Confederate soldiers

[J.D.Chesnut]

I'm doing some research in to what every day items Confederate soldiers would Carrie with them into battle

 

[johan_steele]

As little as possible. Ask any soldier who has actually marched and he will gripe about the jokers in his deck.

 

[J.D.Chesnut]

Thanks johan_steele

 

[Stainless Steel Mucket]

Here's your quickest and best read : http://www.amazon.com/dp/0807133256/?tag=civilwartalkc-20 Also found in most libraries. Bell Wiley's book is the classic on the subject.

- S.S. Mucket

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

Welcome to CivilWarTalk.

 

[Patrick H]

Yes, welcome from Missouri.

 

[johan_steele]

I didn't mean to be flipant. The reality is that any combat infantryman will carry only what he absolutely needs when on campaign. Shoes, drawers, pants, shirt, jacket, ground cloth (if he can lay hands on one) blanket roll with maybe a bible, some paper,a pencil, another pair of socks and a shirt with a few toiletries rolled with. Past that a pocket knife in his pocket, his haversack will have whatever rations he can carry plus a plate and spoon and a cup, his canteen will be full as will his cartridge box. Past that... what does a man have to have to survive?

 

[Tin cup]

"I went back to my company with a light heart, made disposition of my gun and ammunition, and took my baggage with me. I will take occasion to tell what that consisted of, and at same time will say that it was rather above the average in our army, as to quality as well as quantity. I had a very good oilcloth haversack to carry my rations in, a tin cup, a splendid rubber cloth, a blanket, a pair of jeans drawers, and a pair of woolen socks; every article captured from the enemy!
The socks and drawers were placed in the blanket, the blanket was rolled up with the rubber cloth on the outside, the ends drawn together and fastened with a short strap. To carry this we put it over the head and let it hang from the shoulder."
ONE OF JACKSON'S FOOT CAVALRY HIS EXPERIENCE AND WHAT HE SAW
DURING THE WAR 1861-1865
INCLUDING A HISTORY OF "F COMPANY," RICHMOND,
VA., 21st REGIMENT VIRGINIA INFANTRY,
SECOND BRIGADE, JACKSON'S DIVISION,
SECOND CORPS, A. N. VA.
BY JOHN H. WORSHAM

Kevin Dally

 

[D.H. Hill]

It's a question of balancing comfort with how much you are willing to carry, and every soldier seems to have made that decision personally. In photographs one sees men with blanket rolls, knapsacks, neither, and both. A clean shirt and socks after a long, hot march (or one on which you get soaked) can really be worth the weight of packing them. It also depends on circumstances. It seems that many soldiers would leave their knapsacks with most of their less necessary gear in the baggage train for long marches and such, only carrying a blanket roll with the bare necessities.

For example: in November, 1863 Echols' (1st) brigade was camped near Lewisburg, (West) Virginia. They received orders to march north to the support "Mudwall" Jackson's cavalry brigade, which was facing Gen. Averell's 2nd raid. Tents and knapsacks were left in Lewisburg. Therefore:
1. The men had less to carry and could march faster before Averell crushed the vastly outnumbered cavalry
2. If the CS won, the baggage train could catch up after a couple days and the men would have their stuff
3. If the US won, they could retreat faster

(In the event he US won but the knapsacks were accidentally left in Lewisburg and destroyed by a Union flanking column)

Knapsacks would typically contain extra shirts and underwear, soap, a comb, a toothbrush, a shelter tent or oilcloth (or poncho), an overcoat (men often ditched these in summer, or left them in the wagons), socks, perhaps a deck of cards, reading materials (the most common of which was the Bible), pen and paper, personal items such as photographs of loved ones &c., perhaps string and other useful oddments. If a blanket roll wasn't worn there were various ways to attach it to the knapsack, depending on the type. What a person carried depended on the individual, and more experienced soldiers (as others have mentioned) tended to carry less. Some men were slobs who wore the same clothes until they rotted off their backs, while others were fastidious about keeping clean when practicable.

On their person they would carry what any man of the period typically did- knife, wallet, and sometimes a watch and handkerchief.

I believe that's what you were referring to by "everyday items" (viz.- personal items?). If I may be so bold, what is your intent? Are you writing a paper? A book? Do you plan to reenact?

If either of the latter, remember that WHO the man portrayed is will determine to a substantial extent what he has, how he wears it, and how he acts. A seedy loafer didn't have much in common with a foppish swell or a solid gentleman, and all three (and more) jined the army.

Did not intend to be so lengthy. This article (http://acws.co.uk/archives-military-equipment) is a good source of more information.

Also (I promise this is the last thing)- you may wish to look at period photographs- Library of Congress has quite a few in very high definition online, though the Rebs are mostly gone beaver, often grotesquely so.

D.H.

 

[Stony]

Welcome.

 

[AUG]

When actually going into battle it was a common practice to strip off your blanket roll and/or knapsack, and possibly even haversack as well to lighten the load -- though usually only if commanded to do so. So in that case, gear wise, you'd only be carrying your musket, cartridge belt, box & cap pouch, bayonet and scabbard, canteen, maybe your tin cup, and whatever was in your pockets. And if you are religious than throw away your deck of cards!

In a letter to his brother written after the battle of Gettysburg, 4th Texas private John Camden West said of going into battle, "Off went blankets, knapsacks and all surplus baggage, and yelling and screaming we rushed on the batteries..." And in a letter to his wife, "I threw away my blankets and all of my extra clothing when we went into the battle, but I picked up a blanket on coming out." In still another post-battle letter to his wife he related, "In the battle I threw away my haversack and contents, except a flannel shirt and a pair of socks, which I tucked under my belt. I lost the socks and have been for several days without any, but have not experienced the inconvenience I expected, except in having my ankles considerably lacerated by briers in marching across the fields. I have had no change of clothing since, and hence have been compelled to throw away my undershirt, which had become a harbor for innumerable body lice."