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| Posted: Sat Mar 3rd, 2007 08:55 pm |
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1st Post |
missourianconfederate
Member
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Well I'm curious whats in everyones haversacks.
Mine:
Housewife..I got slapped for a joke about it one.
2 Candles:
My pipe and pipe tabacco.
3 bags: Beef Jerky,Hardtack, and trail mix,
Extra socks,
My diary with period pencil,
Extra cartiages:100-200 in a small box.
Tin plate, silverware,
Pocket knife,
Mucket.
A can of soup.
Glasses Case.
And a period picture of my family and I.
And some period money from both sides.
Powder
What's in yours?
Last edited on Sat Mar 3rd, 2007 08:56 pm by missourianconfederate
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| Posted: Sat Mar 3rd, 2007 11:16 pm |
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2nd Post |
Kentucky_Orphan
Member
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Whats in my haversack? It varies a little from event to event of course (maybe an apple or peach depending on time of year), but here is the most usual contents:
Housewife
pocket knife
tobacco
assorted food stuffs (as I said, it varies according to time of year, whats available, etc.)
paper and pencil
Mucket (not actually inside the haversack of course)
plate and utensials
candles
Sgts. tool (I know, a bit farbish, but I am a SGT, and dangit it can be handy!)
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| Posted: Sun Mar 4th, 2007 03:34 am |
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3rd Post |
Johan Steele
Life NRA,SUVCW # 48,Legion 352
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Ummm gents the only thing that should be in your haversack is rations and the utensils needed to eat them.
There is plenty of room in your knapsack or blanket roll for the above mentioned things. Try and store any of that non edible stuff w/ your saltpork & it will quickly become rather... ripe.
Mine: plate, spork (spoon on one side fork on the other) salt pork, bag o army beans, couple turnips, and a couple hard boiled eggs, poke sack w/ coffee beans & sugar. My flask w/ cognac stays securely stashed in my breast pocket.
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| Posted: Sun Mar 4th, 2007 03:41 am |
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4th Post |
Steven Cone
Member
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canteen half, tin cup, bone handle fork & knife,
depending on senario: A few food items might be
slab bacon, parched corn, dried peas. some corn bread or soft bread or hardtack, grits & rice, wedge of cheese, Corn meal, apple
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| Posted: Sun Mar 4th, 2007 03:43 am |
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5th Post |
Steven Cone
Member
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canteen half, tin cup, bone handle fork & knife,
depending on senario: A few food items might be
slab bacon, parched corn, dried peas. some corn bread or soft bread or hardtack, grits & rice, wedge of cheese, Corn meal, apple
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| Posted: Sun Mar 4th, 2007 04:26 am |
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6th Post |
| Posted: Sun Mar 4th, 2007 04:53 am |
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7th Post |
Kentucky_Orphan
Member
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Johan:
I also play artillery quite a bit (my picture is of me as an infantryman of course)-how many artillerymen have you seen on a field with a blanket roll?
Knapsack? Lotta extra weight when you can carry all you need in a haversack-which is what most confederates actually did. How are candles, a pocket knife, a housewife ,paper and pencil etc. going to ruin food exactlly? I suppose if you drop saltpork without any wrapping inside the haversack some of the other items I keep inside may affect the taste somewhat, but it won't ruin the meat any quicker. Plus, with so many reenactments I attend providing food anymore to the reenactors, it is really manytimes not neccessary to carry saltpork at all-snacks such as an apple etc. will do.
There are many accounts of soldiers carrying pictures in their haversacks, and just as many with soldiers stuffing them with extra rounds of ammunition as missouri does.
The haversack was of course designed for the purpose of carrying rations...but neccessity in the case of the actual soldier and convenience for many of todays reenactors will allow other items to be carried.
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| Posted: Sun Mar 4th, 2007 01:19 pm |
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8th Post |
Johan Steele
Life NRA,SUVCW # 48,Legion 352
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Kentucky_Orphan wrote: Johan:
I also play artillery quite a bit (my picture is of me as an infantryman of course)-how many artillerymen have you seen on a field with a blanket roll? Actually the Blanket Roll was not uncommon on actual campaigning arty boys; but there were also the caissions, battery wagons etc to stuff gear. For infantry the idea that knapsacks were a rarity is so much poorly research hooey. Almost the entire ANV went into Gettysburg wearing packs or blanket rolls and some may have dropped them ONLY on the 3rd day on the way into that rather climactic charge. Dropping packs and going into a fight w/out is a re-enactorism for anything poryrayed after 62. Longstreets men went through the whole battle of Chickamauga wearing their packs dropping them only before the assaults against Snodgrass Hill when they knew they would be able to retrieve them... and they would still be where they left them. The men who did the fighting dd not have the benefit of trucks & cars and a camp waiting for them to unwind in after a powder burning event; no scripted battles. They carried what they needed & very little more. Those w/ the arty had the benefits of caissios & battery wagons; but when the ball really started to roll that space in caissions was taken up by feed for the horses and powder & shot. There had best not be a pile of stuff on top of that shot; as when it was needed it was often needed fast.
Knapsack? Lotta extra weight when you can carry all you need in a haversack-which is what most confederates actually did. How are candles, a pocket knife, a housewife ,paper and pencil etc. going to ruin food exactlly? I suppose if you drop saltpork without any wrapping inside the haversack some of the other items I keep inside may affect the taste somewhat, but it won't ruin the meat any quicker. Plus, with so many reenactments I attend providing food anymore to the reenactors, it is really manytimes not neccessary to carry saltpork at all-snacks such as an apple etc. will do. Candles and Cartridges ok... why an arty gents needs to carry cartridges I'm not sure as his Rodman or Napolean was his weapon. For the infantry... extra couple of packets of ammo will not be ruined by the grease and many did put those extra rounds in their haversack as their cart box was full. Saltpork was rarely issued w/ a wrapping as it was normally parceled out of a hogshead. Grease soaked housewife? No thanks. And a precious CDV of my wife and family? Absolutely not. Pocket knife... name says it all. The difference between what the men actually did and what re-enactors do while representing them is legion...
There are many accounts of soldiers carrying pictures in their haversacks, and just as many with soldiers stuffing them with extra rounds of ammunition as missouri does. Never seen a first hand account of a man carrying his precious CDV in his Haversack (those were not cheap)... Steve Cone might be the better person to ask on that note as most of my letter & diary reading is dedicated to Iowa, Illinois & MN boys. But judging as the equipment issued was little different I would expect the same to have been true for both sides of the firing line.
The haversack was of course designed for the purpose of carrying rations...but neccessity in the case of the actual soldier and convenience for many of todays reenactors will allow other items to be carried. Re-enactors... what does research show that the men we portray actually did? Actual soldiers did one thing; many re-enactors do something entirely different because it makes sense to them 140 odd years later.
Here; as an experiment, bear w/ me, take a small wheel of cheese (unwrapped), a couple pounds of saltpork (unwrapped), a poke sack of coffee & sugar, a couple handfuls of army beans and a couple of potatoes or turnips, a dozen pieces of hardtack, a couple three handfuls dried peas or parched corn and put it all into your haversack. Then walk around w/ it on your shoulder at work for a day or two. At the end of that time decide whether or not a man would want his precious letters from home, or expensive CDV riding in there. W/ 3 days rations in a haversack there just wasn't/isn't much room for anything else anyway. Trust me those men got as hungry as we do today and made do on a lot less.
Most of the food items were usually issued, unwrapped. A company or battery received their rations parcelled out by the pound by tired QM or 1st Sgts; not in pretty individually wrapped packages. After all their other duties the 1st shirt or QM Sgt was not going to wrap the rations up. I have read accounts of men wrapping their salt pork or cheese in newspaper... it made little difference and after a while they stopped doing it altogether. After a couple weeks of active campaigning nice new white canvas haversacks were brown gray (inside & out) from the saltpork grease.
One of the things I do in my presentations to youth is highlight that the haversack was not a purse. It usually gets some chuckles but it is important that the public I am teaching understand what the men actualy wore, how they lived and what the did so that they might have a better understanding.
One of the things that stands out is watching someone pull their letters and all sorts of stuff out of a haversack. It just isn't correct... hell it's as bas as somebody carrying a Hawkens & 3-4 pistols.
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| Posted: Sun Mar 4th, 2007 08:14 pm |
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9th Post |
Kentucky_Orphan
Member
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Actually the Blanket Roll was not uncommon on actual campaigning arty boys; but there were also the caissions, battery wagons etc to stuff gear.Candles and Cartridges ok... why an arty gents needs to carry cartridges I'm not sure as his Rodman or Napolean was his weapon.
I meant reenactors portraying artillery. Whats the sense of rolling anything in a blanket roll when the blanket is never going to leave camp. Also, I said I portray artillery sometimes, not always or even a majority of the time. I got my start in reenacting in the artillery branch.
For infantry the idea that knapsacks were a rarity is so much poorly research hooey.
I assume you have seen the rare photo of confederate troops marching through a northern town (historians debate whether the photo was taken in 62 or 64, Lee's Maryland campaign or Earlys "raid" in 64). Not one of the confederates I saw in the picture had a knapsack. (I'll admit that this was probably about the closest Johnny Reb ever came to the torn and tattered image so often associated with him in the east). I know that the only reason Barksdales men had knapsacks at Gettysburg was due to the large quantities captured at Chancellorsville (they still had the markings on the back of the Federal outfits they once belonged to). To say that confederates not having knapsacks is unresearched and uninformed is, in my opinion, erroneous. Were they as universaly poorly equipped as many would believe-no. Were they as well equipped as Federal troops most times-no. The truth lies somewhere in the middle.
I am glad you noted also the fact that soldiers went into battle with their equipment-they did not want to loose their posssessions. I personally always go onto the field when possible (and as an infantryman) with the blanket roll still on. I know many of course who do not (and most times with good excuse, including older gents, extreme heat).
Grease soaked housewife? No thanks. And a precious CDV of my wife and family? Absolutely not. Pocket knife... name says it all.
Personally, I really don't carry saltpork or any other item unwrapped that oozes grease, so I cannot comment. Perhaps I am not as hardcore as you are in that regard, oh well. I don't carry a CDV, and the pocket knife? I said it varies, it can be found in either my pocket or my haversack-sometimes its more convenient or easier to place it in either.You say soldiers never did that? Who in the world is going to write a letter home that says " I removed my pocket knife from my pocket and almost made the mistake of putting it into my haversack!". I don't mean that to sound too sarcastic Johan, I'm just saying that I can't imagine there being any way to definitively say it never happened.
I can understand about the housewife though, I'll probably stop carrying it in my haversack because of your post to me more authentic.
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Steven Cone
Member
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You both have made interesting points..
To me I would say it all depends on the event and senario.
If your going to cook your own rations in the field. you may do away with the cdv & letter all together.
If you carry non greasy stuff or plan on eating the free meal meaL
I dont see the harm in carRING y a few misc odd and ends stuff with you. (that doesn mean it is correct)
I havent read were leters or cdv were in a haversack but also havnt read were they were in a bed roll.
My personal belief is a soldier carried what ever he did the best way it was for him. If he wanted to keep it he carried it with him.
Be it carring items in his pocket or haversack, knapsack, bed roll, or perhaps let a pard carry it for him. in return he carried somthing of theirs. this would be odd but who knows, Think of two or three brothers in the same company sharing the load with each other.
( I have read an account about a guy who never a canteen but always picked them up on the battlefield and gave the to who ever needone in exchange he could have a drink when ever he need one. )
Last edited on Sun Mar 4th, 2007 09:54 pm by Steven Cone
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Albert Sailhorst
Member
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In my haversack, I carry:
Homemade jerky
2 flasks (1 for brandy, 1 for bourbon)
Pipe/tobacco
Match Safe
Harmonica
Jaw Harp
2 Cigar tins (I smoke a lot of ceegars!)
Chewing tobacco
Beans
Fork
Extra handkercheif
Basically, I keep it simple. I don't carry a plate, as I 'll use my cup for stews, etc. Most times, meals are provided by the sponsor of the event, so I use their plates.
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Albert Sailhorst
Member
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Shoot, I thought of more things that I carry (no wonder the durn thing gets heavy!):
Hardtack
Tinned Oysters ( I captured'em off a dead Yank!)
Salt pork (cooked at home, wrapped in "newspaper" and put in a little sack)
OR
Uncooked salt pork (sometimes, then I have to take my frying pan, which is a bear to clean!)
My "night hat"
I think that's all. In my pockets I'll carry pipe/tobacco, cigar box, authentic CW wallet (with Confederte money, of course!), pocket knife, matches, hanky, ear plugs (for shooting the original 3 inch Ordinance rifle), a buck-eye (for luck and to ward off rheumatism), my pocket watch (with period photo of me, my wife and son)....
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Steven Cone
Member
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Sorry for the OT post here.
Albert is your unit this the same "Scotts Battery" that Shoots at Johan Steele and the 3rd Mn Thunder in the Hills?
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Johan Steele
Life NRA,SUVCW # 48,Legion 352
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Steven Cone wrote: Sorry for the OT post here.
Albert is your unit this the same "Scotts Battery" that Shoots at Johan Steele and the 3rd Mn Thunder in the Hills?
Yup those be the boys Steve... I've participated in taking that gun once and been killed at least twice.
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Steven Cone
Member
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Johan we need to find a place il to do a event a half way point between you and I.. I sure do hope i can back to Motor Mill again. or get a chance to to Thunder in the hills
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Johan Steele
Life NRA,SUVCW # 48,Legion 352
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I want to do the Bridgeport AL event w/ you one day... or once you have that property at your house.
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Albert Sailhorst
Member
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Johan and Steven,
"Thunder in the Hills" at Clairmont, Iowa??.....Yep, that's us....Last year was my first year there (this is the start of my 3rd year reenacting).
It sure rained on us last year right at the start of the battle!! Luckily for us, our gun-covers were close to the gun, so when the rains opened up, we ran for cover.....I sure felt bad for you infantry boys who had to stand out in it......As I recall, you Yanks gave us hell pretty good!!....Also, last year, the Shakespear play that the Yanks put on was pretty good!!
Are y'all going to Clairmont this year??......How about Keokuk, Iowa, Belle Plaine, IA, Mason City, IA, Boscobel, Wisconsin, Usher's Ferry, IA or Princeton, IL??......If so, drop on by and say "Howdy!".....
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Steven Cone
Member
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Bridgeport is an ok event nothing really to write home about..
Still work on the house bit : )
Albert, as much as I would love to be there I Iive about 650 miles away in Tennessee. Just west east of Nashville . I made the long Journey about two years ago and just havent been able to get away to do it again hopefully one day I can.
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Albert Sailhorst
Member
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Steven,
Well, I'll sure miss ya there....
I used to live in Jackson, TN.....Just about every other weekend there was an event that I could drive to....I wanted to reenact then, but none of the units that I talked to was ever interested enough to return my calls or invite me to an event....I thought that was kind of sad.....The guys I did join up with were very accomodating and interested....I LOVE this hobby!!.....Are y'all going to Shiloh or Ft. Pillow??....How about the 145th at Gettysburg? (we're chartering a bus to go to Gettysburg next year).....
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Steven Cone
Member
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I'll miss being there thats for sure. Johans's Living history event "motor Mill" is still one of my fav things I have attented over the past few years.
The doe's playing 10 to 15 yrds away from me as I laid there on my bed roll was priceless
I dont know to many folks in the Jackson area.
Units Going to Shiloh Dont think I will make it though : ( I havent heard anything on any happenings at Fort pillow.
As for gettysburg no plans yet.. As much as I like to go I really dont want to be around that circus .
are there a lot of events Il?
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