What's In Your Pockets?

[Shantyman]

The title is a bit misleading. What I'm looking for specifically are what pocket sized items do you ALWAYS take into the field with you. What items are most commonly used or unique and useful?
If its use is not obvious, please explain.

Myself for example,

A sharp pocket knife
10 ft of cotton cord
Pad and pencil
Canteen half
$5 cash for if I'm at one of those mainstream event and succumb to my soda cravings (Please grant mercy )

[PetePaolillo]

Re: What's In Your Pockets?

The title is a bit misleading. What I'm looking for specifically are what pocket sized items do you ALWAYS take into the field with you. What items are most commonly used or unique and useful?
If its use is not obvious, please explain.

Myself for example,

A sharp pocket knife
10 ft of cotton cord
Pad and pencil
Canteen half
$5 cash for if I'm at one of those mainstream event and succumb to my soda cravings (Please grant mercy )

Steve,

Are you asking what reenactors carry in their pockets or what Men of the period carried in their pockets? Just to clarify, here is a thread that may help answer some questions you might have.

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?13316-Stuff-in-Pockets&highlight=pockets

[Shantyman]

Re: What's In Your Pockets?

Not quite. I read that thread previously and while I found it interesting, my question is different. Allow me to clarify.

As a living historian in the field, If you were ordered to drop packs and expect not to retrieve them until the following morning, what bare necessities would you stuff in your pockets/ haversack with limited space?

[PetePaolillo]

Re: What's In Your Pockets?

Not quite. I read that thread previously and while I found it interesting, my question is different. Allow me to clarify.

As a living historian in the field, If you were ordered to drop packs and expect not to retrieve them until the following morning, what bare necessities would you stuff in your pockets/ haversack with limited space?

Steve,
Your question is a good one and would depend on the scenario and if it applied to a real historic action. Every soldier is going to stuff what he personally deems important anywhere he can find the room. Extra rations, cartridges, etc etc......He is going to carry what he is ordered to and whatever wont slow him down. In the below instance, The author, a Soldier recounts of dropping knapsacks and heading to Gettysburg

http://books.google.com/books?id=gmkUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=false

Then followed days of extreme fatigue, made worse by short rations, as we tried to keep the marching pace of those veterans. On the second of July we were called at daybreak, and with hardly time to devour the very scanty breakfast of hardtack and coffee, were ordered to fall in. And now we were directed to drop knapsacks, tents and blankets, or rather such of these articles as were still retained, for many of them had already been abandoned, and the men were to retain only canteens and haversacks besides the arms and ammunition.
We filed along past headquarters, each one in turn throwing upon the pile such treasures as he had still retained. We were told that the things would be forwarded to us by the wagons, but war-time is careless of its promises, for we never saw them again. At 4 A.m. we started at a furious marching pace, covering eight miles in two hours. Surely there must be some reason for all this haste, and it was not long before the cause became apparent, for when we were being hurried forward with all speed an unwelcome rumor spread along the column that a great battle had been fought the day before near a village called "Gettysburg"; that our army had been repulsed there and General Reynolds killed.
The rumor proved to be true, except that it was only the beginning of a great battle that had been fought, and even as the rumor reached us it was apparently confirmed by the rolling echoes of distant cannonading.

[Dale Beasley]

Re: What's In Your Pockets?

As a living historian in the field, If you were ordered to drop packs and expect not to retrieve them until the following morning, what bare necessities would you stuff in your pockets/ haversack with limited space?

1. A pocket knife
2. Cigars
3. Matches
4. Pocket Flask
5. Dice
6. 20ea one dollar bills
7. peanuts

[J. Donaldson]

Re: What's In Your Pockets?

Depending upon the scenario, I've generally got a pocket knife, comb, and match safe in my pockets. If I'm at one of the rare events that I might have need of cash, that's hidden somewhere as well, but that's about it. If you've got a canteen half in one of your pockets, then you've got the biggest pocket ever. ;)

[cprljohnivey]

Re: What's In Your Pockets?

I'd like to see how you stuff a canteen half in your pocket!!!

I typically always carry a pocket knife, a small housewife, and a rag/hankey/small towl in my pockets.

[Gallo de Cielo]

Re: What's In Your Pockets?

I agree on stuffing a canteen half in a pocket- that is a pretty stout pocket if so and I would worry about the sharper corners around the edges where the spout would join scything through flesh or jean wool.

I tend to pack my pockets with rations- stuff that I can eat on the march like peanuts or hard crackers, etc. I also tend to move an arsenal pack up when possible so that I don't have to fumble around as much during a protracted scrap.

Clearly this thread can devolve into a 50+ page treatise (like the what's do you carry in your knapsack thread) so if you are looking for anything in particular, now might be the best time to pipe up so this thing doesn't reach goat-rope status.

Regards,

[PetePaolillo]

Re: What's In Your Pockets?

what bare necessities would you stuff in your pockets/ haversack with limited space?

Take it easy on him fellas, He said Haversack also. I dont think he is putting a canteen half in his pocket. At least I hope not...LOl

[Kace]

Re: What's In Your Pockets?

For me it is:

Period Items
Pocket knife
Pipe, Tobacco and Match Safe
Hankie or Huck Towel
Dried Meat and/or Fruit

Non Period
ID & Insurance Card

Kace

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: What's In Your Pockets?

As a moderator, I need to step in here and remind folks that, just like any other question about what we do at events, it needs to have a firm basis in historical documentation.

Opinions are like... uh...
...well, everyone has their own opinion. But, opinions and modern personal examples are not what should drive our practices at events.

I think the only exception to this rule is how we would "stash" those necessary modern articles like medication, insurance cards, and car keys.

Now, back to your regularly-scheduled programming...

[PogueMahone]

Re: What's In Your Pockets?

This thread just seems like so much wasted effort. How many times have we seen this same discussion here and on Oz? The final answer is: People carry in their pockets what they personally want to carry. What we do as reenactors at a reenactment isn't really the object of reenacting, is it? What we do to emulate the actions of the originals is the supposed object of this hobby, or at least this end of the hobby.

What is to be learned by asking what other reenactors carry in their pockets? I see no purpose in this discussion. I think it is below the level of the AC. Take it to Oz.

[PetePaolillo]

Re: What's In Your Pockets?

Joe is right on. It does not matter what we as Living Historians are carrying in our pockets today. We need to focus on the historical record and see what the soldiers themselves deemed important to carry. That can be garnered from diaries, letters, journals etc. Asking reenactors what they carry serves little or no educational value. The reposnses to your inquiry will vary today as much as if you asked the question 145 years ago to the actual soldiers themselves. Lets dig and see what they carried with them on a long campaign. It will depend on unit, impression and the individual. You have to get into their personal writings to learn this. When they ligtened their loads and ditched their knapsacks, they carried whatever was imprtant to them and what they were told to carry.

[cprljohnivey]

Re: What's In Your Pockets?

Take it easy on Steve??? I know him too well to take it easy on him LOL.

[Dale Beasley]

Re: What's In Your Pockets?

I think this discussion could turn into something positive, if nothing more but a planning tool for leaders, in preparing a Letter of Instruction prior to an event.

I think the Army you are protraying and who you are protraying plays a major part in what you carry. If you are an Army on the move, i.e. long road march, with folks dropping out left and right, you would want to carry as much period energy food as possible, with what little comfort items you can. The NCOs might put out a packing list, prior to the event , which was well thought out, and might think about a "lay out inspection". This in itself is taking care of your people.