basic ones. There were many others. Anyone interested in making these should keep in mind their own impression. In other words, your civilian vocation, wealth (or lack of), geographic location, etc would have alot to do with what kind of civilian halter (or no halter) and materials employed (including ornamentation) that would come into play. If you just want to be different that's Ok. Just keep it in the proper period realm of pattern and materials. Also remember "Halter-bridles" were around too.

PHoto: Here is a quick sample of period hardware. However, not all would be used on halters.

Ken R Knopp

[ButtermilkRanger]

Re: Rope Halters

I agree with Ken as to the reason why more halters weren't seen in catalogs. Makes perfect sense. Most old cowboys I know never use a halter. If they need to lead a horse to the barn or tack shed to bridle him up, they can quickly make an improvised halter for that out of a catch rope. When I was a kid, there were still a few old people who prefered to plow their gardens with mules. I can remember several old black folks who cultivated all of their land and didn't have any under fence. They kept the family plow mule tethered with a neck rope to an old tire or tree, day in and day out. I'd imagine that the animal rights people of today would probably try to sue them for cruelty to animals because they didn't have a barn or warm stall for the mule. But in all of those years passing that mule, I never heard him complain a single time. He stayed fat off of peanut vines and corn stalks, so I guess he figured he had a good life.

Both of my grandparents still used plow horses or mules as well, even after they had a good tractor sitting in the shade. Both of them always fashioned neck ropes as well. There's a certain way you have to tie the knot so it won't choke the animal, but done properly, it works as good as a halter. We tend to use them some in our unit when we're doing early war, civilian, or Trans-Mississippi impressions.

[Outrider]

Re: Rope Halters

I like tether ropes though we always just called them neck ropes. I was taught to use a Bowline knot for it or for anything else around a horse that must not slip tighter.

heres a link to a few illustrations of the Bowline knot for the unaware among us:

http://www.google.com/images?q=bowline+knot+diagram&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&oe=UTF-8&rlz=1I7TSND_enUS408US408&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=BBYhTee9MMGp8AbjlOGADg&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCIQsAQwAA&biw=1345&bih=555