Revolutionary War: The Things They Carried

[@almartin9500]

Most of that would go in a snapsack, market wallet, knapsack or rolled up in a blanket roll. Or, in the company’s baggage train. Haversacks are used for carrying food and food preparation. A cup, maybe a small pan, possibly a plate, bone or wood spoon (most commonly used) for eating utensils. Many ate straight out of the pan, no plate and used a knife, no fork. A “mess” of 4-5 men, one would possibly carry a trade kettle or similar and would be passed around while on the March. Hygiene, in the kit normally in baggage train. Items like tobacco, pipe, etc were carried in pockets. Whistles and “compasses” were carried by NCO’s and or officers.

[@BillBahr11]

Thanks. 4WIW, the National Park Service believes that a snapsack was slang for a knapsack. A knapsack has dual straps for carrying things on one's back (backpack). A market wallet is essentially two conjoined sacks thrown over one's shoulder, one in front, one in back. A haversack is more like a purse, a bag with a strap that goes over one's shoulder. One mnemonic to remember the difference: Have her (purse) sack. Nap (Napoleon's soldiers'/guys backpack) sack. Guys generally bigger than gals. Up 2U....

[@behindthespotlight7983]

LOVE these junk on the bunk videos ….from all eras. I do question the accuracy of an 18th Century soldier toting around a large rock in his haversack. Would also be curious to know how prevalent the 3 piece cutlery was?

[@billbahr]

The individual Rev War soldier likely quickly decided what he needed to carry vs what other unit members or camp followers carried and he could borrow or make use of. The prevalence of 3 piece cutlery set depended upon the situation. It was certainly prevalent in encampments.

[@quinntheeskimooutdoors6234]

Thanks for sharing 😊

[@billbahr]

Our pleasure! Glad you liked it!

[@jimmy_james0007]

Great video, thank you for sharing.

[@williamhanley2566]

If that string was not in the frame it would work better.

[@billbahr]

Yes, the video would be better if the string were not there. 4WIW, though, the string is a "rope line," which is used to keep visitors out of the unit areas. Provides not only a degree of security (unit members can tell who's within their area and thus having easy access to their equipment) but a degree of period authenticity (visitors and youtube viewers are hopefully seeing only properly clothed reenactors within the area).

[@outdoorlife5396]

Thanks, it shows one thing. A soldier always carries light. lol

[@CarsonRH]

I wish he had actually used everything

[@chrisj683]

Salt pork is a preparation of “fat-back”.

[@jamescooper2618]

What was the item he called the soldier's cell phone?

[@billbahr]

The "soldier's cellphone" is a whistle. It has a cord for hanging it around one's neck.

[@ardshielcomplex8917]

So the "Purple gang" existed as early as the 18th century, did they all have Wheelbarrows ? Because with all the excess shown they wouldnt have carried it all for too long. Think about it at the time of the F&I war /Revolutionary war the ordinary foot soldier couldnt afford all of that and certainly wasnt issued that much excess .

[@tmoney007confederation7]

I'm not too familiar with American Soldiers wearing the color Purple or Violet... Blues, Browns, Greys, Whites, etc but Purple or Violet hmm.... 🤔

[@robertmccann5838]

4th Maryland used similar uniforms.

[@jerrywooten9479]

Dyed with polk berries. Rather common.

[@BillBahr11]

@@jerrywooten9479 Thanks, but polk berries yield more of a fuscia color. Logwood (a possible source) yields purple: naturaldyes.ca/logwood

[@dougdukes1039]

How do you know what they carried. ? I mean whose book lists these items?

[@galewollenberg786]

Most reference books or manuscripts with lists can be found in history museum gift stores. The presentation was a very poor one.

[@ardshielcomplex8917]

@@galewollenberg786 Agreed, I suspect that the guy was more of a collector than an accurate representation of a soldier of the period. There's the challenge for any reenactor, we need to be aware of transitioning into a lecturing collector role rather than a reasonably accurate reenactor.

[@johnhildenbrand2642]

Quartermaster and merchant order lists, soldiers letters and diaries, paired with what few military manuals existed at the time give a reasonable picture of what they would have carried

[@BillBahr11]

Pocket sundial compass appears to come from www.townsends.us/products/sundial-compass-bc741-p-151?_pos=1&_sid=fb8c40a4c&_ss=r

[@robertmccann5838]

Looks like men from the 4th Maryland