Marching light with the 2nd MS: Having knapsack withdrawals

[Daniel]

One thing that concerns me about my impression is were to put my frying pan and boiler. When a person has a knapsack it is no problem. But when a person it traveling light like the 2nd MS then I find it a problem. Certainly do not want to put all of that stuff in the haversack.

I have looked at several pictures of impressions for the 2nd Mississippi. They are some of the finest impressions that I have seen in a long time. But I do not see any boilers, frying pans or cookware. Does anyone know if there will be a place in our campsite were we can keep cooking items?

Dan Stewart

"I wish that this hobby would fit in my life instead of my life fitting in the hobby."

[rebjeb04]

Re: Marching light with the 2nd MS: Having knapsack withdrawals

Hey,
Get with a few of your mess mates and share carrying stuff. One carry the skillet, one the boiler, etc... You should evaluate only what you will NEED. Thats just what myself and the nco's do.

[rpierson]

Re: Marching light with the 2nd MS: Having knapsack withdrawals

There were certainly times during the war that an infantryman had only his back with which to carry everything he needed to survive. Sherman's March to the Sea would be an example of one of those periods and there are countless other instances that one might come across in accounts. To debate how often (if at all) and to what extent the infantryman had to be "self-contained" is another topic all together.

I have read numerous accounts of "baggage wagons" becoming entangled with the retreating Federal army & its artillery at Bull Run. I can't think off the top of my head about any specifically C.S. accounts that mention baggage wagons, but I'd bet they had a boatload. To carry a boiler, fry pan, utensils, food, ammo, blankets & extra clothing items as well as all your other weapons & accoutrements without a knapsack may not only be impossible, but also highly un-authentic.

Perhaps one of the research team from the 2nd Miss. can chime in here?

-Randall Pierson

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Marching light with the 2nd MS: Having knapsack withdrawals

Try doing without them for a change. You can do it. All you need is a small tin cup to survive, cook food in and eat it out of- you might not even need that.

All you need is the water in your canteen (at an event like this, that is really all you should be drinking) and whatever food you have goes in your haversack.

Wanna cook rations- use your ramrod or bayonet as a skewer for your bacon like I have done before at events.

Too easy.

Also, did you read the enlisted event standards about the researched/accepted event uniform here: http://www.westernindependentgrays.org/manassas150/ Does me good to re-read it every once-in-awhile also... :wink_smil

[Hank Trent]

Re: Marching light with the 2nd MS: Having knapsack withdrawals

I'm going to chime in here, but ignore anything I say that contradicts what the research shows, what the organizers want, what your messmates suggest, etc. These are just some random thoughts on dealing with the problem of no knapsack and/or no visible cooking gear.

One thing that concerns me about my impression is were to put my frying pan and boiler. When a person has a knapsack it is no problem. But when a person it traveling light like the 2nd MS then I find it a problem. Certainly do not want to put all of that stuff in the haversack.

A couple ways to do it:

For the boiler, put the boiler in the haversack and then put the food in the boiler. Takes up no extra room. I'm assuming it's a peach-can size boiler that would fit easily.

For the frying pan, from practical experience only, not documented, but it works:

Use a short roll with a strap over the shoulders. Tuck the handle of the frying pan under one of the cords tying the roll so the head sticks out just a bit beyond one end, and tie the handle to the other cord at the other end. The frying pan lies flat on top of the roll, parallel to it, doesn't move, but is easy to get to by untying just one knot and slipping it out from under the cord, without undoing the whole role.

Or, use a horsecollar roll, with an extra cord tied around it at the shoulder or just behind. Tie the handle of the frying pan to that, so it hangs down the back. Secure it to the blankets with another cord at the bottom of the handle just above the pan.

I have looked at several pictures of impressions for the 2nd Mississippi. They are some of the finest impressions that I have seen in a long time. But I do not see any boilers, frying pans or cookware.

Do you mean photos of original members of the 2nd Mississippi, or photos of reenactors' impressions? If photos of the original members, if they had no cooking gear or had no access to it, I'd ignore the frying pan suggestions above and start looking for ways to cook without anything more than a boiler in the haversack. What were their rations? There are ways to deal with most anything, frying bacon on a stick, boiling cornmeal or flour in a sort of pudding in the boiler, slicing potatoes small and stewing them in the boiler or baking them in the ashes. Actually, traveling light on a hot day, doing without a frying pan would probably be easier, unless there's some indication that the men definitely had them.

Again, I'm not going, don't know anything about the specific impression, so ignore all the above, unless it fits with the specific adjunct leaders' advice and/or is useful to answer the question of how can one carry cooking gear without a knapsack, or how can one do without cooking gear.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Daniel]

Re: Marching light with the 2nd MS: Having knapsack withdrawals

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. They are all good suggestions. I have not studied the Confederate troops at Manassas so I am just guessing. I would think that the Confederate troops at this time may have used baggage wagons as Randall said. Company cooks may have been more widespread at this time. Also there is a possiblilty of cooked rations. So there are a lot possiblities. I think I will just light with a cup and improvise a bit. But as a backup, I will stick a couple of bucks in my pockets for some funnel cakes. lol

Dan Stewart

[jasonw]

Re: Marching light with the 2nd MS: Having knapsack withdrawals

Dan, see this post concerning rations.

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...om-the-QM-Comm.

Jason Wright, QM Gopher, 2nd Miss.

[Daniel]

Re: Marching light with the 2nd MS: Having knapsack withdrawals

Jason, that is good information. Thank you.

Dan Stewart

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Marching light with the 2nd MS: Having knapsack withdrawals

Some things to consider:

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?18233-The-quot-Self-Contained-quot-Infantryman

Enjoy!

[FloridaConscript]

Re: Marching light with the 2nd MS: Having knapsack withdrawals

Some good advice in this thread. My advice would to either 1.)just bring the boiler or 2) you carry the boiler and have a messmate carry the pan. Going from the info we were given yesterday regarding the salt pork issue, a boiler will be worth it's weight in gold at this event.

[Daniel]

Re: Marching light with the 2nd MS: Having knapsack withdrawals

Thank you all for your great posts.

Dan Stewart

[JRicci]

Re: Marching light with the 2nd MS: Having knapsack withdrawals

Is it completely wrong to carry the knapsack? I've read the WIG page, it says it's okay though? I have a Mex-War Pack and I still plan to carry it. However, if persuaded otherwise, I can carry a blanket roll. My first thought about the roll was having a wool blanket and tarred groundcloth wrapped around me in 95 degree hat. If anyone can help me out with this I'd be much obliged.

Joe Ricci
16th La.

[desotobob]

Re: Marching light with the 2nd MS: Having knapsack withdrawals

Like someone else said, I would leave the blanket. I have one of Nick Duvalls leather slings. I will have a gum blanket and a USSC sheet or an unfilled mattress tick rolled up. Think light - carry only what you have to have, not what you would like to have.

[Tyler Underwood]

Re: Marching light with the 2nd MS: Having knapsack withdrawals

July 3rd 1861
Provisions are scarce & nothing to cook them in. - ORD SGT. Augustus L. P. Vairin Co. B 2nd MS.

July 17th 1861
All baggage & tents sent away. Men to have 1 blanket, 1 haversack, & canteen filled. - ORD SGT Augustus L. P. Vairin Co. B 2nd MS

July 19th 1861
got breakfast forded the river at 11 o clock on our way to Manassas Junction Marched last night until 1 1/2 O lay down on the rocks and slept till about day arrived at piedmont on the RR at 9 O c day down without super or Blankets hard rain at 11 O got about the cars at 2 a.m. got to Manassas 9 1/2 O no breakfast left for Bull run 11 O on July 20th.- Maj. John Buchanan 2nd MS

All of this can be found at this address if you care to read more.

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mscivilw/

[Daniel]

Re: Marching light with the 2nd MS: Having knapsack withdrawals

Tyler, Thank you for the quotes. Those are some important quotes. A regiment could hardly march lighter than the original 2nd MS did in July of '61. I think I will take Bryant advice and carry just one boiler or large cup in my haversack. If the forcast is dry then just a thin blanket. I am carrying a large fighting knife just because it is Manassass. But I would speculate that some of the original 2nd MS may have toss any extra weight like a large knife out before Manassas.

Dan Stewart