Tenting Tonight

One of the documented shelters folks traveling in the Va Backcountry used was the tent (improvised shelters will be covered in a later installment). Sadly, the majority of tents available on the commercial market are generally machine sewn and made of cotton canvas vs the linen fabrics of the 18th century (not to mention the fasteners and other details that are way off). But do not despair, this is certainly a DIY project if you have the time and materials!



A reproduction linen tent in the field.

Byrd's History of the Dividing Line Betwixt Virginia and North Carolina

http://docsouth.unc.edu/nc/byrd/byrd.html

While the surveyors were thus painfully employed, the commissioners discharged the long score they had with Mr. Wilson, for the men and horses which had been quartered upon him during our expedition to Coratuck. From thence we marched in good order along the east side of the Dismal, and passed the long bridge that lies over the south branch of Elizabeth river. At the end of 18 miles we reached Timothy Ivy's plantation, where we pitched our tent for the first time, and were furnished with every thing the place afforded.

Thomas Walker's Journal (1750)


http://www.tngenweb.org/tnland/squabble/walker.html

4th. I blazed several trees four ways on the outside of the low Grounds by a Buffaloe Road, and marked my name on Several Beech Trees. Also I marked some by the River side just below a mossing place with an Island in it. We left the River about ten O'clock & got to Falling Creek, and went up it till 5 in the afternoon, when a very Black Cloud appearing we turn'd out our horses got tent Poles up and were just stretching a Tent, when it began to rain and hail and was succeeded by a violent Wind which blew down our Tent & a great many Trees about it, several large ones within 30 yds. of the Tent. we all left the place in confusion and ran different ways for shelter. After the Storm was over, we met at the Tent, and found that all was safe.

Dunmore's War Va militia tent use c1774:

http://books.google.com/books?id=zOJEAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=documentary+history+of+dunmore%27s+war&hl=en&ei=DNuITcOrAcWV0QGV4LCBDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=tent&f=false

Nourse KY ca 1775 (along with our buddy Creswell):


http://www.noursefamily.net/journals/JAH-VolumeXIX-Number2-1925.pdf


For a compilation of 18th century tent info check out this link (and let me say again, thanks to all who pitched in on this!):


http://www.scribd.com/doc/51258154/THE-TENT-ARTICLE#source:facebook

Fabricating a reproduction common tent that is much better than the machine sewn cotton canvas jobs commonly sold is easy enough with this info and a bit of patience. Happy tent making!

Gun Sacks and Gun Cases

 

 

An early 19th century image showing a red cloth gun case from:

http://colonialbaker.net/milice_pictures.html

As we go down the list of items for our DIY Va backcountry kit build, we come to a fairly difficult to document item, the gun sack or gun case (perhaps a useful thing on horseback and foul weather?).

From the David Hastings' (Hastings) inventory:

http://www.danielhaston.com/people/david-hastings-died1776.htm


"1 Gun Case"

from the Militia Roster of Capt. Shelby:

http://www.tngenweb.org/revwar/counties/sullivan1779.html

"1 gun sack"

 

Jason Isham, writing to London, 1743
"June 24, 1743: the guns are bad, Let us trade light Guns small in the hand, and we'll shap'd with Locks that will not freeze in the winter and Red gun cases, (for if a gun is bad, a fine case oft'n puts it of, being admirers of different colours)."

*Trade Guns of the Hudson's Bay Company 1670-1970 by S. James Gooding
viaRich, E.E (ed.) McLaughlins Fort Vancouver Letters, 1839 - 1844. Toronto. The Champlain Society, 1943. 

 From the Henry Laurens Papers: "a fowling piece under a Woolen cover"

(p584 Laurens to William Penn letter dated 2d June 1769).

Maryland 1776:

"A woollen case for the Gun, thread & making- 2.. 6 "

and from The Papers of Archibald D. Murphey: we get to mounted use of a "boot" (thanks to Steve R for this quote and some of the image leads!)

http://books.google.com/books?pg=PA255&dq=shot%20bag%20%2B%20belt&ei=iw5cTOviCIH_8Aasn8DeAQ&ct=result&id=7DYTAAAAYAAJ&output=text

As soon as Genl. Davidson was advised of the British army again advancing, he ordered out the next detachment which was detailed for duty from the counties1 under his command to rendezvous between Charlotte and the Catawba River. On the 19th, he received information of Tarlton's defeat at Cowpens. On the 21st a party of twenty Whigs who lived in the country South-East of the Cowpens (but had not been in the fight) brought into our camp twenty-eight prisoners, British stragglers, whom they had taken, most of whom were wounded—they were sent on eastwardly the same day. Genl. Davidson being advised of the rapid advance of the British army, and the Troops joining him, being all infantry, and Genl. Greene having appointed Col. Davie to superintend the commissariat department, directed Adjutant Graham, who had now recovered of his wounds received in advance of Charlotte on the 26th September to raise a company of Cavalry, promising that those who furnished their own horses and equipments and served six weeks, should be considered as having served a tour of three months, the term of duty, required by law. In a few days he succeeded in raising a company of fifty-six, mostly enterprising young men, who had seen service, but found it difficult to procure arms. Only fortyfive swords could be produced, and one half of them were made by the country Blacksmiths. Only fifteen had pistols, but they all had rifles. They carried the muzzle in a small boot, fastened beside the right stirrup leather, and the butt ran through the shot bag belt, so that the lock came directly under the right arm. Those who had a pistol, carried it, swung by a strap, about the size, of a bridle rein, on the left side, over the sword,

This boot likely looked something like the one from this image of the 10th Light Dragoons by Stubbs:

http://www.terminartors.com/artworkprofile/Stubbs_George-Soldiers_of_the_10th_Light_Dragoons

As for the conjectural repros- we have a few period images to review:

Diderot's Trunk maker (see top left, likely leather):



Zoffany provides us with another look (likely a textile) c1765:

http://www.huntsearch.gla.ac.uk/cgi-bin/foxweb/huntsearch/DetailedResults.fwx?collection=hunter&SearchTerm=9196&mdaCode=GLAHA&reqMethod=Link&browseMode=on



Further info can be found in an article entitled PRIMARY SOURCE DOCUMENTATION FOR MUSKET AND RIFLE CASES Compiled by Joseph Ruckman that is in the files section of Rev List, which includes further citations on leather and woolen cases (includes French and English citations both before and after our target date of the third quarter of the 18th century).





For my conjectural reconstruction, I chose a case of wool sized for my gun (I'd suggest sticking with the very common white, blue or red wool barring documentation to the contrary)- basically a long rectangle with one end left open that could be tied shut with a bit of tape or string. I back stitched the cloth with linen thread, turned that inside out and then secured the openings for the string with a coarse button hole stitch.

Making a Shot Bag or Pouch part 2 of 2

The next step is to wet and turn the bag right side out:



after some drying time, a punch is used to create a slot for the buckle tongue on both straps:




A thin leather "keeper" is cut for the strap:



the keeper is basted together:



and the whole works are shoved into the strap:



A line of stitching is needed to hold this in place:



and two more will be run up to the edge of the buckle:



as seen on this original shot belt:



After that, the two straps can be joined:



and we are basically done:



For this pouch, I decided to simply oil the bag down a bit to achieve a tone similar to some 18thc sporting images- basically I rubbed a bit of neatfoot oil on with a rag and dried it in the sun:



Hopefully this makes sense. Happy shot pouch building!

Making a Shot Bag or Pouch Part 1 of 2

Next on our DIY Va backcountry kit list is a shot pouch (also sometimes called a shot bag).

These bags were used for carrying ammunition and a few necessaries like extra flints.


Some shot bags were made by professional leather workers and imported ready made.

 Daniel Moore trade card, ca. 1765 showing an English shot pouch on a belt. A bill for his Virginia customer John Norton is on the reverse;  with prices for a neat cocking gun and powder horn sent from London. John Norton & Sons Papers, John D. Rockefeller Jr.

While others were made and then sold in America. Saddler Henry Fleming of Norfolk advertised that he made and sold "Shot Belts and Bags" (Va Gazette 12/10/1772):

Some shot bags were made at home, or in Army encampments. Most of these bags were made of leather, although some were made of cloth:

The 2d Virginia Regiment October 12, 1775:


“… Each Company is to draw a sufficient Quantity of Dutch or Russia Drilling to provide Each Soldier with a Shott Pouch with a partition in division in the middle to keep buckshot and bullets separate. Each Soldier to make his own sack and Shot Pouch as near one General Size Pattern as possible…”


Virginia Gazette
(Purdie), Williamsburg ,
August 16, 1776. Supplement.
RUN away from the subscriber living on the levels of Green brier, two convict servant men.
One named WILLIAM ROW, 18 or 19 years old, about 5 feet 8 inches high, of a fair complexion,has dark hair, is an artful fellow, and may forge a pass, as he writes a tolerable good hand; had on, when he went away, shirt, drawers, and leggins, of coarse country linen, and took with him a coat and waistcoat of cotton and linen almost white, also a smooth bore gun of the best sort, double breached, which had part of the stock broke off before, a shot bag and powder horn, very much carved, the strap of the powder horn made of striped girting, and the shot bag of blue plush. The other named ISAAC SINGER, 5 feet 4 or 5 inches high, about 25 years old, thin visaged, small made, of a dark complexion, and has very thin whitish hair; had on, when he went away, old leather breeches, a coarse shirt, brown leggins, and old shoes. They are both Englishmen, and took with them a fur hat, besides other things too tedious to mention. Whoever apprehends the said servants, and secures them so as they may be had again, shall have 40s. reward for each, if taken in the county; if out thereof 4 l. or each, paid by ARCHER MATTHEWS.

Some were worn on the belt vs. on a shoulder strap, although this seems to have been more prevalent in the first half of the 18th century. Capt. Knox's description of ranger worn bags on the belt:

"a bullock's horn full of powder hangs under their right arm, by a belt from the left shoulder; and a leathern, or seal's skin bag, buckled round their waist, which hangs down before, contains bullets, and a smaller shot, of the size of full-grown peas : six or seven of which, with a ball, they generally load; and their Officers usually carry a small compass fixed in the bottoms of their powder-horns, by which to direct them, when the happen to lose themselves in the woods. " p84 (1757)

This shot bag was likely on a shoulder strap:

"on Wed. Evening Nicolas Canute being out a hunting as he sat on a tree to Listen for his Dogs was Shot at by 5 dift: pieces on Starting up he saw an Indn: running up to him wt. a Tomhawk & another run a Cross to head him. he took to a tree & his pursuers soon Concealed themselves behind others he fired his Rifle at the head of one & going to Load he missed his Shot Bag which had been Carried away by one of the Shots another wounded his Side he then took to his heals & reaced Armstrongs in a Miles distance where I had a Corporal Command ever since the first Alarm..."

Peter Hog to George Washington, May 14, 1756 GW papers

http://rs6.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field%28DOCID+@lit%28lw010168%29%29

Portrait of John Seabrook (1768–1844) by The Payne Limner, 1780, Richmond, Virginia. Oil on canvas; HOA (canvas): 38-1/8”, WOA (canvas): 32-1/2”. Collection of Patricia S. and William T. Wilson, III; on loan to the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA), Acc. 5975.3

Given the dearth of surviving bags,a lot of folks seem to base their repros on 19th century bags instead of period images and descriptions of these things, but we will tackle this from another angle. After squinting at a few period images and the Lyman bag (on view in Clash of Empires and pictured in the excellent exhibit catalog) a few trends seem to spring out. Most of these bags seem to be fairly small, around 7-8 inches or so, and generally are of shapes that can be easily drafted with a compass and straight edge. Straps are generally fairly narrow, and they are usually depicted being worn fairly high on the hip. Running with a shot pouch that features a LONG strap will demonstrate why shorter ones were favored by some. Our repro will be based on a pouch shown in the frontispiece to the 1767 edition of the sporting poem "Pteryplegia" (thanks to James R for pointing this one out- really cool image!):

http://www.archive.org/stream/pteryplegiaorart00mark#page/n3/mode/2up

Since we don't have the actual pouch, I am filling in the blanks with details from the Lyman bag pictured in this excellent exhibition catalog:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?index=books&linkCode=qs&keywords=0936340134

and similar pouches along with period descriptions. To start, find yourself a period image of a pouch that you like or is documented to the area you portray. For this exercise, I scaled up the linked image and made a paper pattern around 7 inches wide. I then gathered some 3/4 oz veg tan cowhide and a good iron repro buckle such as these (don't use a 20th century looking tandy buckle!!!):

http://www.najecki.com/repro/IronBuckles.html

That form is REALLY common at 18th century sites, and is a dead ringer for the buckle on an extant shot belt (c1770-1820) in a private collection. From period descriptions and images, some pouches featured buckles straps and others omitted this feature. For my personal shot pouches, I skip them, but included one here for maximum "bells and whistles".

The leather body is cut along the pattern (if you want to dye the leather vs the oiled finish shown here, do that prior to cutting!):



straps are cut (a little under 1"):



flap is wet and burnished down in place:



The assembled parts (this bag features an inner divider - something I prefer for these):



the straps are stitched down to the back panel (slightly canted out):



then all three panels are marked and the stitching holes are punched:



After that, the three panels are stitched together (outer edges face to face):



the assembled bag:

Wallets

  

One of the easiest to make and well documented bits of gear for the DIY/Low budget Virginia back country kit is the wallet, sometimes called a "market wallet". Basically a rectangular linen bag with a slit in the middle, wallets were used for carrying a multitude of things in the period and were usually made of stout, coarse linen.

An original 18th century linen wallet marked "CD" in red thread. Private Collection

From the Cries of Dublin ca. 1760

Quite a few references can be found in the Virginia Gazette:

http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/ot2www-costa?specfile=%2Fweb%2Fdata%2Fusers%2Fcosta%2Fcosta.o2w&query=wallet&docs=record&begin_year=&end_year=&sample=1-100&grouping=work


http://docsouth.unc.edu/nc/byrd/byrd.html

William Byrd (1674-1744)
Containing the History of the Dividing Line Betwixt Virginia and North Carolina;
A Journey to the Land of Eden, A. D. 1733; and A Progress to the Mines.
Written from 1728 to 1736, and Now First Published:

c1728

12th. Before we marched this morning, every man took care to pack up some buffalo steaks in his wallet, besides what he crammed into his belly.


http://books.google.com/books?id=HWTOAAAAMAAJ&q=pair+of+mockasheens&dq=pair+of+mockasheens&hl=en&ei=wl9uTZSXPIWglAfboaV4&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CD4Q6AEwAA

Executive journals of the Council of colonial Virginia 1757

"...every man should have a wallet of Oznabrigs to carry his provisions in when the leave their horses at the passes of the mountains, and two pair of mockasheens, that blankets would be wanted and clasp knives, thread for the linen and woolen bags for transporting the powder when taken from the waggons..."

NC Gazette via Va Gazette Newburn, May 24, 1771

Carolina "Regulator" baggage: "consisting of hunting shirts, wallets of dumplings, jackets, breeches, powder-horns, shot-bags, & c. were taken with a number of horses..."

The Journal of William Calk, Kentucky Pioneer
Lewis H. Kilpatrick
The Mississippi Valley Historical Review, Vol. 7, No. 4. (Mar., 1921), pp. 363-377.

thursd 30 we Set out again & went down to Elk gardin and there Suplid our Selves With Seed Corn & irish tators then we went on alittle way I turnd my hors to drive afore me & he got Scard Ran away threw Down the Saddel Bags & Broke three of our powder goards & Abrams flask Burst open a walet of corn...

Wallets were also mentioned  by Ensign Robert Campbell on the King's Mountain campaign.

A good intro and pattern info can be found here:

http://www.18cnewenglandlife.org/18cnel/wallets.htm

via wayback link

 Interior view of the original "CD" marked wallet (also shown at the top of the page) turned inside out. Note the neatly butted selvedge edges that were sewn together then whipped down and the rolled and whip stitched 18 inch slit opening at top.

The original wallet at the top of this page is made of approximately 27 inch wide heavy coarse half bleached linen. A lot of the utilitarian linen in the 18th century was fairly narrow in width, which explains the construction method used here. If you cannot find 26-30" wide linen you can always cut down wider stuff. The selvedge edges are butted together to make the long seam along the top and then whipped down. The 18 inch long oval opening slit on the top has had the edges rolled/folded and then whip stitched down in the wallet's interior. The final size is 13.75"s wide by 44 inches long.

Another similar wallet in the Cumberland County (PA) Historical Society collection is described by Tandy & Charles Hersch in Cloth & Costume as of bleached linen, plain woven (34 warp 32 weft). That wallet is 15.5 wide  x 39 inches long with a 16.5 inch opening and flat felled seams. From written descriptions and images it seems that sizes varied greatly in the period.
For this repro, I picked up some off white plain woven stout linen from Burnley and Trowbridge a while back.

After washing, the linen was cut to size, and I pinned down the long seam (remember to leave the space for the opening!).

 Sew that together with a back stitch, fold over the edges and flat fell if you don't have both of the selvedges to butt together. I suggest a rolling hem or flat felling the opening slit.

Then the short ends are pinned together (remember the opening slit goes in the middle of the top of the rectangle).

Sew them together, then fell the seam as before, repeat on the other end.

Once there, the wallet is finished!

Another can be found here:

An 18th century Knife Sheath

Now that we have our butcher or "scalping" knife sorted out, we ought to make a period correct scabbard for it. For the background on early European knife scabbard methods and materials, I really highly recommend reading this book:

http://books.google.com/books?id=IjiAAAAAIAAJ&q=medieval+london+knives+and+scabbards&dq=medieval+london+knives+and+scabbards&hl=en&ei=mWR2TcbkOcHagQex1p3JBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CEUQ6AEwAQ

From that survey, most of the knife scabbards were out of 5oz calfskin, sewn with linen thread. All well and good, but what does that have to do with 18th century scabbards? Quite a bit once we look at some of them from archaeological digs as they are almost always made in the same center seam fashion!

But don't take my word for it, check out the two Dutch scabbards from the Amsterdam (sunk 1748):


http://books.google.com/books?id=wU7EOQAACAAJ&dq=wreck+of+the+amsterdam+marsden&hl=en&ei=Y2V2Tez5EI74gAe2k4nZBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAjgK

or the other examples from the Elizabeth and Mary (1690 The Siege of Québec... The Story of a Sunken Ship)

http://pacmusee.qc.ca/en/collections-and-research/publications/exhibition-publications

Others were found at Fort Ligonier (1750s-60s), or the Machault (1760). Originally knives of this type were sold both with and without scabbards. The Fort Ligonier example is described as crude, and considering some of these knives were shipped by the cask and sometimes by the hogshead without scabbards a somewhat "home made" look isn't necessarily a bad thing.

 

 

HMS Ramillies 1760 shipwreck Plymouth UK ( Lay's Auctioneers)

For our repro, the first step is to put aside some rusty nails into a jar of vinegar for a week or so (this will be our leather dye). Also gather some paper, linen thread, beeswax, scissors, two needles, an awl, a knife, a punch and some oil for the blade and leather.

Step two is to make the pattern. Trace the knife on scrap paper and then turn it over so that it is symmetrical. Add 1/4 inch or so to each side and taper to almost meet the actual tip of the blade (say 1/16 extra here).



Wipe down your veg tan leather with the vinegar and iron dye, and apply a couple of coats until it is properly black'd. Then throw a little oil on it and set by to dry.



At this point do any decorative work you want on the leather. In this case I scored some decorative lattice work designs to match the look of one of the scabbards from the Amsterdam.



Cut the leather out to the new paper pattern:



pre punch the holes for the stitching



Wet the leather so it is pliable (warm water from the kitchen sink was used here) and wrap around your knife (which you will want to slather in oil and or protect with tape as some folks do)



saddle stitch the seam with your waxed linen thread (I would also recommend running the thread through some black ball if using black dyed leather, I skipped that here so the stitching would be more visible).



continue down the side of the seam



work down to the tip, and close off at the end, hopefully yours will look a bit neater than this one- there is still some time to manipulate the leather while it is wet.



Trim the excess off and take a bit of bone, antler, hard wood or plastic and burnish down the seam ends- then apply a bit of your dye or black ball to the edge.



punch two or four holes for a thong-



lace in the thong and you are done!




I suggest hitting the sheath with some neat's foot oil and blackball once dried and formed to the blade.