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John, mine were from Scott Co. mostly. My mother's side. Had one gr.gr.grand that went up to KY and joined up with the Yankees. But I'm proud of him because he died for standing up for Jeff Davis.
I wish I had photos of some of them to share on this thread...
The lost-cause myth of the barefoot and malnourished Confederate soldier is an interesting one.
I had ancestors from the mountains of SW VA that fought with the 64th VA Mounted Inf as well as the 25th VA Calvary. There are stories that one especially cold New Year's eve there were men that actually froze to death in the saddle while riding all night in order to be in position for the next morning's action. All this time I did not realize that they must have been dressed too warmly and their sweat-drenched clothing froze around them sending them into hypothermic shock or something.
Hal
Most impressive, shall I begin recounting instances of canteens turned to ice or of marching through 12 feet of snow? Minnesota & Iowa men fighting the Lakota in 62... in considerably a colder clime marched, fought and survived on the plains of Minnesota & SD. As I had no less than three relatives who served in Iowa Cav units fighting against the Lakota I think I have some knowledge on the subject. No tents, few great coats and one, count this, only one issue of brogans. The 3rd MN VI had to draw weapons from local gunshops before they left on campaign as there were not enough arms available for their use; anyone care to guess how many were old flintlocks? They marched ****her & faster than any AoP or ANV troops against an enemy they could expect no quarter from. Wow look at that, by concentrating just on the lean times of Minnesota & Iowa troops... maybe I can create a legend of the ragged Union Soldier. I won't, because to do so would be to dishonor them.
Check into the winter of 63/64 you will find many instances of both Union & CS troops freezing to death on pickett.
Hal, do me a favor and actually read what has been put forward about the Ragged Rebel on this thread and on others; then take up my challenge and go to the Authentic-Campaigner and ask about the myth of the ragged Rebel. I'll warn you though, if you accuse anyone there of being nothing more than a mouthpiece of "Yankee Propoganda"... you probably won't like the response.
Sunktanka ihektam mani...
__________________ Few take the trouble to understand or to view the American scene with perspective. And we Americans love to find ourselves guilty of something. However, it is never I who am guilty, but those other Americans, the past or present government or the other political party. Americans almost never find other countries guilty. It is always ourselves or our fancied influence in other countries. Louis L'amour
Camp Douglas, IL
1864, with the new barracks shown
Somewhere in that picture are three gr.gr.grand uncles of mine. A fourth died there prior to the photograph.
Shane: Hal, do me a favor and actually read what has been put forward about the Ragged Rebel on this thread and on others; then take up my challenge and go to the Authentic-Campaigner and ask about the myth of the ragged Rebel. I'll warn you though, if you accuse anyone there of being nothing more than a mouthpiece of "Yankee Propoganda"... you probably won't like the response.
Huh??
The above gr.gr.grand uncles fought for the 29th and 64th VA, and were captured at Cumberland Gap.
Regarding their outfit's state of supply, etc, here's something from Jefferey Weavers history, "64th Virginia Infantry."
Page 9-10; battalion adjutant J.A.G. Hyatt: "Winter was approaching and as they had no tents, the officers set the men to work erecting some 20 log cabins.... The supplies were donated by the home people, friends, and sympathizers, but at times were very scanty... When the home folks could not send in enough to eat, the soldiers had to resort ot foraging and the hunting of wild game... Bear, venison, squirrel, pheasant, rabbit, raccoon, and possum all went to make up the rations of these soldiers during the winter of '61. Pocket knives, forked sticks, wooded paddles, and such improvised instruments consituted most of the table equipment that these soldiers had."
Page 104; (1865): "The regiment moved from place to place, in fact to any place where food for man or beast could be found."
Page 105; The last extant inspection report... was made on January 5, 1865..." "Aggregate men: 617...." "There were only 150 overcoats in the entire brigade. The men of the command had 204 other coats or jackets, 221 pairs of trousers, 253 shirts, 297 pair of drawers, 240 pairs of shoes, and 325 pair of stockings. Many of the men were obviously nearly naked."
Thanks very much for the post of the pontoons on the wagons. Would these have been similar to those used by the Army of Tennessee at Bainbridge, Alabama in December, 1864?
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