What was in a civil war haversack?
The simple answer is that it was like a backpack today.
Soldiers on the march had to carry food and personal items with them
just as students carry books today.
It dates back to the Europe of Frederick the Great and the first modern armies.
Webster says the origin is from the French “havresac” or from German “Habersack” bag for oats, from Haber oats + Sack bag (1749): a bag similar to a knapsack but worn over one shoulder – - but the Civil War models I have seen in museums as “Inverse” suggests have two shoulder straps like a backpack today. They look like rawhide / leather construction to me though some may have been canvas.
Civil war soldiers like their coffee and tobacco, so that would have been in their haversacks along with extra socks, a spare shirt, and such personal items as each wanted to lug around. On long marches soldiers often discarded things one by one to reduce the weight until they were down to the bare essentials. Think about what you would be willing to carry for 20 miles or so in bad (“shoddy”) shoes on bad roads. Many Confederate soldiers didn’t even have the shoes! Ammunition was carried in pouches or cartridge boxes on their belts. They were also carrying a ~ ten pound rifled musket.
Interesting – here’s a site that sells recreated items for Civil War haversacks – including candles, knives, playing cards, and tobacco products (of course). http://fcsutler.com/fchavers.asp
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Civil War Document 1864 New Albany Indiana Captain Haversacks Antique Vintage 64 $6.28 |
