socks

[The Ninth Ohio]

It was tradition - 'wet the boot and wear it'. I learned it from my instructors in the Army Cadet Force in the 1960s. They learned it from their instructors during the War - many of whom had served in the previous conflict and learned it from their instructors.
Many on the Confederate side even marched barefoot - their boots fell apart and, since there were none available they marched barefoot - no socks visible. Look at the corpses on the field of battle - few are wearing boots - even if they were wearing them before. It was one way of getting some boots when the Quartermaster failed to supply.

Trying to prove that people did or did not do things in a traditional way, is near impossible for there will be no record. It was just 'the way we did it'. How do you prove that some soldiers roasted rabbit on their bayonets? Did the bayonets pass inspection the next morning? How they polish their boots? How do you wash and shave when there is no water?

Nah.

Quartermaster records show socks were pretty widely available. Having no socks was the exception, mostly for new enlistments with no supply available, or those on campaign far away from supply.

This just reads like another one of those "aww shucks" history claims that never actually happened.

 

[Old Soldier]

And who wrote the quartermasters records? I bet all the figures added up. Has anyone got any original Civil War socks?
And what did they use for toilet paper? What were the toilets like - on the march?

People never wrote about this - maybe a few snide remarks over a beer much later - but these are basic needs - so basic they are not worth mentioning - or recording.

What DID they put into the stew on an evening? Was the coffee really that bad? How did they keep warm in the Winter?

 

[The Ninth Ohio]

And who wrote the quartermasters records? I bet all the figures added up. Has anyone got any original Civil War socks?
And what did they use for toilet paper? What were the toilets like - on the march?

People never wrote about this - maybe a few snide remarks over a beer much later - but these are basic needs - so basic they are not worth mentioning - or recording.

What DID they put into the stew on an evening? Was the coffee really that bad? How did they keep warm in the Winter?

So your take, if I understand it correctly, is there was a massive conspiracy to cook the books on socks so people never discovered soldiers had to pee in their shoes to make them work?

Look, I'm glad you have experience from which to speak regarding soldier life. But soldier life in Britain in the mid 20th century bore basically zero resemblance to soldier life in the mid 19th century United States. This is the umpteenth time you have attempted to inject modern military understanding into an army which was separated by 150ish years, 4000 miles, and countless cultural differences.

 

[JackADriscoll]

Thin wool socks do a really good job of moisture wicking on the march. Thick socks for when you are on guard duty in the cold or standing stationary every little bit of cushion helps. Thick socks on the long march for me weren't good.

 

[Dan Kohli]

It was tradition - 'wet the boot and wear it'. I learned it from my instructors in the Army Cadet Force in the 1960s. They learned it from their instructors during the War - many of whom had served in the previous conflict and learned it from their instructors.
Many on the Confederate side even marched barefoot - their boots fell apart and, since there were none available they marched barefoot - no socks visible. Look at the corpses on the field of battle - few are wearing boots - even if they were wearing them before. It was one way of getting some boots when the Quartermaster failed to supply.

Trying to prove that people did or did not do things in a traditional way, is near impossible for there will be no record. It was just 'the way we did it'. How do you prove that some soldiers roasted rabbit on their bayonets? Did the bayonets pass inspection the next morning? How they polish their boots? How do you wash and shave when there is no water?

The folks would write stuff down in letters and memoirs however novel or boring they were. For the shoes, if they learned it from their instructors. Socks or stockings were issued to the soldiers. Stuff was written down.

 

[Old Soldier]

So your take, if I understand it correctly, is there was a massive conspiracy to cook the books on socks so people never discovered soldiers had to pee in their shoes to make them work?

Look, I'm glad you have experience from which to speak regarding soldier life. But soldier life in Britain in the mid 20th century bore basically zero resemblance to soldier life in the mid 19th century United States. This is the umpteenth time you have attempted to inject modern military understanding into an army which was separated by 150ish years, 4000 miles, and countless cultural differences.

OK - so where are YOUR sources and experience? I see far more modern philosophy and references from modern Americans. BTW - the Enfield was a British design and product, the drills were the same no matter where you were, as was much of the drill and organisation of the army. It differed only in detail.

My comments are not designed to be so factual, but to get someone YOUR side of the Pond to respond and tell me different.

 

[Mississippian1861]

Billings in Hardtack and Coffee noted that Government socks were poorly made. Socks sent from home and soldiers aid societies were very common and were probably much better quality than issue socks.

 

[The Ninth Ohio]

OK - so where are YOUR sources and experience?

Umm…original documentation provided by those who were actually there? It certainly is a weird claim to make, given there are thousands of quartermaster records, inventories of personal effects, etc. indicating soldiers were issued socks on a regular basis…sometimes having as many as three or four pairs on their person at one time.

My comments are not designed to be so factual, but to get someone YOUR side of the Pond to respond and tell me different.

Yet when challenged for evidence you get defensive. And when provided evidence to the contrary you double down and even imply loads of evidence must have been fabricated.

 

[Mint Julep]

The most misleading information I've ever read in a thread. I can tell that many of you have never served, and if you did, it was in support roles.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

I'm pretty sure that I read about ladies societies in Macon, Georgia making socks for the soldiers from their city. The socks were sent north to Virginia by train.

 

[captaindrew]

The most misleading information I've ever read in a thread. I can tell that many of you have never served, and if you did, it was in support roles.

Being we're all clueless and you know EVERYTHING why don't you enlighten us!

 

[Mint Julep]

Being we're all clueless and you know EVERYTHING why don't you enlighten us!

I would be wasting my time; you know that.

 

[The Ninth Ohio]

I would be wasting my time; you know that.

So you got fooled by the ol' "pee boot" too, eh?

 

[Mint Julep]

So you got fooled by the ol' "pee boot" too, eh?

I've never heard of anything like that, but I also haven't spent time with any reenactors.

 

[PrivateBrooke]

So I peed in my brogans, as suggested. I wore them for a while with no socks and now they're horrible to smell and I had to put them outside to air out. A stray dog pulled them right off my porch and now I'm ordering new ones. I won't be peeing in these.

 

[Dan Kohli]

So I peed in my brogans, as suggested. I wore them for a while with no socks and now they're horrible to smell and I had to put them outside to air out. A stray dog pulled them right off my porch and now I'm ordering new ones. I won't be peeing in these.

That's pretty rough.

 

[captaindrew]

So I peed in my brogans, as suggested. I wore them for a while with no socks and now they're horrible to smell and I had to put them outside to air out. A stray dog pulled them right off my porch and now I'm ordering new ones. I won't be peeing in these.

Good grief, I've heard a lot of weird stuff over the years but that's a completely new one to me, where did you hear that suggestion?

 

[Dan Kohli]

Deleted.

 

[charliegold]

I'm sorry you lost yer brogans. but have to admit the dog story made me laugh. yes I've heard of urine treated leather. peeing on yer brogans is definitely "quality suffering"
lp

 

[68coupe]

So I peed in my brogans, as suggested. I wore them for a while with no socks and now they're horrible to smell and I had to put them outside to air out. A stray dog pulled them right off my porch and now I'm ordering new ones. I won't be peeing in these.

I have to admit, I laughed out loud. I hope this was a joke.

Karl, 68coupe