what were the 4 most prized items for a soldier.

[markj]

Re: what were the 4 most prized items for a soldier.

Mark, I agree with you on the caution, and on the possibility of looting. In fact, I first thought that the paucity of watches might be due to theft -- if not immediately after the battle, then by the contractor's employees. But the fact that they found money and other articles of some value (even if just as souvenirs) leads me to think the workmen must have had some reasonably good supervision.

I also agree that it would be interesting to compare the articles found on bodies on different locations of the field to see if there are any discrepancies that suggest looting (and what was taken). If you have that information, it would be great to have the opportunity to use it.

Also, I just realized I made at least one big mistake in my tabulation. The total of knives is 39 -- I left out the dozen on the ID'd list. So that puts them just behind combs for popularity in this sample, followed by letters and diaries, very much confirming the importance of both the practical and sentimental.

Mr. Beasley -- my best to you. All of our hearts are with you and your fellow soldiers. I hope these little discussions of the details of past conflicts also serve as a small reminder of home, though not nearly so dear as letters and pictures from your loved ones.

Indeed. Weaver seems to have been as attentive to his duties as possible under the grim conditions. Again, I would suspect the bodies still carrying valuable items like watches likely remained behind Union lines during the entire battle--this would certainly explain why they were not otherwise "pinched." Confederate troops were expert scroungers and I can't imagine them missing valuables unless, of course, the body was in such bad shape they didn't want to touch it or they simply didn't have time to pick it over thoroughly.

Here's another thought: I would submit that Weaver very likely did NOT list "inappropriate items" he may have found on bodies (e.g., playing cards, dice, liquor flasks, even pornographic material) since this might have caused undue stress to bereaved individuals and families seeking to pick up the effects of the deceased. Had the fastidious and respected Weaver found any inappropriate items, he undoubtedly ensured it was destroyed (Weaver was a respected citizen of Gettysburg and a "grand muck-a-muck" in the "Improved Order of Red Men").

An extensive discussion of Weaver's reburial activities is carried in William Franssanito's landmark "Early Photography at Gettysburg." I can't recommend it enough.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[pvtben]

Re: what were the 4 most prized items for a soldier.

Hello

Thanks To all of You. I have decided to go along with my seris with brogans, pipe , bible, picture. Thanks to all and when they are finished i will post on the site so yall can see, once again thank and i hope all is well.

Pvt. Benjamin N. Jenkins
19th LA Infantry
Vance Guards

[marine05]

Re: what were the 4 most prized items for a soldier.

From a deployed Reserve Soldier today...I would have to agree with the above post......a picture of the wife and kids, letters from home are the top two......and anything else that reminds you of home.......

Check, last time my most cherished items were letters from my family, pictures, my small bible and my wedding band. Naturally my weapon, ammo, chow and water were all high on the list, but I inferred this meant pesonal items, not issue.

s/f

DJM

[Dale Beasley]

Re: what were the 4 most prized items for a soldier.

Mr. jaeger,
Thank-you for the kind words......I receive computer generated reports twice a day.....so I have a few min each day to check out the AC Board......this gives me, if not for a min......a simple pleasure......
v/r

[Faugh-A-Ballagh61]

Re: what were the 4 most prized items for a soldier.

Well...being an artist myself I understand some things can be an sob to draw...but I would say:

1.Rifle
2.Shoes/Brogans
3.Perhaps some tipe of musical insturment...camp life was often dull so things like harmonicas, jaw harps, fiddles or banjos were a godsend
4.Letter to loved ones to be sent home if killed
5.Picture or locket of lover ones
6.Ammunition
7.Maybe even the soldier's horse

[nick19thind]

Re: what were the 4 most prized items for a soldier.

1 His boots
2 His gun
3 His rain cape
4 Items sent from home by his family (photos, things they made for him, letters etc)

[Gary of CA]

Re: what were the 4 most prized items for a soldier.

Furlough tops everything.

[jarednichols]

Re: what were the 4 most prized items for a soldier.

Mark, I agree with you on the caution, and on the possibility of looting. In fact, I first thought that the paucity of watches might be due to theft -- if not immediately after the battle, then by the contractor's employees. But the fact that they found money and other articles of some value (even if just as souvenirs) leads me to think the workmen must have had some reasonably good supervision.

I also agree that it would be interesting to compare the articles found on bodies on different locations of the field to see if there are any discrepancies that suggest looting (and what was taken). If you have that information, it would be great to have the opportunity to use it.

Also, I just realized I made at least one big mistake in my tabulation. The total of knives is 39 -- I left out the dozen on the ID'd list. So that puts them just behind combs for popularity in this sample, followed by letters and diaries, very much confirming the importance of both the practical and sentimental.

Mr. Beasley -- my best to you. All of our hearts are with you and your fellow soldiers. I hope these little discussions of the details of past conflicts also serve as a small reminder of home, though not nearly so dear as letters and pictures from your loved ones.

Looting, I would have to agree that looting of the dead is 100% accurate, there are enough instances of both Soldiers and Civilians looting the bodies of the dead during the course of the Civil Wat. Especially when the remains have been left out for days following the battle.
I hate to say it, but this has been an issue in every war, to include the one our country is currently fighting. Thats why a modern soldiers living area is put on "lock down" and an inventory by a commisioned officer outside of that Soldiers chain of command and and NCO from within that Soldiers chain of command conduct a joint inventory, then lock the Soldiers effects into trunks with the inventory posted on the outside and send the stuff to Dover AFB where the locks are cut off, the items inventoried again and then the items are locked up again and sent to the Soldiers family. This happens in a matter of hours of a KIA or VSI due to the high risk of a soldiers personel effects being stolen or "looted" by fellow Soldiers or contractors. In fact i believe one of the contractors that was assisting with casulty effects process was arrested about two years ago for stealing items from the trunks when the effects were in transit from Germany to Dover (i cant remember the exact dates)

There are certain items we can assume were "prized", but i would have to go with the assessment that we need to rely on the inventory with a grain of salt. Also we need to further examine letters to see what soldiers were telling their families was their most important possession. Or at least what a Soldier was requesting from home.

My best guess would be food being a "prized possession" as it is today. The crates and barrels from the homefront were items in demand and appreciated. Cakes, cookies, james, preserves, desicated fruits and vegetables. Things of that nature..throw in a jack knife for good measure...mabye a housewife..... but i would say that food is the most prized possession of a soldier

My question is were CDVs carried by every soldier? I know that pictures and letters and reminders of home are romantic and such, but is that a modern spin on what "we" think is important or is it the historical fact.

ok, i'm done

[jarednichols]

Re: what were the 4 most prized items for a soldier.

Here's another thought: I would submit that Weaver very likely did NOT list "inappropriate items" he may have found on bodies (e.g., playing cards, dice, liquor flasks, even pornographic material) since this might have caused undue stress to bereaved individuals and families seeking to pick up the effects of the deceased. Had the fastidious and respected Weaver found any inappropriate items, he undoubtedly ensured it was destroyed (Weaver was a respected citizen of Gettysburg and a "grand muck-a-muck" in the "Improved Order of Red Men").

An extensive discussion of Weaver's reburial activities is carried in William Franssanito's landmark "Early Photography at Gettysburg." I can't recommend it enough.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

Mark,

I agree with the "screening" even today when we do a KIA/VSI inventory we "screen out" "questionable items (alcohol, battlefield pictures, and of course pornography). Today these screenings also include the Soldiers computer and camera which gets a screening here at the unit, but normally gets pushed to Germany where the computer is "unlocked:" and all questionable content removed. The officer that does the inventory is supposed to "be on alert" for such items.

[unionprivate]

Re: what were the 4 most prized items for a soldier.

1. Rifle
2.Gum Blanket
3. Coffee
4.Tobacco

Been doing alot of reading via the Reasearch Compendium 2. I keep finding that these are the items that seem to repeat themselves. Just my .02

[nc69th]

Re: what were the 4 most prized items for a soldier.

hmm I would have to say his his four most prized possessions were his

1. Rifle or Musket
2. Clothing
3. Bayonet
4. And anything else after that

[Gary of CA]

Re: what were the 4 most prized items for a soldier.

In answering this question, I asked myself if a battle was lost, what does a soldier discard? Weight of course! So, what goes?

Knapsack - may contain dairy, writing papers, extra shoes, food, eating utensils, bible, toilet kit (toothbrush, comb).
Haversack - may contain eating utensils, plate.
Tin Cup.
Cartridge box (if really scared)
Belt w/bayonet frog & bayonet (extra weight again)
Gun (someone had to leave some guns for scavengers to pick up).
Blanket roll (may contain many of the above) including gum blanket.

What did the soldier keep?

Wallet (unless captured and relieved of its contents)
Hat (unless it fell off while fleeing or appropriated as a prize of war)
shoes (can't run far without them - unless confiscated as a prize of war)
pocket knife (unless it was in the knapsack or haversack when that was tossed).
Canteen (sometimes tossed too).
Clothes on his back (except greatcoat which could be tossed to facilitate fleeing).
I'd like to think he kept his daugerreotypes if he had any. Makes camp life more bearable.

[Jim Mayo]

Re: what were the 4 most prized items for a soldier.

Why not go to a primary source for a little info on this subject. Jacob Hoke was a farmer who visited the battle field of Culps Hill several days after the battle. His description of the debris of battle laying about may shed some light on what the soldiers were actually carrying and what they may have thought were important. Here are his words taken from "A Strange and Blighted Land, Gettysburg the Aftermath of a Battle" by Greg Coco:

"Everywhere paper envelopes, bits of letters, shreds of clothing, picecs of Photographs...were scattered."

Two items that many soldiers carried were letters and photographs and these were surely prized items. A favorite article of clothing from home or a bible would also qualify. I would not consider guns, uniforms etc. prized items for a soldier. Necessary but not prized.

I also see combs listed in this thread. The thought occurs to me that many of these were not hair combs as we know them but lice combs (especially for Union soldiers). Hard rubber lice combs are frequently found broken in Federal trash pits. Someone used to reproduce these but I have not seen one for a long time.

[Salt Pork]

Re: what were the 4 most prized items for a soldier.

1. Bible and/or religious Items (rosary, religious medals)

2. Letters and/or Books.

3. Musical Instruments

4. objects from home (Knifes, watches and Jewelry)

This is what would be important to me.

By the way a prized object could also save your life, My CW Ancestor George Weiser was captured at the battle of Spotsylvania and sent to Andersonville Ga. The only reason he survived is he traded his gold ring to an farmer for a bushel of Potatoes.