Confederate Spanish Moss Saddle Blankets

[Spinster]

It promised to be an ordinary Saturday running the spinning wheel, albeit at a long-awaited museum opening, at Confederate Memorial Park. Mrs. Morgan and I rose early, roped off the cabin porch, set up the Great Wheel and went to work. Smile nice for the tourists.

And then behind me I heard "Somebody move that rope! Those girls are gonna want to see what I have! " And as I turned, I heard "Here, CATCH!"

Spinning through the air and into my hands came a prototype sample of the Spanish Moss Saddle Blanket that is slated to be introduced at the Cavalry Congress this summer. http://cavalrycongress.tripod.com/news_and_updates.htm

Rolling in my life with a smell of burning rubber from the tires of her powered wheel chair came the high energy weaver, Dawn Klug, who is one part of this well researched process.

The next hours were joyfully chaotic as we tried to do our duty to the tourists at hand, spinning at a wheel that requires my maximum concentration on a good day, never mind one when all I want to do is listen. We talked the fine points of gathering and retting the moss, how to speed that process, how to gin it without the proper equipment, what works with carding and spinning and what does not, how to adapt equipment.

We talked about the different pieces of the blankets we'd seen, how some were loom woven, and some were twined, the variance in plys and twists and color and, and, and,......

The tourists left. We missed dinner. The soldiers left. The staff was packing up and going home. We finally said to Bill Rambo " Look we know everybody's gone, but can we still camp here tonight?" The answer was yes, and we drove into town, grabbed a meal, closed down a restaurant----with Dawn and I speaking the obscure language of spinners and weavers as it relates to Spanish Moss, ( and me glancing at Betty every once in awhile and saying I'd explain later) or Betty and Dawn speaking the obscure language of horsewomen , tack and trappings as it relates to Spanish Moss( and Betty glancing at me and saying she'd explain later).

Somewhere along the way, we almost crawled into the museum case with the large fragment there ( I believe its Ken's ?), as it was a weave structure that Dawn had not seen, but matched the fragment I had.

I'm greatful beyond words that this project is underway on a scale that can enable there to be a decent number of these blankets on the field. I'd messed with it on and off for years, and simply did not have the proper equipment to handle such an undertaking on a large scale, and was slowly accumulating enough prepared fiber for one example.

Y'all fellers are gonna be really really really happy with this project.

[Jerry Ross]

Re: Confederate Spanish Moss Saddle Blankets

I am glad to hear that .I already have that on order plus the British nummah. ( I hope I spelled that correct)
Thanks for the update.

[jacobite8749]

Re: Confederate Spanish Moss Saddle Blankets

NUMNA. Pronaunced Num-Na Felt ; sometimes a woollen saddle cloth, properly made of felt. Hindu word woven into the British language through the time in India.

(From good old) Hobson-Jobson Anglo-Indian Dictionary 1880.

[Linkstrap]

Re: Confederate Spanish Moss Saddle Blankets

Wow! I can't wait to see one of those blankets, that is great news indeed, thank you so much Mrs. Lawson for posting it! I've ordered one, but I'm already having second thoughts as I really should have ordered two!

(Btw., sorry John, but I've always spelt it, numnah).:D

[Ken Knopp]

Re: Confederate Spanish Moss Saddle Blankets

About fifteen years ago, in the course of research for my books I began uncovering multiple layers of credible documentation about the (heretofore little known or understood) large scale Confederate manufacture and issue of the Spanish Moss blankets. After several years of research, in 1996 I published an article about them in the North South Trader magazine (NSTCW, Jan-Feb. 1996, pgs. 32-35) which was later expanded upon in my book CONFEDERATE SADDLES & HORSE EQUIPMENT. From the very first I was intrigued by these unique, economic but very serviceable alternatives to expensive wool blankets and of course the other multiple uses of Spanish Moss in 19th century America. In fact, I might add that the story of my lengthy research efforts and the discovery of several of these artifacts underground in Nashville is in itself one of coincidence and timing that can only be explained by the hand of Providence. At any rate, in the beginning I was also bewildered by the mystery of their appearance and manufacture and then later, frustrated by our inability to reproduce such a common issue item. Naturally, the difficulties of re constructing a lost craft and their labor intensive production made reproduction of these a long, difficult and I found, ultimately insurmountable process. Over the years I have been involved in several efforts to try have these blankets reproduced including several false starts of my own. I am proud to say that now, for the very first time I really have the feeling they are going to come to fruition.
Several months ago, Karl Pepper of Glen Pier Depot decided to try his hand having them made and I of course, again offered my assistance. Somehow, Karl found Dawn Kluke in the middle of Florida’s moss country and talked her into undertaking the effort. It was in Dawn that the project really began to take serious shape. Here is a person of just the right character, weaving knowledge, intelligence, creative ingenuity, determination and stubbornness to make this happen. She is an amazing person. Whatever obstacle that is placed in her path she finds away around it. She is not afraid to experiment, spend money or do whatever it takes to figure out the enormously difficult, physically demanding and dirty gathering, retting, spinning and weaving process. Some of her creative ideas to shorten the process have surprised me. It has been a unique and fun experience to watch this come together. While a blanket is not yet finished I feel certain it will soon finally come to pass and I am excited about it. In my opinion, these have probably not been made since the early 20th century maybe earlier. Certainly, as a Confederate item these will be the first since the war. Please understand I have no financial stake in these but as a cavalry historian I do have a very strong historical interest in seeing them reproduced. I am not sure when, at what cost and how many of these will be produced in the first run but, if you are a cavalry reenactor or collector and have not yet placed your order I strongly urge you to do so.
Look for these and also the soon to be reproduced British numnahs to make their debut at the Cavalry Congress (www.cavalrycongress.com ) in July. By the way, if you have not yet registered for the Cavalry Congress you may want to hurry to do that also. The event is building momentum for a unique experience with lots of great seminars, instruction and committments by dozens of units and individual cavalrymen.

Ken R Knopp

[bqbowden]

Re: Confederate Spanish Moss Saddle Blankets

Mrs. Lawson,

What ever happened with this project?

[Spinster]

Re: Confederate Spanish Moss Saddle Blankets

Still rolling right alone Mr. B!

I spent about two hours on the phone last night with Dawn (boy is she gonna be bummed on the postponement of the Cav Congress, as we had a road trip and show and tell of mammouth proportions planned)

Recent developments include additional research work in reviewing other extant moss blankets and other horse gear. Several weaving styles have been located, and we're familar with the types of frames utilized. While true harness weaving looms were used on occassion, much of this weaving was done on box frames or twining frames---a much lower type of technology for the period, but one that requires more finger skill.

And, wonder of great wonders, she has located an intact spanish moss ginning operation, in the state in which the doors were locked some 40 years ago----and the owner/operator alive, well, and very glad to see her. :D

One large bale went home in her van, and the rest is committed for a load to be picked up later in the fall. Beats the heck out of retting, turning and ginning this stuff in converted wool processing equipment, which has been the process to this point.

We're going to have to learn to speak 'Louisianan' a good bit more---but what a nice task to have!

[Linkstrap]

Re: Confederate Spanish Moss Saddle Blankets

Thank you most kindly for taking the time to update us on this long awaited, (and very much appreciated), project Mrs. Lawson.

Fascinating stuff!

[bqbowden]

Re: Confederate Spanish Moss Saddle Blankets

WOW ... great news. I would love to perhaps get one and compare against my more modern blanket to see how it holds up. I don't have my McClellan anymore, but I still like to keep up with things.

[easttnfed]

Re: Confederate Spanish Moss Saddle Blankets

Mrs. Lawson

Contact me if you don't care. I know a guy who has dug one of these out of a trash pit down around Georgia and I can give you his contact information so you can ask some questions that you may have.

[rebjeb04]

Re: Confederate Spanish Moss Saddle Blankets

Mrs. Lawson,

This sounds like a great project and I would be very interested to see the prototype/example once you have completed. I think everyone would enjoy it! I first heard of the illusive Spanish Moss saddle blanket at a relic show in Nashville where a gent told me of a fellow who had one of these for sale, and no one was very interested in its sale, but a large fragment fell off and he broke them up into smaller pieces. These little swatches sold like hotcakes! I have never seen an example as fragment or in the full. Please keep us updated!!!

[VaTrooper]

Re: Confederate Spanish Moss Saddle Blankets

With the Cav congress being cancelled one can only hope that this project doesnt die as well.

[Spinster]

Re: Confederate Spanish Moss Saddle Blankets

Not hardly Mr. S., and I don't wish to be unkind---but its this sort of idle speculation that causes problems for folks, whether they be putting on events or making authentic items.

This project never hung upon whether or not men showed up for the Cav Congress. It was just a fine place to introduce it.

The current vendors had this project well underway before that event was envisioned. And a number of other folks (like me) had been fiddling with the project for years, in fits and starts because I wasn't savvy enough to convert equipment properly. Its a good sized leap from wool preparation to moss preparation.

Dawn was up at Chickamauga last weekend, additional prototypes in hand. I'm hoping she left a hank of her spun singles with friends for me, so I can mess with it on the weaving end of the process. I hear tell I'm going to have to buy me a different type of wheel to work with this stuff in the retted state.

Its an exciting project, and those fellers that got on the wait list early will be happy horsemen. Those that were waiting for the Cav Congress will just have to wait longer for theirs. I don't have a dime in this thing, one way or the other, I don't stand to benefit from it.

I do want to see hard research and fine period skills rewarded for those folks who have spent a great deal of time on this project.

[VaTrooper]

Re: Confederate Spanish Moss Saddle Blankets

Mrs. Lawson,
I talked to Karl well before the Cav congress was announced regarding the Spanish Moss blankets as well as after it was announced that they were going to be debuted there and Karl was optimistic but he had run into several problems getting the equipment that he needed. Now I'd love to have one and I am on the list for one but I'll just be skeptical of the situation till I hear from Karl himself that they're ready.

[Ken Knopp]

ITS HERE! Span Moss Saddle Blankets

GREAT NEWS!! I am pleased to have the honor to announce that at long last, the elusive Spanish Moss artillery mat has now been successfully reproduced and the first cavalry saddle blanket is now under construction. These are faithful replicas both in historical hand construction and certainly in materials given that they are made entirely of cured and woven Spanish Moss. Probably not since the early 20th century maybe earlier, has one of these been made. Certainly, as a Confederate item this is the first since the war. Now, the first one has been finished with the promise of many more. I have seen photos (they are incredible) and soon you will too.
Read on......

This has been a project long in the making. Its history was presented in an earlier post but now through the efforts of Karl Pepper and the incredible talent and tenacity of Dawn Klug, it has now come to a reality and will soon be made available to historians and reenactors.
Given their proliferation in the CS cavalry and artillery many authentics have wanted one to complete their impression. Over the years, I have been aware of several people who have tried to make these but without success until Dawn Klug undertook the project. As I have stated here before Dawn lives in the middle of Florida’’s moss country. An expert and serious historical weaver, here was a person of just the right character, weaving knowledge, creative ingenuity and determination to make this happen. She is an amazing person. Whatever obstacle that was placed in her path she found her way around it. She never shied from experimenting, spending money or doing whatever it took to figure out the enormously difficult, physically demanding and dirty jobs of the gathering, retting, spinning and weaving process. Dawn often cajoled her family, friends and neighbors to help. She not only built several of the apparatus to rett and spin the difficult moss fibers into a weavable yarn, spent many dozens of hours perfecting the weave (there are several weave patterns) and finally put the proper “finish” to it but, she has sought out one of the last surviving “moss ginners” to help her perfect this fast fading knowledge and process. Her bull dog tenacity has been incredible. No one who has not been involved in this can truly understand the magnitude of this project. However I must add here, what is even more amazing to me is that Dawn has done this from a wheelchair! Due to an auto accident over 25 years ago she is a paraplegic. What an inspiration!
Dawn has more than just produced this item, she has had it tested under saddle. Here are some of her notes about the Spanish Moss artillery mat.

1. It is light weight (lighter than wool blankets)- about 2 lb’s, 12 ounces
2. It tends to keep the horses back dry. Just as reported in experiments on the plains by the US Army in the 1850's. To quote THE PRAIRIE TRAVELER, the Spanish moss blanket, “is regarded by many as the perfection of this article of horse equipment. It is a mat woven into the proper shape and size form the beaten fibres of moss that hangs from the trees in our Southern States. It is cheap, does not chafe or heat the horses’s spine like the wooolen blanket. Its open texture allows rapid evaporation, which tends to keep the back cool, and obviates the danger of stripping and sudden exposre of the heated parts to the sun and air. The experience of our officers who have used the mat for years in Mexico and Texas corroborates all I have said in its favor; and they are unanimous in the opinion that a horse will never get a sore back when it is placed under a good saddle.”
3. Because of its thick fibers (thicker than wool) slippage of the saddle blanket under saddle is kept to a minimum.
4. While the fibre of these blankets and mats have a lot of “fuzz” when new, it tends to flatten out and wear off quickly in use.
5. The artillery mats are thick but the blankets will be thicker when properly folded (like wool blankets) to provide enough padding under the properly fitting saddle.

Today, a “historically correct” CS artillery mat has been completed. A cavalry saddle blanket of the proper size and construction is underway and as a cavalry historian I am both humbled and excited about it. I am not sure when, at what cost and how many of these will be produced in the first run but, if you are a cavalry or artillery reenactor, historian or collector and have not yet placed your order I strongly urge you to do so.
This item will make its debut this Friday (July 13th) in honor of Nathan Bedford Forrest’s birthday at the Glen Pier Depot web site. Check it out. Moderators will not allow me to link the web site but, given this unique and momentous occasion I am confident they will allow this post to stand. Thank you!

Ken R Knopp