What Was in the Civil War Soldier's Backpack?
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The Essential Belongings of a Civil War Soldier
My great-great grandfather marched many miles in the Civil War. He was an infantryman with the 93rd Indiana Volunteers. On his back, he carried all the essentials for a soldier in the field. His pack contained his blanket, tent, plate, cup, and personal items.
I wanted to find out what would be in the typical Civil War soldier's back pack. Some videos explain the gear needed by a soldier and one can still buy such things as a reproduction of a Civil War canteen. If you have a Civil War ancestor or are a Civil War reenactor, check out what I found about a Civil War soldier's gear.
Private Ford Rallies The 61st PVI at Fair Oaks by 61stpvi
Note the backpack and gear on the soldier by the flag.
I wanted to find out what would be in the typical Civil War soldier's back pack. Some videos explain the gear needed by a soldier and one can still buy such things as a reproduction of a Civil War canteen. If you have a Civil War ancestor or are a Civil War reenactor, check out what I found about a Civil War soldier's gear.
Private Ford Rallies The 61st PVI at Fair Oaks by 61stpvi
Note the backpack and gear on the soldier by the flag.
Civil War Tents
At first the soldiers had tents with side walls and a peaked roof like a house. These proved too weighty to tote around. A later tent looked similar to an Indian teepee (the Sibley tent). Finally the soldiers were issued a single flap of canvas that would combine with another soldier's flap to make a tent like the one in the picture below.
The Civil War Canteens Weren't Popular
I read that many men threw away their heavy and sometimes leaky canteens and used instead their tin cups which were lighter. They used the cups to dip water from streams or a well. They could put it in the fire to cook their coffee.
The cover of the canteen could be soaked in water and through evaporation would keep the water inside the canteen cooler.
The cover of the canteen could be soaked in water and through evaporation would keep the water inside the canteen cooler.
Civil War Knives Show up on eBay
Good luck bidding on one
Some knife, fork and spoon combinations were in use also.
Read More about a Civil War Soldier's Equipment
My Pages about the Civil War
Are You a Civil War Buff?
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wadsworc
May 14, 2012 @ 2:12 pm | delete
- About how many pounds did the average Civil War soldier carry? I read somewhere that one Confederate general drilled his men in 6-mile-long double quicks while they carried everything with them and am curious to know how hard this would have been.
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nancycarol
Oct 24, 2011 @ 11:55 am | delete
- Congratulations on your 26th lens of the quest. I knew you could do it, and your niche is a most interesting one too.
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