“Bring for your men shelter-tents….and drop all excess of baggage.” —


When attending events that portray a troops on
campaign, one of the easiest, most satisfying, and
least-expensive ways for a reenactor to improve his
portrayal is to lighten his load and “carry only what
they carried” during the Civil War.

In order of priority, Civil War soldiers carried all
of their ordnance stores (gun, leathers, etc.), then
their camp equipage (haversack, knapsack, rubber
blanket tin boiler, etc.), and finally their personal
gear (uniform, blanket, personal items, etc.). The
latter two categories allowed the soldier to exercise
discretion about items that were important to him.
Similar to the soldiers of 1861-1865, reenactors
should use no more than what can comfortably by
carrying in a single trip.

Upon arriving at a reenactment, register, park
your vehicle in the participants’ parking area, don
your uniform and gear, and proceed into camp in one
trip. Not only will a short “prove-out march” from
the parking area demonstrate whether your load is
too heavy, but it will also save the hassles of
attempting to bring a vehicle into the bivouac to
unload stuff you may not need anyway.

When preparing for an event, pack into your
knapsack and haversack only “the essentials” that
you will really use, like a soldier of 1861-1865 on
campaign. What each man packs is up to the
individual, but your knapsack and haversack, and
your entire “campaign kit” should be light enough for
you to comfortably wear for extended periods.


What the Soldiers Said

The extent of a soldier’s marching kit was a hot
topic of military science during the Civil War. A
great deal of insight into the matter is presented in
the Army of the Potomac’s preparations for the
Chancellorsville campaign, in which lightly burdened
“flying columns” of infantry marched long distances
for up to eight days without being re-provisioned. In
the winter of 1863 a board of officers was appointed
to evaluate the soldiers’ marching kit and make
recommendations on how it could be lightened, so
that more rations could be carried during the coming
campaign. Their recommendations were summarized
in General Orders No. 65, dated March 7, 1863,
which read in part,

“Considering…the fact that three days’
[rations] has heretofore been the maximum
amount [carried], the board recommends as
follows:
“1. That all extra clothing, except a change of
underclothing, be stored.
“2. That five days’ rations of bread and smallstores
be placed in the knapsack.
“3. Three days’ cooked rations in the
haversack, and five days' fresh beef upon the
hoof.
“4. Two mules per regiment to carry campkettles,
rice, beans, &c.
“Each soldier will carry—Haversack 5¾
lbs., Knapsack 6 lbs., Blanket 5¼ lbs.,
Clothing 2 lbs., Total, 19 lbs. Making 13¼
pounds in the knapsacks, being 2¼ pounds
less than the weight usually carried by
soldiers in this army in their knapsacks.”(2)


Despite these explicit orders, not everyone
obeyed them. Following the Chancellorsville
campaign, Rufus Ingalls—the chief quartermaster,
Army of the Potomac—complained,

“The troops carried through the campaign
only those things most necessary for their
constant use…. A blanket should have been
taken, but no overcoat. Both weigh a man
down too heavily, and are not necessary in
moderate weather.” (3)

For copious quartermasters’ reports on how the
Board of Officers’ recommendations fared on
campaign see, War of the Rebellion: Official Records
of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume 25,
Part 2, pages 544-559.

Insight can also be gained through the words of
the soldiers themselves, and certainly there as many
variations in “campaign kit” as there were men in the
army. A 150th New York soldier wrote in July 1863,
while pursuing Lee after the battle of Gettysburg,
“The small amount of baggage I can carry on my
back, consist[s] only of a rubber blanket and shelter
tent with a change of clothing (two shirts)”.(4)

The soldier’s small amount of personal gear was
probably typical of Federal troops in the long and
arduous Gettysburg campaign. This same soldier,
eighteen months and several campaigns later,
recounted what he planned to carry into the coming
Carolinas campaign in January 1865:

“Our new campaign commences tomorrow …
with nothing more than my summer outfit of
Woolen blanket, Rubber blanket, shelter tent,
a change of clothing (1 shirt, 1 socks, 1
Drawers) writing material, frying pan and
hatchet, one day or more of rations, these I
carry in my knapsack.

“The clothing I wear is simple enough:
cap, coat (blouse), pants, and shoes (no
overcoat). I slept well by the picket fire with
only my rubber around my shoulders last
night.”(5)

To lighten their load while on campaign, soldiers
occasionally discarded their knapsack in favor of one
of the variations known as “the blanket roll”.
Blanket rolls were lighter and caused less back pain
and abrasion on the shoulders. The disadvantage of a
blanket roll was that its contents were scattered when
the blanket is unrolled.

A member of the 9th Massachusetts Infantry
described how a blanket roll was made:

“The inventive genius of some produced what
was termed the ‘horse collar.’ An army
blanket was spread on the ground and a few
necessary articles of clothing selected from
the discarded knapsack and spread thereon;
then the blanket and its contents were
carefully and tightly rolled up, the ends
brought together and firmly tied. This
singular roll was put on over the head and
rested on one shoulder and against the
opposite side under the arm; in this manner it
was easily and lightly carried. When tired of
carrying it on one shoulder it would be shifted
over to the other. At a halt for a few minutes
it was used as a cushion to sit on. It was
found to be, on fatiguing marches, a great
relief from the much despised knapsack with
its cutting straps and awkward, back heavy
burden.”(6)

A soldier of the Confederate Army of Northern
Virginia recalled the contents of his blanket roll:

“I had a very good oilcloth haversack to carry
my rations in, a tin cup, a splendid rubber
cloth, and blanket, a pair of jeans drawers, and
a pair of woolen socks; …The socks and the
drawers were placed on the blanket, the
blanket was rolled up with the rubber cloth on
the outside, the ends drawn together and
fastened with a short strap. To carry this, we
put it over our head and let it hang from the
shoulder.”(7)

While blanket rolls were widely used, knapsacks
were hardly universally discarded, as described by a
sergeant in the Army of the Potomac’s 155th New
York at the 1864 battle of Reams Station:

“I got off [away from the advancing
Confederates] with three more from our
company. I did not lose one article of my
things. All the others flung everything off
them [in their attempt to escape]. I took my
knapsack, haversack, musket, and canteen all
right, besides three days provisions with me.”(8)

Below is a packing “checklist” that the author of
this article has used in preparing for living history
events. Your “essentials” may vary.

Knapsack

• Blanket: One good 5 lb., 100 percent wool
   blanket is all a reenactor needs, even in cold
   weather. The blanket should be a relatively
   good size—say, 57 inches by 80 inches.

• Gum Blanket: A gum blanket is essential for use
   as a ground cloth, raincoat, or shelter. For
   infantrymen, gum blankets were much more
   common than ponchos. An effective and lighterweight
   alternative to a gum blanket is a painted
   cloth (“oilcloth”), such as was issued to many
   Union and Confederate soldiers. These were
   basically lightweight cloth, like muslin, painted
   with a mixture of lampblack and linseed oil,
   similar to the coating applied to canvas
   knapsacks and haversacks.

• Shelter Half: Many scenarios call for Union
   impressionists to carry a shelter half. A good
   reproduction shelter half should weigh only 1.5
   lbs. compared to an actual weight of 4.0 lbs. for
   a heavier-duty shelter half such as those sold by
   Panther and Fall Creek. Individual enlisted men
   should not carry full tents (e.g., two shelter
   halves) and evidence that triangular end-pieces
   for dog tents were available to or used by
   Federal enlisted men is exceedingly scant. If
   tent poles are necessary, improvise when you
   arrive at your campsite, or use your gun
   bayoneted to the ground as an upright.

• Journal Book and Pencils: The writer often
   carries this non-essential, personal item that
   comes in handy to record thoughts, write letters,
   use as a fire-starter, or to use as “paper” in “an
   emergency”.

• Extra Pair of Wool Socks: Perhaps the soldiers
   of 1861-1865 did not always have extra socks,
   but reenactors should consider carrying a second
   pair for warmth at night and for health purposes.
   One extra pair of socks is a small, light addition
   to your marking kit.

• Extra Shirt: Completely non-essential in the
   warmer months, an extra shirt is a good addition
   to your kit during colder-weather events.

• Waistcoat (Vest): The writer often carries this
   non-essential item, especially for colder-weather
   reenacting. While they were common, certainly
   not all soldiers carried one. Vests were not an
   issue item, and civilian and military-style vests
   were used in the field.

• Overcoat: Leave the overcoat home in warm
   weather (later in the war, soldiers placed them in
   storage until the autumn). However, a Federalissue
   overcoat for colder events is one of the
   most useful items in the living historian’s kit,
   serving as both a coat and a blanket, and at night
   the cape can be used to completely cover your
   face and head for warmth.

• Small Towel: Not of the modern-day terrycloth
   variety, a period-style towel, such as
   “Huckabuck” towels sold at Wal-Mart (e.g.,
   unbleached, off-white, plain cotton towels
   usually sold in a pack of five for $5.00, in the
   dishtowel department), or other period-correct
   reproductions, is useful in washing up your
   person and gear. Carry a bar of lye soap with the
   towel.

• Extra Ammunition: If more than forty rounds are
   necessary for the event, pack additional
   ammunition in paper packages of ten rounds plus
   one paper tube with twelve percussion caps into
   the knapsack.

• Roll of Twine (String): About 20 to 30 feet of
   twine or hemp is the soldier’s companion for
   rigging up shelter.

• Lighting: While not used by this writer, some
   soldiers carried an small, folding, tin cantlelanterns
   that could easily fit in a knapsack.

• Extra Food: Food for a two- or three-day
   reenactment should fit in the haversack but, if it
   does not, put the extra into the knapsack.

• Hygiene Items: The writer carries a muslin poke
   bag with a wooden toothbrush, comb, and two
   small glass vials with corks; one vial contains
   baking soda for tooth powder, and the other is
   for sunscreen.

• Miscellaneous: These might include a CDV,
   tintype, or ambrotype of your family, razor,
   religious items such as a pocket Bible, sewing
   kit, a few pieces of dry kindling, pipe and
   tobacco, and other personal items. Critically
   evaluate all these items and determine if they are
   “essential”; chances are, after some soulsearching,
   you may decide that many “stuffers”—especially
   “necessary” flasks—uselessly that take up important
   room in yourpack. “Stuffers” and personal items can also be
   conveniently carried in your pockets; Civil War soldiers
   loved pockets and often field-modified
   their uniforms by adding pockets.

Haversack

The principal purpose of the haversack was to
carry rations and mess furniture.

• Rations: Limiting campaign-rations primarily to
   salt pork, hardtack, coffee, and sugar both
   improves your “authenticity” and occupy less
   space and weigh less than the rations consumed
   by many reenactors. Canned food existed in the
   Civil War, but was rarely available to or used by
   enlisted men on campaign.

• Tin Plate: A good tin plate is a serving dish,
   frying pan and, if necessary, digging implement.
   Assuming it fits into your bread bag, a plate adds
   rigidity to your haversack. A canteen half will
   serve the same purpose as a plate.

• Eating Utensils: A knife, fork, and spoon are
   essential, and reenactors may want to consider
   wrapping them in a rag or in a small canvas sack.
   Also, a pocketknife in your pants pocket or
   haversack is essential.

• Boiler or Tin Can: An issue boiler and/or a
   period-style tin can with a wire bail is essential.
   If the tin can is carried in addition to the boiler, it
   can serve well as a coffee cooler and or
   supplemental mess furniture.

• Candle: One beeswax candle is essential. A
   common, soldier-improvised candleholder was
   an upside-down boiler or can.

• Matches and Match-safe: It is a good idea to
   carry one box of matches in a match-safe (i.e., a
   small box that protects the box of matches from
   being crushed). Match-safes are also easily
   carried in a jacket pocket. Careful shopping at
   an antique store or relic vendor can turn up a
   fairly inexpensive period match-safe.

• Rags: Carry one or two period-style rags—not
   the modern blue or red bandannas sold by many
   vendors of reproduction wares. These will come
   in handy as potholders, clean-up wipes, &c.

Gear Shared by a Mess

During the Civil War a group of two to eight or
so men who were pals often shared several items of
“communal” gear, which could also be reflected in a
reenactor’s kit. Such items might include a sheetiron
skillet, small coffee pot, small lantern, or other
items.

Each mess should also consider having amongst
them one “larger” knife (say, with a blade six inches
long or so) for carving larger pieces of meat and
other foods.

Blanket Rolls

Perhaps the most familiar blanket roll variation
was the “horse collar”—similarly named items like
the “mule collar” were identical to it—in which the
soldier’s gear was wrapped up in a blanket that was
tied like a tube and carried diagonally over one
shoulder across the chest and back to the opposite
hip. While comfortable in cooler weather, horse
collars can be extremely hot in warmer weather.

An alternative to the horse collar is to make a
“hobo-roll” or “tump line”, by rolling the blanket and
its contents into a short (18 inches or so) log-like roll,
and tying off each end with rope or overcoat straps
from a knapsack. The hobo-roll is carried by running
a U-shaped line (hemp rope, or a musket sling)
through each strap on the blanket roll, and carrying
the blanket on the back with the strap or sling over
one shoulder. A hobo-roll may wear on your
shoulders more—particularly if rope is used for the
sling—but the load can be moved easily while
marching and it allows your torso to “breathe” in
warmer weather.

As a practicality, do not carry your gum blanket
rolled up with your blanket roll, because it will be hot
in the sun and, in the rain, it is unavailable for use
while marching.

Weighing the Load

To evaluate the items listed in this article against
the Army of the Potomac’s marching load at
Chancellorsville, the author of this article packed his
knapsack and haversack and weighed them.

The haversack contained two days’ rations of salt
pork, hardtack, and coffee with a total weight per
Army Regulations of 3.7 lbs., along with a few
miscellaneous items and mess gear, including a 32-
oz. tin dipper. The haversack’s total weight was 5.7
lbs.

The knapsack was packed with a blanket, gum
blanket, period-correct shelter half, overcoat, towel,
one pair of socks, forty “blank” cartridges, a small
journal book and pencils, sewing kit, hygiene items,
and a rosary. The weight of the full knapsack was
17.5 lbs.; when the greatcoat was removed, the
knapsack’s weight was 14.0 lb.

The reenactor’s packing list stacks up fairly well
against the Army of the Potomac’s marching load at
Chancellorsville. The reproduction items included
only two days’ rations, plus a gum blanket and the
weight of the haversack and knapsack themselves.
The Board of Officers’ recommendations included
three days’ full rations in the haversack; in the
knapsack were five days’ rations of hardtack, 2 lbs.
of clothing (which the writer assumed were of
approximately equal in weight to a pair of socks and
a shelter half), and a wool blanket.

Note that the Board of Officers’ recommended
load includes neither a gum blanket, which was
carried by virtually all soldiers of the Army of the
Potomac at Chancellorsville, or the weight of the
haversack and knapsack themselves. The Board’s
recommended load includes about 7.9 lbs. of food
not in the reenactor’s haversack and knapsack, while
the weight of the reenactor’s gum blanket, haversack,
and knapsack totaled about 7.5 lbs. The reenactor’s
journal book, forty blank cartridges, and other items
more than account for the difference of 0.4 lbs.

Therefore, it was concluded that the packing list
presented above is fairly accurate to the period.
Further, the writer asserts, based on personal
experience, that it is sufficient for protection from the
elements and includes sufficient food for a two-day
living history event.

Conclusion

The items listed above are gear that many Civil
War soldier would have carried on campaign. The
list does not include a whiskey flask, box lantern,
ammunition box, tent poles, camp stools, multiple
blankets, canned food, railroad-spike tent stakes, or
other useless items that add bulk and weight to your
kit with minimal real functionality, and detract from
an otherwise accurate portrayal.


(1) United States War Department, The War of the Rebellion:
The Official Records of the Union and Confederate
Armies, (hereinafter O.R.) Series 1, Volume 31, Part 3,
U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C.,
1880-1901, p. 245.

(2) O.R., Series 1, Vol. 25, Part 2, p. 488.

(3) Ibid, p. 545.

(4) Kaminsky, Virginia H. ed., A War to Petrify the Heart:
The Civil War Letters of a Dutchess County, N.Y.
Volunteer: Richard T. Van Wyck, Hensonville NY: Black
Dome Press, 1997, p. 108

(5) Ibid, p. 306.

(6) Macnamara, Daniel, The History of the Ninth Regiment
Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, Boston:E.B. Stillings,
1899 (reprint ed. by Samito, Christian, New
York:Fordham University Press, 2000).

(7) Worsham, John, One of Jackson’s Foot Cavalry, New
York:Neal Publishing Company, 1912.

(8) Tipping, George, letter of September 1, 1864, Katherine
Cochrane Keane Collection, Buffalo and Erie County
Historical Society, Buffalo, New York.


References
Macnamara, Daniel, The History of the Ninth
     Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry,
     Boston:E.B. Stillings, 1899 (reprint ed. by
     Samito, Christian, New York:Fordham University
     Press, 2000).
Kaminsky, Virginia H. ed., A War to Petrify the Heart: The
     Civil War Letters of a Dutchess County, N.Y.
     Volunteer: Richard T. Van Wyck, Hensonville NY:
     Black Dome Press, 1997
Tipping, George, letters in the Katherine Cochrane
     Keane Collection, Buffalo and Erie County
     Historical Society, Buffalo, New York.
United States War Department, War of the Rebellion:
     Official Records of the Union and Confederate
     Armies, 128 Volumes; Washington D.C.:United
     States Government Printing Office, 1880-1901.
Worsham, John, One of Jackson’s Foot Cavalry,
     New York:Neal Publishing Company, 1912.