Rolling a Greatcoat?

[UnionistMarylander]

Title is pretty self-explanatory, I was wondering if any of y'all here could help me on how to roll my greatcoat in the infantry style, so that the back adjuster fits over the knapsack straps? The only resource I've found was in Poinsett's Cavalry Tactics, but the mounted manner is entirely different from the infantry.

 

[Dan Kohli]

I'm failing to remember if the knapsack video made by Civil War Digital Digest goes over how to roll the greatcoat. I think I might go down the greatcoat roll rabbit hole.

 

[RedRover]

Title is pretty self-explanatory, I was wondering if any of y'all here could help me on how to roll my greatcoat in the infantry style, so that the back adjuster fits over the knapsack straps? The only resource I've found was in Poinsett's Cavalry Tactics, but the mounted manner is entirely different from the infantry.

The Greatcoats when in barracks, etc. were to be rolled inside out, and strapped. I would think the mode was similar to the cavalry mode, but with the coat roll much shorter, no wider than the knapsack itself...

The soldiers were to have straps to secure their greatcoats in a roll in barracks, etc. From 1857...

From 1863...

All that said, on the march, etc. however, the greatcoat straps were not intended to be used, as the coats were intended to be folded, and placed under the knapsack flap. From 1857...

From 1863...

The above was reiterated in the Army and Navy Journal in 1864 in answer to questions put to the Commandant of the Military Academy at West Point...

Point being, where US troops carried a rolled greatcoat atop their knapsacks in camp and field they were doing so exterior to any particular regulation.

 

[7thWisconsin]

OK - button at least the top and bottom buttons on the coat, and top, bottom and maybe a couple in the middle on the cape. Lay the coat on the floor buttons facing up. Place the sleeves across the front like when you fold a shirt. Turn the cape so it´s upside down, wide part away from the coat. (It´ll be kinda cone shaped.) Start rolling the coat up tightly from the bottom, keeping the arms inside. When you get to the wide part of the cape, a roll or two away from the end, tuck the pointed ends in so that the last fold or so holds them to the roll. Set the rolled coat on top of your pack and buckle it down.

 

[Old Soldier]

OK - button at least the top and bottom buttons on the coat, and top, bottom and maybe a couple in the middle on the cape. Lay the coat on the floor buttons facing up. Place the sleeves across the front like when you fold a shirt. Turn the cape so it´s upside down, wide part away from the coat. (It´ll be kinda cone shaped.) Start rolling the coat up tightly from the bottom, keeping the arms inside. When you get to the wide part of the cape, a roll or two away from the end, tuck the pointed ends in so that the last fold or so holds them to the roll. Set the rolled coat on top of your pack and buckle it down.

It is quite amazing how the descriptions of these simple actions always require a third hand.