"Backpacks in ACW infantry." Topic

Hello everyone,
What about the history of backpacks in the infantry of the ACW belligerents?

I say this because I have a lot of my 25mm Minifigs ACW 'S' range figurines that wear them and I have a feeling that especially among the rebels, they were not very popular …

I agree with respect to popularity. Many confederate regiments were issued backpacks of various designs, often influenced by pre-war militia equipment or based on Union patterns. However, due to the South's limited manufacturing capabilities and the Union blockade, the availability and quality of backpacks was inconsistent and many soldiers had to rely on what they could scavenge, capture or fashion themselves. Backpacks were cumbersome for confederate soldiers who tended to travel light. For many, it was easier to use haversacks, knapsacks, or slung bedrolls to carry rations, spare clothing and personal items. There is also the problem of what happened to your belongings when you dropped your pack and marched off to form line of battle or skirmish. When modeling confederate (and most union) regiments, I tend not to use figures with packs, the exception being the new, typically early war regiment in marching poses with new uniforms.

Backpacks were the sort of thing that might have been often issued but not often used, especially for the Confederates – a review of period photos and reading the reminiscences of old soldiers would suggest that after a time in the field they were not so common among Union troops either!

With many scales and lines of figs, you are stuck with them, however.

Tort I painted Army of the Cumberland. I solved that problem problem by using confederate figures with blanket rolls for many of my Union troops. Slouch caps were very common in the western armies too. So figures were no issues. Besides some kept packs, some tossed them. They drag on you when marching(from experience). Blanket rolls are easier to March with, especially distances.

If backpacks were dropped before going into battle, would the dropping unit leave a guard to secure the unit's equipment? Were backpacks ever carried on wagons during march or battle, at least on the Union side?

For many, it was easier to use haversacks, knapsacks, or slung bedrolls

I'm pretty sure the knapsack WAS the backpack.

Thanks for the incentive to check uniform sources on backpacks. I enjoyed the plunge into new information.
Haversacks were very common in the South. They were multi-colored. Several examples of blue shaded mostly dark blue. The most common color was various shades of brown or butternut. They was no set pattern as some had square bottom and others a rounded bottom. Haversacks were worn over one solder and head.
Union used blue fabric though a few examples were tan.
The knapsack or backpack was more popular in the Union army. They were cloth and often dyed blue. Though the Short model issued to troops from Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York was a tan light butternut. The regiment number, State initials and company were imprinted on them. The sizes varied but the cloth construction dominated.
That surprised men as I thought many back packs were water proof leather. The examples were not leather.
All had unit imprinted in either black or white. One guy even had his initials on itAll knapsacks had two straps while haversacks had one.

TimePortal, your post surprises. I've always been under the impression that the majority of haversacks issued by the southern states were undyed cloth (off-white), while those issued by the north (and the knapsacks, mostly though not exclusively the valise pattern) were waterproofed black. I've never seen illustrations or photos of artifacts that show blue-dyed haversacks or knapsacks.

Agree with Eumelus.

Tom

I think one of the first things a Confederate soldier would attempt to scavenge from the battlefield is a Union haversack. These were usually painted (tarred) and waterproofed, and thus far superior to those issued to Cofederate soldiers, which were typically made of coarse, unbleached osnaburg, and susceptible to the weather.

To my knowledge Eumelus and GarryOwen are correct.

It surprised me too. Seeing the knapsack called the Shorter Patent in unbleached linen cloth given to the States mentioned by contract. The sample showed was issued to a NH regiment. The part of the Shorter knapsack next to the skin was tanned leather..
For the CSA very few knapsacks and a lot of haversacks shown. The assortment of hats and caps were the most diverse.
Look folks check out the Time-Life Illustrated History of the Civil War. Copies are at most libraries. You can also get copies through the Internet-library loan program.

@ChrisBrantley
I suspected it but I'll have to deal with it… I'm not going to mutilate my little rarities.

@Frederick
I totally agree.

@Tortorella
That's exactly it.

@35thOVI
I totally agree and although I'm passionate about historical realism and uniformology and therefore a big fan of figurine transformations, I'm stuck here given their age.

@Red Jacket
It's possible.

@donlowry
Me too.

@TimePortal
I find these colors strange, no backpacks of classic shape (like in Europe at the same time) and black then?

@Eumelus
Me too.

@Garryowen
Let's wait for TimePortal to give its sources.

@Extrabio1947
In Toile de Jute ?

Gave sources.
Go to museums.
Read books. I gave an easy to find source based on museum artifacts.
Do not depend on the internet.
You would have a hard time passing graduate classes by relying on the internet. We had to go to museums and State Archives like the one in Montgomery.

One cannot forget that the backpack, haversack, bedroll etc., was the means by which the soldier could carry his personal items in. They were probably loath to go into battle without them knowing of the possibility that friend or foe could be going thru their belongings and maybe never see them again if taken by the enemy. Letters from home, cookies from grandma, sewing kits, knife, fork, spoon, clean underclothes, socks, etc. were necessities and highly regarded as replacement was so hard to obtain for both sides.

Sure, the North outproduced the south in many areas but it was a totally different matter to get supplies to where they were needed most. So carrying those treasured items with you was mostly a necessity so picking up a backpack from the battlefield could have many dimentions of luxury!

There are a lot of books and other sources for all of this. It would help if you did some research. Using TMP or anything as your sole source of information is the lazy way to do research. When you have exhausted other sources, then come to TMP.

I concur with Old Contemptable. Best to ask for suggested resources than for answers to unresearched questions. I, too, have noticed a lot of questions recently being asked and it took me less than a minute to find the answer on-line.

Part of the hobby is researching (and can be a lot of fun searching for some obscure subject!) BUT- at least try first.

As for the Minifigs question, they gave you a choice. Perhaps those are the only ones you could obtain? (I still have the master and production molds for Minifigs, but not the rights to sell anymore.) Hope you enjoy them.

@TimePortal
Logical because at the time when I was a student there were no interns, cell phones, etc.

@ Dye4minis
No, no, because when in some European infantry of the time, the backpacks were placed on the ground for the assault, a few lucky guys were designated to keep them, on the other hand in the event of a rout or a simple hasty withdrawal it could become a hindrance for the rest of the operations…

@Old Contemptible
The books?

Haven't you noticed?
Read 10 by different authors on the same subject and you will have 10 different opinions.

Using TMP and only TMP as me is much more effective because you can directly ask the question that interests you and in general all those who answer you agree with each other…

You are right about the varying views on the same topic. I took a course in Primary Source material. The same incident was reported in the papers by Union, CSA and citizens involving a train track blockage. The reports all varied in the facts. For example, the bridge guard fled at the approach of Union raiders. He was asleep and captured in another. Or he was messing around with a local female and fled.

35th, good point about the slouch hats. What scale do you use?

Tort 15mm
2 Divisions per side, plus each has a large cavalry brigade.

@TimePortal,
Completely agree.

@TimePortal,
That's exactly how it happens.

35th, I use 6mm for ACW. With H&R, the packs and rolls still show up pretty well so I paint them. I have a ton of these and even more Napoleonics. They are great for showing figures as a mass on an 8x4 table. I just ignore the packs, can't be helped.

I went to 15s for the AWI, more fun to paint and look at. Wished they had them way back when I started.

And..I have about 2000 Airfix ACW, never painted, but they were my first real games with Featherstone rules.

@Tortorella
And me little by little, I "mobilize" two armies for the ACW, but with 25mm MiniFigs 'S' ranges and it's not easy because there are no shops that sell them…

The war is not ready to start.

Indeed for example, my gunners still don't have guns because I think that the minifig guns currently sold are too big and in any case they have 12-spoke wheels instead of 14 and MiniFigs does not offer any "Napoleon" which is a shame!

Tort

Wow, I painted so much, I've forgotten some. Sold over half of what I painted.
Started with 25mm Napoleonics Prussians and Civil War 2 Divs at GBurg(long gone). I then switched to 15mm. Told you about Civil War.

Napoleonic 1 to 40 scale. 2 Austrian Corp, a grenadier division and a Cuirassier division. At Asprern Essling (sold). Messina's large Corp there, Cuirassier Division, Dragoon Division (still have). Italian-French Corp, brigade of Cavalry, Italian Guard, 1809 roughly(sold). Prussian Corp 1813(sold). 2 British Divisions plus Brigade 1815 (sold). 2 plus Russian Corp, Grenadier division, Russian Guard, few brigades of Cavalry including Cossacks (still have). Plus some misc others.

15mm SYW Prussian and Austrian probably 15 or more regiments per side plus multiple cavalry regiments.(still have). Had French as well, but sold

25mm ECW, quite a few units and each quite large(still have)

20mm World War II. 1 per 1. US paratroopers German Paratroopers, and Russian infantry. (Still have).

25mm Rev War a Continental brigade And one British regiment (sold).

I at one time had 15mm Normans and some ancients. A Beautiful 25 mm Austrian 7 Years War regiment. Plus I used to paint figures for others. Some 25mm British for the Boar Wars.

I know I've forgotten some. 🤔

Also painted for others.

Don't paint any longer.

@35thOVI
It's the same for everyone I think.

But this cycle is over for me I remain confined to my 25mm MiniFigs and everything is going very well.