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| Posted: Thu Sep 27th, 2007 10:43 am |
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1st Post |
Roger
Member
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In my very limited experience I've never actually seen a period photo of a civil war soldier using the sling of the musket to carry it over his shoulder.
Did they or haven't I been looking hard enough?
Roger
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27th, 2007 02:28 pm |
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2nd Post |
Bama46
Guest
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Roger,
Off the top of my head, I tend to agree....the soldiers marched at "sholder arms"
However many of the rifles have swivels for sling use...so, "what the hay"
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27th, 2007 02:43 pm |
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3rd Post |
Roger
Member
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Bama46 wrote: "what the hay"
As much as I agree with that sentiment for the purposes of accuracy this will keep me awake at night
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27th, 2007 05:10 pm |
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4th Post |
ole
Member
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I'm with you, Roger. With luck, someone will be along to answer the question. Then we can resume sleeping.
ole
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27th, 2007 05:52 pm |
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5th Post |
Roger
Member
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ole wrote: I'm with you, Roger. With luck, someone will be along to answer the question. Then we can resume sleeping.
ole
Problem is Ole I'll start to nod off and something else'll spring to mind.
While I'm sleeping here you guys in the USA can look up the answers
Roger
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27th, 2007 08:20 pm |
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6th Post |
Albert Sailhorst
Member
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Slings caused fouling......
Just kidding!!...Every once in a while I hafta be a smart-alleck!!
Good question! I don't recall photos showing slings.....
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27th, 2007 08:29 pm |
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27th, 2007 08:29 pm |
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27th, 2007 08:33 pm |
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9th Post |
Roger
Member
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Great pictures Albert. What I'm actually wondering were the slings, if fitted, actually used for carry the weapon over the shoulder? I haven't seen any evidence they were, however I'm only a novice at this. Last edited on Thu Sep 27th, 2007 08:33 pm by Roger
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27th, 2007 08:35 pm |
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10th Post |
Albert Sailhorst
Member
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Here's my hard evidence that slings caused fouling:
On May 3, 1863, at the Battle of Salem Church, the 15th New Jersey’s Enfields slings came detached from the stock and made their way down the barrel, fouling the weapons so bad that some men were forced to drive their ramrods into trees in an attempt to properly seat their loads.
Walthall’s Brigade, at Chickamauga, likewise had problems, not so much with fouling, even though that was part of the problem, but with improperly sized bullets. Lt. Harrison, brigade ordnance officer, wrote: “after the first few rounds, [some of the ammunition] was found too large, and frequently chocking the guns to the extent that they could [minies] could not be forced down...except by cramming them down with the sling” (OR Vol. 30, 2:277)
Lt. Col. H. Oladowski, ordnance officer, reported on the Army of Tennessee in March 1863, that “The ammunition supplied for the Enfield rifles was found in a few instances rather too large. When guns become fouled, after the sling slid down the barrel and residue from them fouled the barrel out, making it difficult to lodge the bullet home.”
(OR Vol. 32, 2:762-763)
So there!!....Nya!!
...heehee....Sometimes, I have too much time on my hands...
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27th, 2007 08:38 pm |
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11th Post |
Albert Sailhorst
Member
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I can assume they were used on the march since they were attached to the weapon. I doubt you'll find a photo clear enough to show great detail to confirm this beyond a doubt, since a marching column would be difficult to photograph clearly and with detail, given the technology of photography (shutter speed) of the time. This is just a guess, I'm no expert on photography.
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27th, 2007 08:53 pm |
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12th Post |
Roger
Member
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Waaay too much time.
The points you raise in your second post are much more believable.
Roger
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| Posted: Fri Sep 28th, 2007 02:58 pm |
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13th Post |
Bama46
Guest
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I agree some of Albert's pictures do look like slings... and probably are....now for another question to keep us novices up late at nite...
What is the difference between a sling swivel and a stacking swivel/ Are the same?
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| Posted: Fri Sep 28th, 2007 03:26 pm |
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14th Post |
Albert Sailhorst
Member
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LAst night, I looked at several pieces of art work from the Civil War era. Painted at the time, the paintings showed soldiers carrying and holding rifles with slings.
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| Posted: Fri Sep 28th, 2007 03:36 pm |
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15th Post |
Roger
Member
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Thank you Albert. I thought they must have used them I was just unable to find any photo's or illustrations of them in use.
Do you know if any of the artwork avaiable to view online?
Roger
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| Posted: Fri Sep 28th, 2007 03:43 pm |
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16th Post |
ole
Member
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What is the difference between a sling swivel and a stacking swivel/ Are the same?
The sling swivel is a closed loop. The stacking swivel is open so that it looks like two opposed hooks.
ole
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| Posted: Fri Sep 28th, 2007 03:50 pm |
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17th Post |
Albert Sailhorst
Member
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Roger,
Off hand, I don't remeber the names of the paintings I looked at....If I have time today, I'll "Google" Civil war period artwork to see what I find. Since I'm a"hard" at work (wink) I do'nt know when or what I'll be able to find.
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| Posted: Fri Sep 28th, 2007 03:54 pm |
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18th Post |
Roger
Member
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Ok Albert,no problem I'll try it here too. Glad to hear your hard at work.
Roger
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| Posted: Fri Sep 28th, 2007 11:37 pm |
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19th Post |
Johan Steele
Life NRA,SUVCW # 48,Legion 352
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Slings were used by both sides, there is even a specific reference in a manual, don't reacll which off hand, on how to properly sling arms. Any time a soldier was order "Arms at Will" or several other commands letting the soldier relax a bit he was allowed to sling or otherwise cary his weapon how he saw fit.
I have seen a picture or two over the years of men using their slings, that said an acquintance of mine who collects original uniforms from the Crimean War period through WWI has shown me a couple of slings that were refashined into suspenders on CW trousers.
Right shoulder shift, actually a quite comfortable position to carry a rifle muske, was not the only way a musket was carried on the march.
CW soldiers did not utilize sling swivels but stacked their arm using the bayonet or ramrod.
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| Posted: Sat Sep 29th, 2007 06:29 am |
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20th Post |
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