Sapper44
Cadet
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2019
- Location
- Springtown, Texas
When Federal troops were issued the Enfield Cartridge Box did they put the Cartridge Box Plate in or just leave it as issued?
Thanks;
Christian
Thanks;
Christian
Extant photographs and surviving boxes indicate that the plates were not applied, but individual soldiers would do what they would, so it wouldn't be out of the question. The state of Massachusetts as late as August of 1862, had ordered as many as 3,000 sets of English accouterments complete with snake belt, ball bag and bayonet frog. These were initially stored in the US armory at Watertown and needed some type of alteration before issue. What is known about these issues, is that the shoulder belt is 1" narrower than the English regulation of 2.5". There is evidence to suggest that other states had ordered English accouterments as well early in the war. Paul Johnson in his excellent tome Civil War Cartridge Boxes of the Union Infantryman, covers this quite well on pages 170 and 171.When Federal troops were issued the Enfield Cartridge Box did they put the Cartridge Box Plate in or just leave it as issued?
Thanks;
Christian
I can't say that I have seen such an animal...….Since we are on the topic of British Issued equipment, I have a bayonet question... A number of sutlers market a bayonet 'frog' to allow the Enfield bayonet scabbard to be hung like a Springfield. Is this accurate, or a modern farbism?
I don't think I've ever seen a photo of Federal troops wearing English accoutrements, not to say it never happened but I think it was pretty rare.
Thanks, I hadn't seen that one
Thanks, I hadn't seen that one
Thanks Mr. Barry, I knew there was a some use out ther but not all that common on the Federal side. My point I was trying to make to the OP I assume he's asking this question in the Reenactors forum because he's either got an Enfield box or looking to get one and unless he has evidence his unit was issued them I'd recommend sticking with regular US issue box.This is covered in Suppliers to the Confederacy in detail. Some British accourtrement sets were used by Union state troops early in the war, before enough US sets could be produced. I believe these were State of Massachusetts troops in this image from 1861. Overwhelmingly though, Union troops are photographed with US accoutrements. On the CS side, British accoutrements are much more commonly encountered and if period photos are to be trusted most widely used after domestically produced CS accoutrements and captured US accoutrements.
Welcome to the forum and good luck with your project, let us know how it comes out.Thanks guys, had a chance to pick up a 1853 3band, and a 1862 Richmond. the 3 band was junk so went with the Richmond. I am planning to modify the Richmond to look like the 1855 1st pattern. I might use it for reenacting at some point, as I live in TX it would be Trans-Miss stuff.