"Regimental officer horse furniture..looks right?" Topic

Hi Guys,

I've been working on a little horse sculpt of a mounted regimental officer, and as I'm finishing up I was wondering if the image I have been using as a general model holds water.. Many of the contemporary photos of mounted colonels/lt colonels seem to have more or less bare saddles (no rolled blankets, canteens, or things of that sort). I am unsure if this was done for the photo-op, or if these higher level regimental staffers didn't bother to carry these items on the saddle?

Here's the pic:
picture

Would you say this is a relatively proper campaign layout for an infantry colonel? Or should the blankets and such be eliminated and the saddle left bare?

Thank you very much for any help,
Bob

Bob,

Lose the rear blanket roll and replace it with a valise. I'd also add a pair of saddle bags.

See here for other officer-type stuff.

link

Some more ideas here:

link

Interestingly enough, Regis De Trobriand, a brigade commander in Sickle's 3rd Corps, wrote to his wife shortly after Gettysburg. He complained of having nothing with him but what he had on his saddle, sleeping with his saddle for a pillow, the horse blanket and a rubber blanket for his cover, and the personal items in his valise and haversack and pockets. He complains to her towards the end "Great God of Battles! When will I be allowed to bathe!"

Respects,

Tkindred, thank you sir! Interesting note you include as well.

So add saddle bags, make the rear blanket into a valise.. And is that black rubber blanket on the front of the saddle ok? Or would that be better off as a pistol holder or something?

Thank very much!
Bob

Oh no, the rubber blanket was normally stored up forward, so as to be easily accessible when the rain started. Officers might do without a lot of things, but damned few of the line officers would be without at least the rubber blanket in summertime. Field officers who rode would likely have at least a rubber blanket, and they would (and did) use the horse blanket for a covering.

The use of pommel holsters is a this/that thing. Some officers used them, others didn't. If the officer had pommel holsters, then he wouldn't have a regular flap holster on his sword belt. Any extra rounds or caps would be carried in a breast or vest pocket,

FWIW, some pommel holsters came as a single holster, with a small satchel, similar to a saddle bag on the opposite side. It was not a common item, but was seen from time to time.

Here's the thing to remember: Officers weren't issued anything. the only things the government gave them were their pay and their commission. Everything else they paid for out of their own pocket. Uniforms, mess equipment, horse, saddle, camp furniture, food, weapons and accoutrements. Therefor, whatever an officer wore was as much dictated by personal whim and purse as by regulation. As long as it conformed basically within the outlines of the regulations, an officer could (and did) wear whatever he liked.

Now, regulations allowed an officer to draw enlisted trousers, shirts, socks, shoes, and blankets when on campaign, as well as the mounted-services overcoat, but only when those items were available for issue, and the costs were to be deducted from his pay.

It isn't beyond the realm of imagination to see an officer with an enlisted saddle and tack, but it might well be because that was all he could afford. Most officers, though, purchased the best they could afford not for status, but to be an example to the enlisted men. Be the leader they need (and want) you to be, et al.

respects,

Ahh beautiful information, TKindred. When all of this is said and done I'll have had a great deal of your help in attempting to incorporate as much historical accuracy as possible, that's for sure. Thank you again.

Best,
Bob

Good Lord! The woman has no head! :-)

Very good info. Something we hear little about.

Bob,

It's my pleasure. I've spent the majority of my life rummaging through journals, letters, uniform collections, museums, hysterical societies, etc, and as a result, have a lot of rather eclectic information from the ACW. If anything that I can offer is useful, then so much the better.

Respects,

Tim Kindred

Great advice from Tim – don't forget, while the regimental officers might be able to stow things on baggage wagons, whatever they stowed might also never be seen again – so a saddle bag for things like maps/rations/a bit of extra clothing, etc

So – I like the idea of the officers having the kit mentioned by Tim