A tremendous resource!

[Mark Choate]

Hi Gents!!

A couple of days ago I had some time on my hands and I decided to just drop in on Ken's website on Confederate Saddles and poke around. As I looked here and there, it hit me like a ton of bricks at what a wonderful resource this site really is. We ask questions on the forum on all manor of related topics (and that is good) and we use the search engine to benefit from discussions from "back in the day" (and this too is good) but this site is a virtual "treasure trove" on everything from saddles and tack to books, to photos of troopers, officers, evaluations, regimental histories and reports, you name it! While I know that Brother Knopp is too humble to state this, I feel a need to ask each and every one of you to visit his site and to keep it in your favorites or bookmarked or whatever you call yours. Even if you do use the site occasionally, Ken has very recently updated it to add many more saddles, Muller CS bits, carbine swivels, hooks, picket pins, many new photos of Forrests Escort and much more. Just in case you do not have the address, it is: http://confederatesaddles.com/cswp/

Oh, as if this is not enough, Ken has a new article out in the new CCG on, THE CONFEDERATE HORSE IN CAMP AND FIELD! It too, is a must read!

If you are not already using this wonderful resource, I hope you will begin soon!

Respectfully,

Mark

[Ken Knopp]

Re: A tremendous resource!

Thanks Mark....

The article appearing in the current edition of the Camp Chase Gazette is entitled, “The Confederate Horse in Camp & Field”. I hope some of you might find interesting or useful. It is a rather short summary but entails a little bit about a lot of the common questions we seem to always ask about 19th century and war time Southern horses such as.... 19th century horse breeds, horse diseases, Confederate public vs private horses, Confederate gov’t and individual horse procurement, horse values, use and renumeration of horses, serviceable vs un-serviceable horses, feed or the lack thereof, dispersal of captured horses, horse recruitment camps, common treatment of horses in the field, etc. etc. The research originated from several books and articles (many contemporary sources) and, gleanings from hundreds of letters, diaries and reminiscences that I have read over the years.
More importantly, the genesis of this effort comes directly from the highly intelligent and thoughtful questions routinely posed right here on this forum! So, I must say THANK YOU to you “cav guys” here on the AC. You fellas have long motivated my research and writing. Thank you!

PS: Yes, check out the new hand forged stuff available. Some really good stuff by our newbie Paul Muller. BTW, this is a "non-profit" venture. It is truly an effort to get good stuff out there in the field and to keep the prices affordable. I make nothing.

Best,

Ken R Knopp

https://www.confederatesaddles.com