Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Dutch blankets






"But to return to our subject: no time was lost; we struck whilst the iron was hot, fixed Mr. Cocke off with a good Queen Ann's musket, plenty of ammunition, a tomahawk, a large cuttoe knife, a Dutch blanket, and no small quantity of jerked beef. Thus equipped, and mounted on a tolerably good horse, on the ___ day of April, Mr. Cocke started from Cumberland river, about 130 miles from this place, and carried with him, besides his own enormous load of fearful apprehensions, a considerable burden of my own uneasiness.
Letter of Judge Henderson to Proprietors remaining in North Carolina
Boonsborough June 12, 1775

Dutch blankets appear in great quantities in 18th century documents from Virginia. They were used by Soldiers (the most common type of blanket specified in the accounts from the Va Public Store for Va Continental use), Indians, Slaves and civilians alike and seem to have been VERY common.

Pennsylvania Packet, 13 May 1778

DESERTED from Capt. Nathaniel Fox's company of the 6th Virginia,
James Anderson, a black soldier, six feet high, about forty years of age, rather spare made, and fond of liquor; had on when he went away, a light grey cloth coat and waistcoat: the coat faced with green, a pair of oznabrig overalls, and a small round hat with a piece of bear-skin on it: He took with him a pair of leather breeches which he had to clean, and also his firelock, cartridge-box, and new Dutch blanket. He is a ditcher by trade, and it is probable will endeavor to get employment in this State. Whoever apprehends said deserter and delivers him to some officer of the regiment, or secures him so that he may be brought to his regiment again, shall receive TWENTY DOLLARS reward.
John Gibson, Col. 6th Virginia Reg.

 Governor Dinwiddie to Colonel George Washington.
“June 24th, 1757...
Col. Stephen is highly blameable to take any of the Regimental supplies for the Indians... If any of the Dutch Blankets rem’n, and not wanted for the Indians, I’ve no objection to their being replaced in the room of those made use of.” p. 654.

 Virginia Gazette
(Purdie & Co.), Williamsburg ,
May 2, 1766.

RUN away from the subscriber, the 16th of February last, two Virginia born Negro men slaves, of a yellow complexion, about 5 feet 8 or 9 inches high; had on when they went away Negro cotton waistcoat and breeches, shoes and stockings, and osnabrugs shirt, and took with them several other clothes, and five Dutch Blankets. One named CHARLES, is a sawyer and shoemaker by trade, carried with him a set of shoemaker tools, is about 28 years of age, speaks slow, can read, and may probably procure a pass and get on board some vessel. The other named GEORGE, about the same age, is round shouldered, which causes him to stoop when he walks; they are both outlawed. Whoever brings, or safely conveys, the said slaves to me, in the upper end of Charles City county, shall have 5 l. reward for each, if taken in this colony, if out thereof 10 l.
CHARLES FLOYD.

“27. Clough Overton. May 20, 1783. Dutch blanket, £3:9:0; 1 pr billiard balls, 5:10; Otter skin 6:0; shoe buckles, knee buckles, a cabin in Harrodsburg, etc., £103:10:10.” p. 133.

 “Records of Lincoln County (Concluded).” In “The Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society, Frankfort, Kentucky.” Vol. 12, No. 34. The State Journal Company, Frankfort, Kentucky, 1914.


Appearance and Origin

 So- what did these "Dutch" blankets look like and where did they come from? Aside from knowing that they must have likely been quite visually distinct from French point, English duffel and English "rose" blankets, there is a dearth of information in the second and third quarters of the eighteenth century, but we do have a few hints:


1759
Invoice of Sundries to be sent by Robert Cary and Company for the use of George Washington:
"...100 yards Dutch Blankets."

1761

"... Bale No 2-Stript Dutch Blanketing ..9..2y[ard]s @ 15/6 7/11/-"

Invoice of Goods shipt Aboard the Catherine William Warden Mas[te]r for Quebec on accot & Risque of Bogles Cross Munro Glassford & Co. Neil Jameson papers Vol.1 1757-62 Miss. Div. Library of Congress [ Readings in American Business History - Page 62 Peter A. Coclanis].

1775-1783

"... New York Historical Society (INV.6090.1-18) Bale Seals from Revolutionary War encampments in New York-WOLLE DEEKIN [sic WOLLEN DEKEN] GEMAANT BINNEN LEYDEN [WOOL BLANKET MADE INSIDE LEYDEN]

Leiden is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. The city had a thriving woolen business including blanket production for centuries. Thanks to Dave B for finding this one!
 
June 1776  Dr. Nicholas Flood probate inventory Richmond County, Va
 16 Dutch Blankets 1 ps. 8£.15 do do in anor 7£10s 15.10. 0


[William Lee] to Richard Henry Lee.
“Paris, 12 September, 1778.
My dear Brother:...
I have sent from Holland 2,000 Dutch blankets and 3,000 pr woolen stockings, on acct of the Secret Committee.” p. 480.

 Washington To CLEMENT BIDDLE
Hd. Qrs., Newburgh, May 15, 1783.
The Blankets which I used to Import for my Negros came under the description of Dutch Blankets, abt. 15 in a piece, striped large and of the best quality, such I now want. In case of a purchase, I would have them sent to my House upon Potomack River consigned to Mr. Lund Washington at Mr. Vernon abt. 10 Miles below Alexa. 

Thomas Jefferson refers to them several times,  equating them with striped blankets in 1787, and mentioning width in 1788:

 "As I could find a use here for 3. or 4. striped blankets (sometimes called Dutch blankets)"
Papers: 1 January to 6 August, 1787 - Page 598

"Dutch Blankets 6/4 wide— 15. in a piece"
Papers: Mar. to 7 Oct. 1788 - Page 393

 In case there was any doubt as to whether or not all Dutch blankets were identical, the following advertisement from the Virginia Gazette helps muddy the waters.
"Dutch Blankets of all Sorts" Virginia Gazette, August 22, 1771

 Expanding the search through the mid 19th century adds a few more clues:

  The Kentucky Gazette, 17 June 1797
Ten Dollars Reward. Ran away from the subscriber, on the 13th instant, SAM, a likely Negro man, five feet ten or eleven inches high, rather slim, but straight and well made, with long hollow feet, of a dark complexion, about twenty two years old, he took with him a blue
cloth coat, a short country fulled lead coloured ditto, a thin home made ditto, a pair of black breeches, a black half worn wool hat, and a twilled Dutch blanket, with sundry other clothing. I will give the above reward for said Negro if delivered to me, in Fayette county, on Steele _____, or Five Dollars if secured in any jail so that I get him. MOSES HICKS.
1796 Dutch Navy blankets mentioned in the Rotterdam Courant (Rotterdamse Courant 14-04-1796) "Commissioners in Rotterdam, from the commission for the affairs of the navy... 8oo WHITE LIDCHE [Lieden] BLANKETS, with RED STRIPES"

The Tennessee Gazette And Mero-District Advertiser; January 31st, 1807 Lost or Stolen...A New Saddle, with plated piece of metal over the pummel and Cantel. It had no saddle cloth except a Dutch blanket with red stripes, fastened to the Saddle together with a Valise pad attached thereto..."

Thomas Jefferson  again equates them with striped blankets on December 27, 1812
"Dutch or striped blankets..."

Britische Waaren-Encyklopรคdie/British War encyclopedia
Hamburg in der Nemnichschen Buchhandlung/London bey Thomas Boosey
1815
p64
"Unter Dutch Blankets, verstehen die Englander die Scharzen, oder wollener Decken, die in der Nahe von Solingen in Grosser Menge verfertigt werden."

"Under Dutch Blankets, the English understand the Scharzen, or woolen blankets, which are made in the vicinity of Solingen in large quantities."


 
The archaic textile term Scharzen is defined in the 1809 publication Tagebuch einer der Cultur und Industrie gewidmeten Reise (Diary of a journey dedicated to culture and industry). p450
 
"Here, in ancient times, a fabric whose chain was linen and the weft was cowhair, under the name of Scharzen, was made. In recent times, this article has gone into woolen bedspreads, which one calls outright and sometimes wrongly Scharzen now and then..."


By 1839 we have the Comprehensive Lexicon of merchandise knowledge in all its chapters" [ thanks to Gottfried P. for the translation help!]

Vollstรคndiges Lexikon der Warenkunde in allen ihren Zweigen AD. 1839
"Dutch Blankets-Are white, woolen, both sides twilled blankets with colorful stripes at the edges and colorful flowers at the corners, 4 ½ to  6 feet long, 4 feet wide, which mostly are shipped to America...Rose Blankets, white, woolen, un-twilled, of various sizes with worked-into flowers or figurines in colorful wool on the corners, are from Kilkenny and other production centers of Ireland..."
Multi colored striped Dutch Blankets ca. 1566-1794




Blanket Fragment from Burr's Hill in Rhode Island

 In addition to the above sometimes confusing notes from the historical record, we have surviving fragments of a striped twilled blanket from a Native burial site named Burr's hill in Rhode Island. The Burr's hill site roughly dates from the mid to latter end of 17th century, "The earliest European trade objects in the Burr's Hill collection date from the early seventeenth century or possibly even the late sixteenth century..." and on the other end "some of the glass beads are of types dating as late as 1710-1745." A Queen Anne era "AR" stamped stoneware mug on page 57 indicates a production date range for that object of 1705-1714. Fragments of these blankets can be seen in black and white in the Burr's Hill dig report and are also shown in color in Montgomery's excellent Textiles in America. As stated in the Burr's Hill dig report on page 102 "Blankets of this type were woven in the seventeenth century in both Holland and England..."and  "...[fig. 94 caption] Wool blanket fragment, probably of Dutch or English manufacture."


 
 




Similar blankets can be seen in numerous 17th and 18th century paintings by the French Le Nain Brothers, Jan Steen and etc., although one of my favorites is the dock scene at the top of the page (by Dutch painter Abraham Jansz Begeyn c1662)- these twill woven, striped blankets from Holland are likely what Americans would eventually call "Dutch" blankets. In addition to the visual evidence, there are correlating 18th century quotes mentioning multiple colored striped blankets from Pennsylvania. A 1714 letter from James Logan to Edward Hackett describes similar blankets in the Indian trade " ...3rdly. Striped Blankets that are white like other Blankets only towards the ends they have generally four broad Stripes as each 2 red and 2 blue or black ... they are sold by ye piece containing 15 blankets for about 3 lbs 10/." (See Montgomery's Textiles...  James Logan Papers in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania,  Logan's letter book, 1712-15)."

In the 1772 Dutch language version of Peter Kalm's travels in North America,  He describes the Indians living near Montreal in 1749 as "Clad in White cloths, roughly unshorn cloths, of that kind
which one does use for blankets on the beds. The Wilden [Indians] always wear such garments...Most of the time there are some at the edges blue and red stripes."

A "new Blanket, with red and blue Stripes on the Sides..." was listed as stolen in the Pennsylvania Gazette in 1759 (see image below).


Pennsylvania Gazette- April 12, 1759 ad mentioning a new red and blue striped blanket.


 Above are a couple reproduction "Burr's Hill" blanket variations based on period images and the extant fragments (The three color blanket at right is by Robert Stone hand weaver NB: Mr. Stone does not agree with my hypothesis, and produces a fine product at a fair price).


Odds and Ends



The multi-colored stripe motif seems to have persisted in blankets of unknown or non Dutch origin for some time. 

 

Detail from Two Indians and a White Man in a Canoe by Pavel Petrovich Svinin (ca. 1811-1813). Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers Fund, 1942 Accession Number: 42.95.33

 Below is an image of a Cherokee ca. 1820 (interestingly enough the same artist depicted a Seneca woman in a point blanket, was this possibly a regional preference?) and a Witney blanket scrap woven in the 1860s.





Single color striped Dutch Blankets 1656-1825

In addition to multi-colored stripe decorations, some "Dutch" blankets were made with a single color (red seems to predominate in what I have found so far) stripe pattern, and both styles seem to have existed contemporaneously,  Esaias Borse and Frans van Mieris the Younger depicted both styles about 75 years apart from each other.
 
1723 Dutch Newspaper Advertisement
 
"2 woolen Blankets ...one with yellow and...other with green stripes" A green striped twill blanket is  shown in "A Woman and a Fish-pedlar" by Van Mieris (1713) is shown in this post.(16 3 1723 Oprecht Haerlemsche Courant)
 

The Tennessee Gazette And Mero-District Advertiser; January 31st, 1807
 
Lost or Stolen...A New Saddle, with plated piece of metal over the pummel and Cantel.  It had no saddle cloth except a Dutch blanket with red stripes, fastened to the Saddle together with a Valise pad attached thereto..." 
 
 
 "Invoice of Swedish, German, Dutch & Danish produce and manufactures, shipt by Robert Dicks...

Bales Dutch Blanketing Vizt.

1.     One Bale blue striped Blanketing Contg
    8 Ps 10 pair ea. say 80 pairs @ f 6 1/2...340
    2 wrappers
2.     Same as No. 1
3. One Bale blue Striped Blanketing Contg
    8 ps 10 pair ea. say 80 pairs @ f 6.10...360..."
The three wool blankets shown below are  from the Nederlands Openluchtmuseum collection. The top two were donated together, and are described in Onder de dekens, tussen de lakens by A. Meulenbelt-Nieuwburg as "dated at the end of the 18th, beginning of the 19th century". The top two are both center seamed, and feature a three color printed cotton edge binding with a floral motif and brown ground instead of the red woolen thread blanket stitch typically used in England and America. The brown striped blanket has an odd ribbed plain weave that is very similar to excavated 16th century textile fragments from Amsterdams Historisch Museum (see Onder de dekens... page 50).

Late 18th/early 19th c blanket from Drenthe. Foto Nederlands Openluchtmuseum


Late 18th/early 19th c blanket from Drenthe. Foto Nederlands Openluchtmuseum  




19th c blanket from Drenthe. Foto Nederlands Openluchtmuseum



 

  




Gem Museum the Hague from Het Hollandse pronkpoppenhuis 

Mother sits with her child wrapped in a blanket Jan Luyken 1712 Rijksmuseum
 



 















Philipp Georg Friedrich von Reck's depictions of Yuchi Indians in Georgia ca.1736 show several similar blankets, however the Hanover native identified them as having English origins.



"The Indian King and Queen of the Yuchis, Senkaitschi."
"(6) A woolen blanket" "The king wears a buffalo skin, the queen wears a British blanket from Charles Town." 


The Papers of Sir William Johnson, Volume 9

 August 1756  William Johnson.  Memorandum of Sundry Articles necessary for Indians (Huntington Library LO 1389 [A]).

p562 Memorandum of Indian goods...

Blankets of different sizes, Kersey Whale....
Common Indian Blankets of 20-24-&30 in a piece
Red striped Do. qty 15 in a peice...

In 1764 Richard Byron executed a series of watercolors depicting Canadian Natives in the St. John River Valley. Two of his studies include what appear to be white blankets with thin red stripes.

"Micmac Indian of Nova Scotia" drawn by Richard Byron in 1764
Sotheby's Auction Catalog Oct. 1991 Lot  267 C

"An Indian Squaw" drawn by Richard Byron in 1764
Sotheby's Auction Catalog Oct. 1991 Lot  267 E 


Two paintings by Hyacinth de La Pegna (1706-1772) of Prussian soldiers ca. 1758/9 are shown on the excellent Kabinettskriege blog by Alex Burns ( link ). All of the blankets are depicted as off white with blue stripes, and three stripe variations are shown.



Hopefully more information on this once commonplace item will come to light. I am indebted to the assistance of many others with this topic, especially Mike G., Steve R., Matt N.,  Robt S. Ken. H., and Tom A., who have shared a wealth of great info and leads on this front- thanks guys!
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Thursday, April 28, 2011

A pocket compass



"Figure of the Mariner's Compass"

One of the pieces of gear that shows up with some frequency in the Virginia back country is the pocket compass (even fairly frequently with those who aren't surveyors). From what I can gather, two basic types were used in the 18th century (and thanks to Steve R and others for their help with some of these quotes!).



The first variety is of brass:

http://books.google.com/books?id=MVA05byHmKoC&lpg=PP1&ots=-LG8WGcU5x&dq=excavating%20sutler's%20house%20starbuck&pg=PA39#v=onepage&q=compass&f=false

http://www.whatsitworthtoyou.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=appraisal.certificate&item_ID=213419


Pocket compass and sundial (1978.77.3) used by Gabriel du Brutz at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia, October 19, 1781. In the collection at the NC Museum of History, Raleigh, North Carolina.


and the second featured a wooden case. Examples from the period can be seen here:


 Lewis and Clark Expedition cased pocket compass ca. 1804 Smithsonian NMAH


http://www.armygeographer.org/instruments-a-equipment


sometimes surveyor George Washington 1770:

http://rs6.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/P?mgw:1:./temp/~ammem_IIIK::


"In coming from our last encampment up the Kenawa, I endeavored to take the courses and distances of the river by a pocket compass, and by guessing.”

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

Satrd 25 "....Eanock ABram & I got lost tuesday night & it asnowing & Should a lain in the mountains had not I had a pocket Compas By which I Got in a littel in the night and fired guns and they heard them and caim in By the Repoart..."



Virginia Gazette
(Purdie), Williamsburg ,
June 30, 1775. Supplement
FINCASTLE, May 21, 1775. RUN away from the subscriber, living on Neck creek, near Mr.Thopson's mill, an Irish servant man named THOMAS
BENSON, about 5 feet 9 inches high, wears his own long black hair tied, and has lost the half of his left hand little finger; had on a home made flax linen shirt, a
pair of tow linen trousers, and carried with him a blue home made cloth coat, a red and yellow silk and cotton waistcoat, buckskin breeches, a rackoon hat, a brass
mounted long smooth-bore gun, marked on the side-plate MM 1769, and on the barrel W. MORGAN, a shot-bag and powder-horn, a canister with 2 lbs. of powder, a falling axe, a pocket compass, &c. &c. He likewise stole his indentures, and, being a very good scholar, it is probable he may make an assignment on them. He is supposed to be with Samuel Ingram's servant man, as they both went off about the same time. Whoever secures the said servant, so that I get him again, shall have 5 l. reward, and, if out of the county, reasonable charges, paid by NATHANIEL MORGAN.

http://books.google.com/books?id=tPwTAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA279&dq=pouch+and+horn&hl=en&ei=7s9aTPGQJYOC8ga5trX0AQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CDcQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=pouch%20and%20horn&f=false

A List of Effects Lost of Sundry Soldiers of Captain William Formans Company of Hampshire County Volunteers appraised by Lieutenant Anthony Miller & Ensign David Wilson officers of s<^ : Company Being duely Qualify*^ for that Purpose

1 Captain William Forman a Rifle Gun . . in" s"
Shotpoutch & horn 10/ pocket Compas 5/ . . 00" 15"

Westward Into Kentucky: The Narrative of Daniel Trabue

http://books.google.com/books?id=YSz82Es5IXgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Westward+Into+Kentucky:+The+Narrative+of+Daniel+Trabue&hl=en&ei=d825Tc_9LvPr0QHc86ioCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=compas&f=false


"He got to beleave he could make his escape. He communicated this to some of the prisoners and 7 of them agred to embark in the Venture. he told these 7 Men to make ready, that the first Dark rainey night they would start, and try if posible to procure a Gunsa nd ammunition, etc. They generally Drawed several Days' provision at a time and they saved and laid by such as they thought would Do for their Jurney...he looked at some of their very best superfine broad Cloath....He also took up 2 fine lineng shirts, breeches, and stockings, and Cravets, also trimmings. Had them all tyed up in a large handkercheif and took them to his logging....They had flints and spunk...When Morning came they then started, one man to steer the way and where ever he put his foot they all was to go in teh same track. The man that was behind had a turkey's foor and a Deer's foot. If the least sighn was made this hindmost man was to either make a Deer's track of turkey's track...They knew they would be followed and they must be very carefull so that they could not be tracked...James Trabue went a head. He had a pockit compas.

1785:

http://books.google.com/books?id=6yADAAAAMAAJ&lpg=PA45&ots=7epqD-mKX6&dq=We%20turned%20off%20from%20the%20river%3B%20we%20all%20had%20pocket%20compasses%20to%20steer%20by&pg=PA45#v=onepage&q=We%20turned%20off%20from%20the%20river;%20we%20all%20had%20pocket%20compasses%20to%20steer%20by&f=false


“The third day, myself and six more separated from the rest of the company, in order to kill something to eat, and try if we could not find a better and nearer way home. We turned off from the river; we all had pocket compasses to steer by..."



As for reproductions, brass ones of varying quality abound, and the Ames instrument company has offered wooden cased ones:

http://www.amesinstrumentcompany.com/

So now you can get yourself lost, and found in a period fashion!
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Tuesday, April 19, 2011

" 1 Hoppis" David "Hesten's" tumpline



One of the most difficult items from the Hastens/Hastings inventory ( http://www.danielhaston.com/people/david-hastings-died1776.htm ) to document and replicate has been his "Hoppis" (evidently the Delaware word for a tumpline, a kind of burden strap).


ca. 1736 shows a tumpline in use in Georgia

John Heckewelder (1788)

"It is very common to see a hunter come in with a whole deer on his back, fastened with a hoppis, a kind of band with which they carry heavy loads. It rests against the breast, that which the women rest against the forehead."

from David Zeisberger's History of North American Indians:

"...who carry everything by means of a carrying girth fixed to the forehead, whence the whole burden and (a hundred weight is not considered heavy) is suspended down the back. The men carry everything hung to a carrying girth fixed across the chest. A deer weighing from a hundred to a hundred and thirty pounds they will carry the entire way home before allowing themselves to rest. These carrying girths are made of wild hemp which is first spun. That part of these girths which passes across the breast and over the shoulders is three fingers broad and decorated with various figures. From it depend long plaited, durable bands, to which the burden is bound."


rear view of a utilitarian Iroquois "Warrior tie or burden strap, tumpline made of hemp." 
50 cm long ca. 1710 British Museum Sir Hans Sloane collection

One of my favorite images from the 18th century that depicts a tumpline and encampment is the 1764 "Bouquet" Map by Hutchins (see lower left under the tree with guns leaning against it):



For further info on the Native end of things (and links to some original tumplines), I recommend checking out these links:

 https://frenchinwisconsin.com/2013/09/21/the-humble-tumpline/

http://amohkali.southeasterntrading.com/tumplines.htm

http://www.nativetech.org/finger/belts.html

Native style burden straps or tumplines were sometimes adopted and used by Anglo soldiers and militiamen in the 18th century, but this practice seems to have been more common North of our focal point of Virginia.

Gary S. Zaboly's article "The Use of Tumplines in the French and Indian Wars" (Military Collector Historian &, vol. XLVI, No.3 Summer 1994, pp. 109-113) covers this aspect nicely and has quite a few great references in it. Besides the Hastens/Hastings inventory, a few other references can be found in the south, this one specific to the Cherokee campaign of 1761:


"They threw away those articles which hung by Tomplines over thier Shoulders & some of them even cast off their Bayonets as soon as the Indians began to Fire upon the Line "

The Papers of Henry Laurens: January 1, 1759-August 31, 1763 2nd March 1763 A LETTER SIGNED PHILOLETHES

$30 1777 South Carolina note 
motto surrounding inset reads: "Misera servitus omnis" (All slavery is wretched). 

Having established what this particular piece of equipment was, the next challenge was interpreting how Hastens/Hastings (or whoever) manufactured it. As far as I know, there are no extant tumplines with a Virginia military or militia provenance. Native manufactured tumplines seem to have been generally woven of local plant fibers (basswood, Indian hemp and etc) but the few scattered references I can find from Virginia and other colonial sources seemed to point towards hemp or leather.

Although far north of Virginia, Captain John Knox's Journal (1759 page 352 V1) mentions that British soldiers using webbing during the French and Indian War:

"His knapsack is carried very high between his shoulders, and is fastened with a strap of web over his shoulder, as the Indians carry their pack."

This practice continued to be used to some extent in the British army during the Revolutionary war (thanks to Jay Callaham for sharing this info on the RevWar Progressive list), although sometimes the term "blanket sling" was used:

"Brigade (of Guards) Orders 11 March 1777

"The Waistbelts to Carry the Bayonet & to be wore across the Shoulder. The Captains are desired to provide Webbing for Carrying the Mens Blankets according to a pattern to be Seen at the Cantonment of Lt. Colo. Sr. J. Wrottesleys Company. The Serjeants to Observe how they are Sewed. The Officers to Mount Guard with their Fuzees."

(1st Guards Orderly Book)"


1st Battn (Brigade of Guards) Orders 9 September 1779


"The Men lately Joind having received their Field Blankets, the Serjts. are Ordered, to see that they are Mark'd with the Initial Letters of each Mans Name. The Men are to be provided with proper Straps for Carrying them & Shewn how to Roll them up."

Some of these blanket slings were being made of "Diaper webbing"

THE ROYAL GAZETTE. 04/04/1778  "Sharwin, Sadler at the coffee House Bridge, has imported from London...Diaper web for officers tents, chair bottoms, and blanket slings for soldiers" 

In addition, some British units were using tumplines or blanket slings in conjunction with wallets:

From the 40th Regiment Order Book [as per James Kochan's transcription]:

"......They are to parade with their Necessarys and blanketts neatly packd.
up" [egimental]:O[rders] 14th May 1777

"Each Compy. will immediately receive from the Qr. Mr. Serjt. 26 Slings & Wallets to put the quantity of Necesareys Intendd. to be Carrid. to the field Viz 2 shirts 1 pr. of shoes & soles 1 pr. of stockings 1 pr. of socks shoe Brushes, black ball &c Exclusive of the Necessareys they may have on (the[y] must be packd. in the Aranged manner & the Blankts. done neatly round very little longer than the Wallets) to be Tyed. very close with the slings and near the end -- the men that are not provided. with A blankett of their own may make use of one [of] the Cleanest Barrick Blanketts for tomorrow "

British army images show these blankets being worn both straight across the back (in the style generally seen in depictions of Natives) and also at times diagonally with the strap over the right shoulder and under the left arm.

After Regl. Orders [40th Regt] 7 at Night [18 May 1777]¦

"The Regt: to parade to morrow Morning at 11 oClock with Arms,
Accoutrements & Necessarys in order to be inspected by their
Officers รข€" The Necessarys to be carried in their Wallet and slung over the Right Shoulder"


Leather Ojibwe tumpline – AMNH from Isaac Walter's excellent write up The Humble Tumpline


A leather "Hoppess strap" 1780 Virginia:

“Colonel Crockett has made application to me for an order on the Commissary of Hides for as much leather as will make each of his men a shot Pouch and a Hoppess strap. As the Tan Yard is carried on at Continental expense, I don’t think myself at liberty to do it without your Excellency’s direction, Colonel Crockett’s being a State Battalion...

21st July, 1780.” p. 185. Winchester, Virginia And Its Beginnings, 1743-1814 By Katherine Glass Greene - 2007.

In addition to this leather Hoppess strap reference, a soldier in Colonel Miles' Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment, known only as "Sergeant R", mentioned his

"...pack, which was made fast by leather strings, was shot from my back and with it went all the little clothing I had. It was replaced by one which had belonged to a British officer, and was well furnished... It was mine not long, for it was stolen shortly afterwards." (The day is ours!: an inside view of the battles of Trenton and Princeton ...
By William M. Dwyer)


Another reference to the same Virginia unit that requested a leather Hoppess strap "Joseph Crockett's Western Battalion, Virginia State Troops, 1780-1782" Copeland, Peter F. and Marko Zlatich MCH, 17 (Fall 1965), pp. 82-83. MUIA Plate 262 includes information that they were issued:

"10 hanks sail twine, 8 coils deep sealine" and raises the possibility of rope being used for this (or potentially some other unspecified) use. Combined with this reference from 1783 (modern West Virginia):

“I was with my father at the rope works making cords to make a hoppose. He was preparing to go in the Revolutionary Army and had got ready ..."


In addition, some men in the Virginia back country may have acquired Indian manufactured tumplines.  Captain Matthew Arbuckle was killed in 1781 by a falling tree in a storm, and his probate inventory contains "...1 Beeded Hoppis..." (Captain Matthew Arbuckle:a documentary biography by Joseph C. Jefferds pages97-99).

I elected to go with plain hemp webbing and hemp rope for my conjectural reconstruction (NB: this is indeed NOT based on an extant artifact and is at best a guesstimate!). If further research on Crockett's battalion show they actually received leather tumplines, I will put one of those together too, as that is another period material.


Broadly basing my very conjectural "repro" on basic dimensions from some Native tumplines, I chose a 2 foot section of 2.5 inch hemp webbing with a 1" webbing stitched to that, and several feet of hemp rope attached leading from both ends of the smaller webbing.

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A great "how to" video by Isaac Walters on tumplines.






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Tuesday, March 22, 2011

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!

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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!
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