what's in your haversack?

[armedOkie]

I just made a haversack last week, and aside from some basic leather tools (awl, couple needles, sinew) it is still empty. I was wondering what the contents of YOUR haversack are? Period items only.

 

[SgtSchutzen]

What`s in mine depends on where I am and what I`m doing. If I`m in the woods hunting or trekking there`s probably some food in there plus whatever would be in my pockets if my outfit had pockets. If I`m at a show or event I usually use it like a shopping bag for items I`ve bought, pamphlets picked up etc.

 

[BrownBear]

Food and water, sumpin for keepin dry and sumpin for keepin warm.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Sure would love to see a picture of it :grin:

 

[Rickey Brown]

I keep my sewing kit, back up fire kit, small bottle of water, some jerky and my oil cloth watch coat for hunting. If trekking I add my corn boiler. If at rendezvous or events I tend to keep the digi cam and cellphone in it

 

[Preacher Jeremy]

Fire staring kit, tin of tobacco, a clay pipe, and a tin holding my period sunglasses.

 

[necchi]

Period items only.

:hmm:
That would mean I'm on a woods walk and may have need for several items.
Fire starting kit w/candle stub
Sewing kit
trade beads/ trade items
copper snare/trap wire
water container
*dried food items/lunch
compass/watch
twine/string/short rope
shaving kit
soap (also a trade item)
small knife if I don't have one on my person otherwise

* there will be folks that'll come along and remind us that this is what "haversack" is meant for

 

[armedOkie]

Sure would love to see a picture of it :grin:

Its not nice. Im incredibly new to this. I just sewed it up with canvas i had in my utility closet. Ive done almost no sewing prior to this.

 

[coloradoclyde]

You're too modest! I think it looks great!
Heck I can't sew nearly that good. :thumbsup:

 

[Alden]

Nothing wrong with that.

 

[armedOkie]

Thanks fellers. Getting involved with this community is motivating me to learn lots of new useful things lately.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

First off, that's a pretty good looking pack ! :thumbsup:

A haversack is one of those items that by and large was well known to be a military ration bag. It's pretty doubtful (imho) that a person not part of, nor attached to, the military would have had a haversack, nor would they have called their pack by the term "haversack". You see haversacks were always government property, and marked a person as a possible deserter, in a day and age when there were no photographs, one did not want to even suggest to the people they encountered they might be a deserter worth cash money if seized. Seems like a small point, but from what I've read was a pretty big thing back in the day.

For example the males subject to militia duty in my colony, later state, had to provide themselves with musket or rifle, ammunition, tomahawk in lieu of a bayonet, and in some cases rations, but were never told to bring their "haversack". How they transported their food is unknown, but if they went on an extended duty, they would've been issued a haversack, and returned it when mustered out.

A soldier put his rations, probably his cup, and perhaps some eating utensils in his. It was left off white and untreated against water as it was often necessary to wash them to get meat juices out of the fabric...cuts down on the flies you see....

Now in mine when doing a military reenactment, I keep my eating stuff, and some food, and my sewing kit, and my fire kit plus tobacco. Now this is "wrong" as I wouldn't carry the sewing kit nor fire kit, and my eating stuff is probably too elaborate for an enlisted man, to be carrying around during the day in the real British army of the time...OK maybe the tobacco and a pipe, but not the rest except for food.

OH and I sew a small pocket inside the thing, on the back "panel" where nobody can see the stitching... thus you keep your wallet/cash, car keys, and cell phone in that small pocket, and you won't be hunting around for hours in the bottom of the dang thing trying to find that stuff when you need it.

I also have a "pack" identical to my soldier's haversack, but dyed brown, that I take with me when hunting. Carries my drag-rope, my food, my water, plus the other stuff I listed above. Dyed brown, 'cause moving in the woods with anything white or close to white during deer season is inviting a shot... and you'd be surprized at how easy it is to obscure that blaze orange early in the season.

You can also secure your blanket along the strap, making a sort of combination "blanket roll" style of carrying stuff if you go trekking. I prefer a tumpline type pack in such a case, and omit the haversack when I carry the tumpline.

So I make a funny face when folks often use the word "haversack", but I make the same face when tourist call a rifle a "gun"... that's just me... you can call it whatever you want...
:haha:

LD

 

[George]

A Hessian point of view, from the period.

Hauptman (Captain) Johann Ewald in his "Diary of the American War - A Hessian Journal" p. 108:

"During these two years (1776-1777) the Americans have trained a great many excellent officers who very often shame and excell our experienced officers, who consider it sinful to read a book or think of learning anything during the war. For the love of justice and in praise of this nation, I must admit that when we examined the haversack of the enemy, which contained only two shirts, we also found the most excellent
military books translated into their language. For example, Turpin, Jenny, Grandmaison, La Croix, Tielke's "Field Engineer," and the "Instructions" of the great Frederick to his generals I have found more than one hundred times. Moreover, several among their officers had designed excellent small handbooks and distributed them in the army. Upon finding these books, I have exhorted our gentlemen many times to read and emulate these people, who only two years before were hunters, lawyers, physicians. clergymen, tradesmen, innkeepers, shoemakers, and tailors."

Spence

 

[coloradoclyde]

So a snapsack or market wallet would be more appropriate for a civilian ???

 

[George]

For example the males subject to militia duty in my colony, later state, had to provide themselves with musket or rifle, ammunition, tomahawk in lieu of a bayonet, and in some cases rations, but were never told to bring their "haversack". How they transported their food is unknown, but if they went on an extended duty, they would've been issued a haversack, and returned it when mustered out.

It was apparently not uniformly done that way:

The Pennsylvania Gazette
November 3, 1779
PHILADELPHIA
GENERAL MILITIA ORDERS .

Philadelphia, October 27, 1779.
THE Classes of the Militia lately called, being designed to co-operate with the fleet of the Count D'Estaing, there will be sufficient time (after authentic advice is received of his arrival on the coast) to reach the rendezvous appointed by his Excellency General Washington. - The directions of the President, as Commander in Chief of the Militia, in the mean time, are ----
That every officer and soldier hold himself in readiness at a day’s notice, equipped in the best manner possible, with a due regard to the season. It is expected that tents will be provided for both officers and soldiers, but the insufficiency of the public stores will require their endeavouring to provide themselves with proper clothing. - It is expected that every one will bring his own blanket and haversack, and though the march will not probably be long, shoes will be an important article, which it is hoped each militia man will not neglect to procure.

Spence

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Yeah the PA militia system was the last to be formed among the colonies.

LD

 

[Loyalist Dave]

It's probably splitting hairs more than most people like, but the plain, white, duck or white linen canvas item, especially when marked with "US" or "GR /|\", is what I'm referring to... and folks using the term "haversack" when they mean a "bag" is all I was trying to get at... it's a specific term for the 18th century, which is rare for the time period.

There was the "new invented haversack" that they thought about fielding with the Maryland troops in the AWI, which was a combination "haversack" and single strapped pack..., why call it "new invented" if they were already using havesacks to carry what others carried in their packs? Why invent a combination item in the first place? :wink:

LD

 

[George]

It's pretty doubtful (imho) that a person not part of, nor attached to, the military would have had a haversack, nor would they have called their pack by the term "haversack".

I, for one, have always been confused by the term haversack, because I see it used in different ways in the literature of the day. Maybe they were confused, too?

What did they think a haversack was? 18th-Century Oxford Dictionary definition of a Haversack: ”¦"the bag in which the Calvary (sic) and horsemen carried oats for their horses. Hence extended to a bag in which travelers and others carried personal property, and to that used by the French and English soldiers... a bag of stout canvas, worn with a strap over the shoulder, in which a soldier carries his current days rations. Also any similar bag used for a like purpose by travelers, etc. "(Casada 2001).

And they apparently sometimes used the term for a pack/knapsack, or vice versa:

"The Pennsylvania Gazette
August 23, 1764
Extract of a Letter from Niagara, dated July 15, 1764.
A few days ago a Soldier was fired at by an Indian on the Carrying Place; the Ball struck the Haversack on his Back, the things therein prevented its entering his Body;"

Or”¦

Bouquet recommended that light troops on campaign have “a short coat of brown cloth, lapelled, and without plaits; a strong tanned shirt, short trousers, leggins, mowkawsons or shoe packs, a sailor’s hat, a blanket, a knapsack for provisions and an oiled surtout against the rain.” From Colonial American Troops 1610-1774, By René Chartrand

Spence

 

[tenngun]

We kinda get caught up today in names of things and tech terms. Today if we say market wallet we refere to a double bag carried on a shoulder, a snap sack as a duffle bag shaped thing worn on the back, and a haversack at the side, with a knapsack tween the shoulders. When we read old writtings we are not always sure of what they meant. They used a lot of terms interchangeably. If your military your more restricted then a civilian. Bags called wallets sound like haversacks sometimes. There is another thread running on folding skillets. important is how much do you need to carry, what did they carry then, and do you need it, is it worth the weight to carry something you don't need but want for comfort.

 

[Rifleman1776]

LD, not doubting or questioning your research on the military side of this question. But, everyone (merchants, preachers, surveyor, hunters, etc.) had to carry 'stuff' somehow. The cross shoulder side bag was common for the common man. The non-recruited volunteer rifleman brought what he thought he would need. And that often (usually) included a cross shoulder bag we today call a haversack.