Calvin Ainsworth of the 25th Iowa, of Steele's Division of the 15th Corps in the late spring of 1863 mentions in this snippet packing up for transport toward Milliken's bend in early April:
"First we pack our knapsacks, which consists of a pair of pants, one woolen shirt, one pair of woolen drawers, 2 pair of socks, one woolen blanket, soap and towel, one rubber poncho... Besides the above we have trinkets such as pictures of the loved ones at home and shells we have picked up for souvenirs, brush and comb, stationery, ink, etc. We button up our blue flannel coat with brass buttons, we then put on our cartridge belt, to this belt is attached on the right side a cartridge box which holds 40 rounds. [On the left side a small box filled with rifle] "caps," also a bayonet scabbard with the bayonet in, then comes our haversack generally carried on the right, then the canteen generally carried on the left, then the knapsack strapped on our back, thus we are harnessed with leather and weighted down for a march."
From Milliken's bend, much of the kit was left behind in mid-April by some units. Thomas W. Durham of Wallace's Zouaves (11th Indiana) of Hovey's Division, 13th Corps, says they left behind their knapsacks, etc.
"Here we left our knapsacks, tents and everything except an oilcloth blanket, haversack and canteen. We did not see our tents and knapsacks, which contained all our earthly possessions, until late in June while besieging Vicksburg."
But the 5th Iowa carried theirs...
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Major George H. Heafford of the 72nd Illinois, McPherson's 17th Corps, noted later:
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