THE WATCHDOG. A QUARTERLY REVIEW FOR CIVIL WAR ENACTORS

Volume 11, No. 3 Guarding your interests ... SUMMER 2003

Desig n u Re-enacting ? 6-

In response to Timothy Murphy's article in the last issue, Pakistani goods and cheap domestic inaccurate costume 'Times, They are a Changing! Or.. . It Costs How Much?", I @e, repros ...' Can we be sure that is the reason for these would like to state, that I also have friends and associates that price hikes? Could it possibly be greed? reproduce Civil War enactor goods. Though it seems in Mr. Mr. Murphy also tries to justify the price increases by Murphy's opinion that these people are not legitimate makers comparing CiviWar reproductions with WWll reproductions. because they have no formal training and lack production Several Watchdog readers as well as myself have noticed a facilities. At the same time many of these people make few discrepancies in Mr. Murphy's comparisons and I vvould products that many others and I feel are equal or superior to like to do my own comparison. 'This comparison uses one many of the so-called legitimate makers. They do so in their distributor of Civil War reproductions and one distributor of spare time, which to me gives more credence to their WWll reproductions. I would like to reiterate that these two workmanship and effort. They are doing this because they are only distributors and do not actually make any of the have studied the material culture and strive to do it right. These products that they sell. people are not just in it to make a buck.

There are some large production facilities owned by professional tailors who know how to do it right because they have been approached on the subject before, but would rather produce "costume1' grade clothing.

There is a recent trend that we have seen some of the best and brightest makers in the reenacting community turn from making and selling goods on an individual basis to going to a non-order in stock only business. This concept is fine with a lot of people. This way they know if they order and pay for It is true that many of the WWll reproduct~on goods 2-e an item they will be receiving that item within a short period of made overseas or in Mexico and yes, they are entirely mach~re time. A recent note from a subscriber tells us his story of how sewn. There is however a great amount of research that goes he placed an order for fifteen items worth $1 736 with a well- into the reproduction of the goods as there is with Civil War known manufacturer in November of 1999.1 am pleased to reproductions. The difference is the documvtation. Surviv~ng report that the customer has received his goods as of July originals from WWII are much more prevalent and affordable. 2003. Is it just me, or does that seem that is just too long to go Mr. Murphy compares the reproduction of Civil War without items for which you have pre-paid. I have had bad clothing to $1200 Ralph Lauren designer goods. Is that the experiences myself with long lead times on orders and it is whole purpose of reenacting, to wear designer goods? We not an enjoyable experience. as reenactors or consumers of reenacting goods are no

Other makers have decided to go to a distributor system. different than anyone else when it comes to buying something. This is also a good concept, the problem is this is where we We look for quality (accuracy/authenticity), service (delivery) are seeing the largest price hikes. Certain makers of quality and affordability (pricelvalue). goods have only had marginal price increases over the past Mr. Yingling few years. I would consider a three to ten percent increase NOTES: marainal. Some of the price increases in the last couple of [I] Please keep in mind that the prices listed are for reproductions many

are approaching' two hundred percent. Mr. ~ u r ~ h ~ original items can still be found at a reasonable price. 1.21 The cost listed is the sale price the regular cost was not listed at time of

indicates that the price increases are due to prices being publication. previously being "depressed far below their actual market 131 There are n0"re~roduction" M I helmets. The toolina to make such an ~te- - value for years." Mr. Murphy continues that the attributing hbuld be cost pro&bitive due to the low volume. Origi';lals can be bought ': - factors to these depressed prices are "low prices of 'cruddy' fifty dollars or less.

"Military Notes and Queries" from The United States Service Magazine

One of the finest, albeit sho r t - l i ved , Amer i can periodicals published during the Civil War was the United States Service Magazine (hereafter referred to as USSM). Two distinguished personages edited this monthly journal during its short life (January 1864 to June 1866). They were Professor Captain Henry Coppee (whose circa 1866 image appears at left) and Colonel dibhard B. lrwin.[i]

The content of USSM was eclectic since Coppee and Irwin not only ensured that military-related articlesand official War Department orders were published, as might be expected, but also incorporated literary, poetic, artistic and scientific pieces into each monthly issue. Indeed, one notable literary contributor was none other than Louisa May Alcon, of Little Women fame. Under Professor Coppee's aegis, USSM was quickiy recognized in both military and civilian circles for its dedication to excellence and this, in turn, helped USSMacquire a level of influence far greater than its official circulation might have suggested. In September 1865, The Nation magazine opined that USSM was "one of the most valuable results of the war."[z]

Despite this enviable record, relatively few Civil War living historians are familiar with USSMand even fewer are acquainted with the "Military Notes and Queries" (hereafter referred toas "MN&Q") section that was irregularly published in USSM between May 1864 and May 1865. This section was, simply put, a sort of "Dear Abby" advice column addressing queries about various aspects of military drill, ceremonies, customs, and courtesies. Of particular interest to us, as living historians, is the fact that questions were not only submitted from interested citizens but also from officers and enlisted men needing guidance out in the field.

The queries and answers printed below range from the arcane to the amusing to the eminently practical. What is more, the "MN&Q" columns are interesting and instructive to us if for no other reason than they clearly show there was no little amount of debate among troops during the Civil War over what precisely constituted the 'korrect way" to perform certain evolutions, military courtesies or aspects of guard duty. Furthermore, 'MN&Q" tells us in no uncertain terms that the relatively glacial rate of change in drill and tactics during the Civil War era was not attributable to a lack of bright ideas from the lower echelons.

Accordingly, except for one significant deletion in the November 1864 coiumn, as well as minor editing and annotation for clarity, all of the "MN&Q" columns originally printed in USSM appear verbatim and are, to this writer's

knowledge, together "under one rooP' for the first time. This writer has also attempted, whenever possible, to specifically identify some of the individuals who posed questions to "MN&Q," the better to put a "human face" on the men who sought guidance. Additional comments and 0bSe~ations regarding the original questions about drill and guard duty have been solicited from Dom Dal Beilo, and are incorporated into the notes. Dal Bello's AoP Press (PO BOX 1863, Goleta, CA 93116) is the source for Parade, Inspection and Basic Evolutions of the Infantry Battalion (PIE) as well as Instructions for Guards and Pickets (IGP). Qoth of these publications are the best modern summations of period drill manual available.

May 1864

MILITARY NOTES AND QUERIES.

[Officers are requested to contribute to this new and interesting department of the Magazine.]

Questions.-1 . The battalion being in line of battle with closed ranks, after the termination of a parade or march, when do commissioned officers return their swords?--at the order the "parade is dismissed," whilst standing in their places in line, or afterstepping four paces to the front, and before facing inward to close on the centre?

2. How should regiments salute when one receives another?

3. Is the method of forming square "forward on the centre" (Casey, vol. ii, par. 1106) the simplest and best, or has any other method superior advantages?-H. H., Brooklyn, N. Y.

Answers.-1. After a march or parade, not of ceremony, the battalion is usually informally dismissed. If quarters are already provided for the troops, the several companies may be conducted to them either by their offices or sergeants,+enerally by the latter. Officersareat liberty to return their swords immediately on the announcement of the dismission [sic] of the battalion, if their duties have ceased. The order is "parade is dismissed is only given when the ceremony of a dressparade is terminated, at which time ail the officers (field and line) return their swords, face inward, &c. When the ranks are opened, but not until then, company officers advance four paces, and field-officers six paces (in a dress parade), opposite to their places in the order of battle.

2. The colonel of the receiving regiment having his command in line so that it shall be on the right of the route which the other regiment is to take, the latter moves in column, right in front, and when its head is within six paces of the left of the line on its right, the first or receiving regiment presents arms, and so continues until the rear of the column

has passed the right of the line. The column passes at shoulderedarms, each officer saluting as soon as he comes within six paces of the left of the line. When the rear of the column has passed-some twenty-five or thirty paces beyond the right of the line, the column is brought into line, on the same side as the first regiment. The first regiment now breaks into column, right in front, and marches by the second, receiving the same honors which it gave. After marching by, it may be formed again into line as at first, when both regiments may be brought to an order, the officers advancing and being presented; or the first regiment, still in column, may halt until the second has reformed column, when both resume the march, the leading regiment serving as an escort for the other.

3. The method of forming square, forward on the centre companies, from line of battle, is very simple and good, and, so far as the final position of the companies is concerned, identical with the square formed from the battalion first ployed into double column. It has also the merit of being more expeditious than any mode prescribed for forming square from line of battle. But if a battalion be already in column of divisions at half distance, there can be nothing simpler than to form square by wheeling the interior divisions right and left into line, and advancing the last division.

Question.-What is the object of forming "division columns" as prescribed in Casey's Tactics, vol. ii. par. 908? Is the formation used by any of the regiments in the service of the United States?-E. A., 1st Conn Light Battery, Folly Island, S. C.[3]

Answer.-The formation of "division columns" has been recently introduced into our system of tactics, from the French. Since the system prepared by General Scott,-also based upon the French,-great improvements have been made for manczuvring infantry troops, principally by increasing the celerity of their movements, by causing the various battalion manczuvres to be executed without haltiqg, and by doubling the files when marching by a flank. The system popularly known as Hardee's, and the authorized United States Infantry Tactics of 1861, are condensed translations from the French. No reference, however, is made in either of them to "division columns." The formation has been adapted to a battalion of ten companies, such as is now in use. The object is partial concentration, which is to admit of very rapid deployment. In a battalion of eight companies, the first and fourth division columns, being commanded by a lieutenant-colonel and the major respectively, can, in case the line of division columns attacks or receives the attack of the enemy, be detached to assail his flanks, while the second and third divisions deploy. The suggestion of advantage-which will be found in par. 981- must be taken for what it is worth. Some of the regiments in

the service of the United States are instructed in the manczuvre; but whether it has ever been employed on the field of battle we are unable to say.

July 1864

WIILITARY NOTES AND QUERIES

[Officers are requested to contribute to this department.]

Questions.-I . In what direction does a sentinel face, when "facing to the proper front" as prescribed in paragraph 423 Revised United States Army Regulations?

2. Does a sentinel salute an officer who passes him, by bringing his left hand to his musket as high as his right shoulder only when he is in his sentry-box, or does he so salute under other circumstances?-J. L., 128th Ohio Volunteers, Camp Cleveland, Ohio.[4]

Answers.-1 . A sentinel on any one of the four sides of a camp will face outward, or, if before the colonel's tent, will face towards the color-line, and will stand at shouldered arms, when an officer in uniform approaches him, unless the officer be a general, a field officer, the officer of the day, or the commanding officer of the post, to any of whom he will presentarms. At all other times a sentinel is required to carry his arms at support, or on either shoulder, unless in wet weather, when he will secure arms, if there be no sentry- box.[5]

2. A sentinel only salutes, when he is in sentry-box, by standing at attention, and by bringing his left hand to his musket as high as his right shoulder.[6]

Question.-Being in double column and changing direction by the right flank, should the subdivisions be aligned by the left or by the right?-G., Brooklyn, N. Y

Answer.-A battalion, in double column, closed in mass. being at a halt, changes direction according to the principles prescribed for a simple column by division. If a simple column by division is right in front, the alignment, after a change of direction, either by the right or left flank, is towards theguide, or by the left. In the case of a double column, the alignment will also be towards the guide or by the right, as a double column habitually takes the guide to the right, though sometimes to the left and sometimes to the centre of the column.

August 1864

MII-ITARY NOTES AND QUERIES.

[Officers are requested to contribute to this department.]

ARMY OFTHE CLIMBERLAND, Near DALLAS, GA., June 3,1864.

SUMMER 2003 THE WATCHDOG. 3

concerning which "J.L." inquires, is prescribed only after NOTES:

sunset, and then not as a salute, but only as a mark of [I] Circa 1866 image of Henry Coppee is courtesy of Special Collections, Lehigh University Libraries. Over the course of his long and distinguished

attention, showing that the sentry is attending properly to academic career, Professor Captain Henry Coppee (1 821 -1 895, USMA his duties. Under the rule that a sentinel, on any one of the Class of 1845) authored several militaw works includina Field Manualof four sides of a camp, shall face outward and Present arms, Evolution of the Line, Philadelphia: J.B: Lippincott & c:, 1862; The Field

when a general or field officer approaches, if the officer Manual forBatfalion Drill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, J.B. Lippincott & Co., 1862 and Field Manual of Courts-Martial, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,

approached from within the camp, the sentinel would be J.B. Lippincott, 1863. In January 1866, having been appointed as the first presenting arms to an officer behind his back; or rather president of Lehigh University, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Coppee would be committing the glaring impoliteness of turning his back to the officer he is required to salute, and then gravely presenting arms to nothing! which is hardly consonant with the customary courtesy required of all officers and soldiers toward their superiors. In the salutes prescribed in paragraphs 256 and 257, the inferior is required to direct his attention in a respectful manner towards his superior. In paragraph 248, salutes to officers who pass in the rear of a guard, are prohibited. Is there any good reason why the salute of a single sentry should be made in a like respectful and courteous manner, toward the officer saluted? It is very clear, from paragraphs 251 and 423, that no salutes are paid after retreat, and therefore the "facing to the proper front," required by paragraph 423, is prescribed only between retreat and reveille.

I understand the second question of "J.L." to be this: "Does the last sentence of paragraph 420, requiring sentinels to 'carry arms' to all officers below field officers, include the usual salute with the left hand brought to the shoulder, or not?" The inference from the language of that paragraph is, that the sentinel should stand at shouldered arms; but the common practice in the volunteer army is otherwise. This practice is doubtless derived from the requirements as to salutes in other cases. Indeed, it is hardly consistent that the single sentry should simply carry arms to a line officer, when walking on a beat; because the same sentry, if in a sentry-box, would salute the same officer by raising the left hand; and if not a sentry, but simply a soldier under arms, and not on duty, he would offer the same salute under paragraph 255. From these facts has originated the custom of interpreting the language of paragraph 420, "carry arms," to mean "carry arms and salute as a sergeant.''

If you or your contributors will give more extended opinions upon these subjects with references to authorities, it will, I think, be a great aid to many inquiring volunteer officers-INSPECTOR., MEMPHIS, TENN.

"INSPECTOR'S" call for more opinions about the rendering of honors by sentinels was apparently never answered, as "MN&Q" was dropped after the May 1865 issue. Why Professor Coppee elected not to continue "MN&Qn remains a mystery. We may reasonably suppose that the end of hostilities obviated further need for it.

The assistance of Dom Dal Bello (Army of the Pacific), Randy Ubben (R. Ubben Pipes), and llhan Citak (Special Collections, Lehigh University Libraries) during the preparation of this article is gratefully acknowledged.

iurned over ~ ~ ~ ~ e d i t o r i a i duties to Lieutenant colonel ~ ichard B. lrwin (ca. 1840-1892) who himself had seen extensive service as a staff officer in the Western Theater. lrwin remained in the editor's chair until USSM was "mustered out" in June 1866. See Heitman, Francis B., compiler, Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army, Vol. 1, Washington DC, Government Printing Office, 1903, pages 327 and 565. A lengthy biography for Coppee can be viewed at w.famousamericans.net~henrycoppeel [2] "Current Literature," an article in The Nation, 7 September 1865, p. 31 7. Also see Mott, Frank Luther, A History ofAmerican Magazines, Cambridge, Massachusetts, The Belknap Press of the Haward University Press, 1938 (reprinted 1967), p. 550. [3] "E.A." was most likely Private Eugene Atwaterwho, at the time of his enlistment into the First Connecticut Light Artillery Battery, on 23 October 1861, was nineteen years old, single, a "mechanic" and hailed from Plymouth, Connecticut. From June 1863 until 18 April 1864, Atwater's artillery unit was engaged in "Siege operations against Forts Wagner and Gregg, Morris Island and against Fort Sumter and Charleston, S.C., from Folly Island at which time it transferred from Folly Island, South Carolina back to Gloucester Point, Virginia, arriving there on 23 Aprii. Accordingly, Private Atwater must have mailed his queryto USSMshortly before he re- deployed back to Virginia, along with his battery, to eventually join Major General Benjamin F. Butler's Army of the James.

Eugene Atwater completed his term of service with the First Connecticut LAB and mustered out on 2 November 1864 but quickly secured a commission, on 2 December 1864, and formally mustered in as First Lieutenant of Company E, Sixth Connecticut Volunteer Infantrl: on 23 December 1864. Atwater seems to have displayed considerable aptitude andpluck as an officer: On 13 February 1865, less than a month after the Sixth Connecticut tookpart in the assault on Fort Fisher, North Carolina, he was reassigned to Company D as its Captain.

The Sixth Connecticut remained in North Carolina for the remainder of the war and, afler several months of minor skirmishing and garrison duty, Captain Atwater returned to New Haven, Connecticut with his

regiment and mustered out for good on 21 August 1865. See Dyer's Compendiumentry at The Civil War Archive: Union Regimental Histofiesat www.civilwararchive.com. Beecher, Herbert W., History of the First Light Battery, Connecticut Volunteers, 1861-1865,2 Vols., New York, New York, A.T. De La Mare, 1901, pages 20 and 326. Record of Service of Connecticut Men in the Army and Navy of the United States During the War of the Rebellion, Hartford, Connecticut, Case, Lockwood, Brainard, 1889, pages 270 and 273. Circa 1865 image of Eugene Atwater (Catalog Number RG98S-CWP41 . l ) courtesy of United States Army Center of Military History and was

originally published in Francis Atwater's History of the Town of Plymouth, Connecticut, Meriden, Connecticut, Journal Publishing Company, 1895. [4] At least seventeen officers and men of the One Hundred Twenty- eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry had the initials "J.L." The two most likely inquirers were either Sergeant Joel L. Little, of Company I, or more probably Captain John Lewis of Company K. Little, age twenty-seven at the time of his enlistment on 16 December 1863, was subsequently appointed First Sergeant of Company I, on 2 April 1865, and mustered out 13 July 1865. Captain Lewis, only twenty-one at the time of his commissioning on 29 December 1863, remained commander of Company K until he was mustered out on 13 July 1865. Refer to J.B.

Nlr. Jaeger

6 THE WATCHDOG. SUMMER 2003

In your May [I8641 number the question is asked, 'What is the object of forming division columns?" Your answer covers one of the objects; another, and an essential one (as it supplies what to me has seemed an omission in all the tactical works I have seen) is this,-the affording, by order, of a passage for a broken regiment through a supporting line.

By this movement, one-half, in alternate companies, of the supporting line is in position, with guns bearing, and the other companies in shape to at once move to place as soon as the retreating line has passed. Generally the retreat of the advanced line carries away with it more or less of the second line, as no way issuggested otherthan this of making a path for it.

I suggest another method of forming square from line of battle, superior in some respects to that of "Forward on centre." It is done by the following commands:-

1. To the rear, form square. 2. Wings, without doubling, inward face. 3. To the rear into line--MARCH.

At the second command, the third division stands fast; the first and second, and the fourth and fifth, respectively, face inwards.

At the third command, the right companies throw forward their right shoulder, and the left companies the left. At the command March, the rear-rank man on the left of the second division moves obliquely to the left three paces, and, turning to the right, places himself with his left shoulder against the back of the rear-rank man in the first file of the third division, the front-rank man making the same movement, turning as his covering-file does, and placing his shoulder against the covering-sergeant of the third division. Commencing thus a line at right angles and to the rearof the third division, the file next to the lefton the second division will execute the same movement simultaneously with the left file, and so on along the whole line, dressing by the left as they come in, except the first company, which will march by the flank by the nearest line, so as to form the rear of the square,-file-closers passing to the front; and the captain halting his own person as soon as he reaches the right flank of the second company, directing his company's march by him until it meets the tenth company coming from the otherflank; he will then halt, and face the company to the left. The left wing will move inversely in the same manner, turning to the left. Directions as to file-closers and officers will be as in all other square formations. The square will be reduced as by Casey's "Forward on centre."

The advantages over the formation in Casey are- First. You form on your line of battle, and, when resolved

into line again, are in original position. Second. Your centre division can keep up its fire during

the formation. Third. The sauare beina a defensive movement, vou

aain in time over".foward on Centre" in this. that vo id0

not move towards the enemy, as by Casey. Fourth, Your third division standing fast, gives a fixed

base; while in the other the whole regiment moves at once, and, of course, is liable to be more of less shaken.

The commands also might be as follows:-

1. To the rear, form square. 2. Without doubling, wings inward face. 3. Wings into line and to the right about-MARCH.

The movements would then be precisely the same as within described.- 10th Illinois.[-r]

September 1864

MILITARY NOTES AND QUERIES.

HEAD-QUARTERS, ROCK ISLAND BARRACKS, ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, July 18,1864.[8]

To the Editor of the "United States Service Magazine." SIR: -In the military "Notes and Queries" of your

valuable book for July [1864], you state (in answering a question as to a sentinel's proper front) 'That a sentinel on any one of the four sides of acamp will face outward." Now, a sentinel on the parapet of a prison, if he should face outward, would turn his back on what he is guarding, and a rebel prisoner could throw a missile at the said sentinel and knock him down, or commit any other violence, owing to the sentinel's back being turned. Please tell me (Ques.), In what direction does a sentinel face when facing to the proper front, the sentinel being on the parapet of a prison- enclosure? Please omit name, and believe me, R. J.

November 1864

[Editor's note: A very lengthy and interesting proposal for thecreation of reinforced infant~com~anies, submitted bv "H.E.K." and oriainallv Drinted here. h i s bee" deleted du;! .. , , to space limitations, but is available from Mr. Jaeger upon written request to the DOG. A suggested donation of three dollars to our annual battlefield preservation fund should accompany your request.]

Questions.-I. Are troops drawn up for inspection supposed to have their bayonets unfixed, and at the command "Inspection-Arms!- tc 'ix Sayonets and spring rammers? and when the inspect -g sr~cer has passed to the third man from the one tns?eca I S that man supposed to unfixbayonetand returr -2--s-::i:

2. Are troops to be d.at.- -r ' 2 - dress parade on all occasions with bayone% --'re: 8 . - e using the rifled musket?

3. Is it proper to S;izd _;-s ... r- :?e rammers while using the rifled muske:'-A 5 : t z - p Burnside, Ky.[io]

Answers.-1 . Troops are usually drawn up with fixed bayonets. If they happen to be unfixed, they should be fixed at the command "Inspection-Arms!" but not unfixed again when the inspector has passed and the rammer returned.

2. At dress parade the bayonets should be fixed with the rifled as with the ordinary musket.

3. Arms should be stacked in all cases with the bayonet; it injures the rammers. Of course, with the rifle which has no bayonet the rammers must be used.

Questions.-1. When a company is doing escort duty at a funeral, and marching by platoons left in front, do the officers march in front of the platoons, or behind them?

2. Is it allowable for a colonel or officer commanding a regiment to appoint a lieutenant as ordnance officer, who make take the entire responsibility of the ordnance of the regiment, and thus relieve the commanding officer of that duty, just as the quartermaster does in his department?- B., Hartford[, Ct.

Answers.-1. In front. 2. The colonel cannot shift the responsibility. There is

no ordnance officer of a regiment known to the law, as there is a regimental quartermaster. If the colonel appoints one on special duty, the colonel is responsible for his acts.

March 1865

MILITARY NOTES AhlD QUERIES.

S. L. H., Vicksburg.-"Through what interval does the rear-rank man aim in firing to the left oblique? Answer.- Over the left shoulder of the man in front of him.[ii]

E. R. H., Sacramento, Cal.-"In loading a piece of artillery, when does No. 3 leave the vent, after sponging the piece, or after the cartridge is rammed home?"

Answer.-After sponging.

May 1 865

MILITARY NOTES AND QUERIES.

Let the commands be, To the rear, on Third Division, form square. At this command, the chief of Third Division will cause it to stand fast. The captains of companies 2,3,4,7,8 and 9 face them to the rear; 1 and 10 are faced inwards by the flank. At the command, March, of the colonel, 4 and 7 wheel and form perpendicularly to ends of Third Division; 2, 3, 8, 9 make a half wheel, and then march forward till they come near their places in the square when they are dressed upon the lines of 4 and 7; 1 and 10 march by the flank to their places to form the rear face of the square, the file-closers of these companies passing inside the square. The lines for 4, 3 and 2, and for 7, 8, and 9, should be established by the guides of those companies throwing themselves out in advance of their companies, and being placed by the lieutenant-colonel and major.-WEST POINT.

Comment.-(From a distinguished Correspondent and Tactician.)-There would be no particular necessity for forming square forward on the centre, unless imminently pressed by cavalry, and if so pressed, the moral effect of facing about, back to the enemy, would be bad. This, together with the greater intricacy of the movement is sufficient to reject the proposed method.[i2]

In answer to our California correspondent, J. W. McK.'s inquiries, we should state:-

I. Bayonet should be unfixed after the inspecting officer has passed, in accordance with paragraph 239, page 60, Vol. I., Casey's Tactics.

II. The following is in the manner of posting the companies of a regiment:-[la]

R L Tencompaniesl 6 4 9 3* 8 5 10 7 2 Nine companies 1 6 4 8' 3 7 5 9 2 Eightcompanies 1 5 4 8* 3 7 6 2 Seven companies 1 5 3* 6 4 7 2 Six companies 1 4 3 ' 6 5 2 Five companies 1 4 * 3 5 2 Four companies 1 3 4 2 Three companies 1 3 2 Two companies One company

The star (*) signifies color-company YOUR correspondent, "1 0th ILLINOIS," from the Army

of the Cumberland proposes, in your August [ I 8641 number, Ill. At a military funeral, the music should be at the a method of forming square to the rear from line of battle. head of the column. This method seems to expect too much individual action from the soldiers of a majority of the companies of the regiment. I propose the following method as better:

SIR: I read with interest your answers to the questions of ",I.L., 128th Ohio Vols.," in the "Military Notes and Queries" of the MAGAZINE for July [1864], and have since been waiting with the expectation that some other person would offer further comments upon those questions that have proved so puzzling to many volunteer officers. Permit me to ask for the authority for the rules you lay down in answer to the queries of "J.L." You make no distinction in your rules between salutes made during the daytime and after suns^:

but it is noticeable that the "facing to the proper f r c - - - . .

SUMMER 2003 THE WATCHDOG.

Foraker, J.S. Robinson and H.A. Axline, comps. OfficialRosterof the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 - 1866, Vol. VIII, 11 0th-140th Regiments-Infantry, Cincinnati, Ohio, The Ohio Valley Press, 1888, pages 492-524.

The unit was initially named "Hoffman's Battalion of Infantry," in honor of US Commissary-General of Prisoners Lieutenant Colonel William Hoffman (who, ironically, had been a POW himself for several months after his surrender to pro-Confederate Texans in February 1861) and was organized throughout fall and winter 1861. Except for a brief 1862 foray into Western Virginia, the battalion primarily performed prison guard duty at Johnson's lsland POW Camp, Sandusky, Ohio. In January 1864, six additional companies were incorporated into the battalion and it was re-designated the One Hundred Twenty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The regiment continued to guard Confederate POWs until it was mustered out at Camp Chase, Ohio in July 1865. See www.aztecclub.com/bios/hoffman, www.civilwararchive.comNnreghsff unohinfg, www.sandusky.lib.oh.us/follettpages/Jlhoffman128 and www.ohiocivilwar.com/cw128. [5] Dom Dal Bello: The phrase "face outward certainly refers to the direction of an approaching officer to be honored by a sentinel in campor garrison. However, as evident in later letters to "MN&Q," that while J.L.'s question was answered, there was further confusion. This includes prison guard R.J.'s question (Sept. 1864) about facing away from the prison yard to salute (which does not seem to be answered by "MN&Q), and INSPECTOR'S comments (May 1865) concerning the absurdity of 'facing outward' even when the officer approaches from within the camp, as well as the differences between paying proper attention during night and day. The further questions also point to the fact that short answers are not always enouph, and that there is always another question to follow.

-I propose that R.J.'s question about the prison guard on the prison parapet should be properly answered: No salute is necessaty. The sentinel's duty on the brison parapet is akin to the picket's on the line, his main job being to watch '?he enemy" at his front. In this sense, the prison guard's duty is not the same as asentinel of the campor policeguard.

To some, INSPECTOR may seem too nit-picky but it seems obvious that a sentinel should not face away from the officer. Perhaps a better response to J. L. would have been "face towards the officer." Then again, "facing outward' is the direction sentinels would face when posted at the door of a building, fort, etc., and a camp is but "quarters" without walls. [6] Dom Dal Bello: INSPECTOR links Carry Arms to ShoulderedArms. This should put to rest any confusion as to what "the carry' is understood to be. [7] This individual remains unidentified. However, given his familiarity with battalion drill, he was undoubtedly either a company-grade or regimental staff officer of the Tenth Illinois Veteran Volunteer lnfantry writing during a lull in the Atlanta Campaign. www.rootsweb.com/-ilciviIw/history/010. [8] The specific identity of the writer is uncertain; however, he was clearly an enlisted prison guard at the Rock lsland POW Camp. Perhaps not coincidentally an individual with the initials "R.J.," one "Robert Jewell" of Company G, One Hundred Thirty-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry, was definitely posted at Rock lsland when this letter was submitted to the USSM. Between December 1863 and July 1865, overtwelve thousand Confederate POWs were interned at Rock lsland and nearly two thousand of them (as well as 171 of their guards) died there from various causes. In later years, Rock lsland was frequently, and somewhat unfairly, termed the "Andersonville of the North." This misappellation continued to the point where even the fictional, star-crossed Major Ashley Wilkes, of Gone with the Windfame, was "incarcerated" there by his creator, GWTWauthor Margaret Mitchell. For information about Rock lsland POW Camp see www.rootsweb.com/-ilrockis/plac-hisffhist-cp and www.mvr.usace.army.mil/rockislandhistory/Prison. [9] Oddly, and contrary to what was asserted by "A.B.C.," no known provision is made in Scoff, Hardee, Gilham, USI&RT; Caseyor even in the Unitedstates Army Regulationsfor men, drawn up for inspection, to wait until 'Yhe inspecting officer has passed to the third man from the one inspected." Each of the aforementioned drill manuals merely repeats, with slight variations, Scoff SoS, Para. 255, "When the instructor shall have passed him, each recruit will retake the position prescribed at the command inspection ofarms, and return the rammer; afterwhich he faces to the front." The Army Regulations, Para. 31 3, is even more vague

in simply stating that inspecting officers performing regimental inspections "go through the whole company, and minutely inspect the arms, accoutrements, and dress of each soldier" afterwhich troops are then commanded to "Open--BOXES!"

The origin for the 'Yhird man" custom is unknown but the soldier's inquiry does indicate that it was being practiced in some Federal units by 1864. Whether the 'Yhird man" custom was simply something that was locally devised and spread because it "looked good," or whether it was drawn from an actual drill manual, remains to be determined. This writer would be very grateful to hear from Watchdog readers who could provide further evidence documenting observance of the 'Yhird man" practice in Northern or Southern units. [ I 01 Camp Burnside was established in 1863 at Point Isabel (now Burnside), Pulaski County, Kentucky (nine miles south of Somerset) as a rendezvous and supply base for General Ambrose E. Burnside's prelude to the East Tennessee Campaign. Some of the area is part of a Kentucky State Park. See www.oriscus.com/khs/countysearch.asp?county=Pulaski. [ I 11 There has been a long-running debate regarding precisely over which of the file-leader's shoulders one should place their piece when firing at the left oblique. Right or left? The response given in "MN&Q is, in the opinion of this writer, authoritative as one could hope for and certainly indicates that firing over the leftshoulderwas carried over from Scoff's Tacticsinto subsequent drill manuals in "deed," if not actual "word." For additional discussion and debate about firing at the left oblique, see Jeff Blakely, "Firing by the Left Oblique," The Watchdog, SUMMER 2002 (1 0.3) and James M. Ruley, "Left Oblique Response," The Watchdog, FALL 2002 (1 0.4). 11 21 The exact identitv of the "distinguished Corres~ondent and Tactician" is not stated but, given professor copp6e's connedtions and expertise, the evaluator could have easily been Brigadier General Silas Casev or - even Coppee himself. [13] Dom Dal Bello: The "MN&Q illustration varies considerably from that displayed in Emory Upton's 1874 drill manual, which I consulted while writing Parade, Inspection And Basic Evolutions Of The lnfantry Baffalion ("PIE").

Order of Captain Seniority, Left to Right ('Color Company):

There are several "rules of thumb" for the companies to be organized: The Senior (First) Captain commands the right company, the position of honor; the Second Captain the leftmost company, the second post of honor; and the Third Captain commands the right center company (the company to the right of center), which is the Color Company, the third post of honor. Senior most captains should command the divisions, being more experienced. In an odd-company battalion, the Second Captain's company constitutes a division by itself.

There is no display of colors with less than five companies. From the above table, we observe the following:

Upton always has the Third Captain commanding "the righr

SUMMER 2003 THE WATCHDOG. 7

center company, or color company" (Upton). By doing this, when there are only five companies, he violates the "rule" that the senior most captains command the divisions (the Fourth Captain commands a division and not the Third Captain). However, in all other cases, the senior most captains command the divisions. Note that with an odd number of companies, Upton always places the Fourth Captain to the right of the Second Captain. "MN&QU always has the senior-most captains command each division, with the senior captain in each division always being on the right, except for the leftmost division (as in the ten-company formation). Unfortunately, with this set up, the Third Captain is stripped of his rightful honor of commanding the Color Company in three cases: for five-, eight- and nine- company battalions.

For more details refer to Emery Upton, Infantry Tactics, Double and Single Rank, Adapted to American Topography and Improved Fire-Arms, Revised Edition, New York, New York, Appleton, 1874, page 150.

PLIBLISHER'S NOTES

Two announcements of note in regard to The Watchdog Quarterly, Inc. and future business plans:

IRS Tax Exempt Status. Our enterprise is now exempt from federal

income tax under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code as a 501 (c) 3 organization. Donors may now (starting with the 2003 tax year) deduct contributions to the DOG as provided in Section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code. This will be a great boost to our preservation fundraising efforts. It also means that we may find it easier to obtain grants for research projects and sponsorship of seminars and conferences. For you, our subscr ibers, i t means that a port ion of your subscription price is considered tax deductible. That amount is not determined at this time as it is based on operating costs and the actual amount of donations. We will let you know before next year's tax filing deadline. This also means that our editors may take advantage of the IRS regulations in regard to contributions of time, travel and certain non-reimbursed expenses related to their work for the DOG.

By IRS regulation our exemption application and future annual information returns (Form 990) are available for public inspection. These are available upon receipt of a written request.

At Last, the Sack Coat Monograph! Patr~ck Brown's study of the Federal sack will

be aval sole around 15 September of this year. His book. = e - =a:~gue Purposes ... The Army Sack Coat of 1 8 6 - - 3 7 2 s the f i rst of our expanded . . publica: 2 - 2 - - 5 - -;s on the material and social culture e' : -z 12- 3- "om 1850 to 1870. The perfect

bound soft-cover book is a thorough study of the common fatigue blouse worn by thousands if Union soldiers. It includes descriptions of nine original coats as well as a large gallery of period images illustrating design features and

The book is soft-cover and perfect bound in an 8112 by 11-inch format. The expected price will be $22.50 retai l p lus $2 .50 shipping, however, Watchdog subscribers will be able to purchase the book for $20 with free shipping. Do not send an order or money unti l you receive the off icial announcement and order form next month. We will also have an online order form at the web site with provisions for using PayPaL to place credit card orders. One half of the net income of book sales will go to our preservation fund.

In the Field. I wish to thank Spiros Marinos for being a

gracious host during the Fourth of July holiday when our "impression improvement" display was set up in his yard. It was a very pleasant five days on the rear slope of East Cemetery Hill ... one can never get tired of pondering a Civil War battlefield. Even though the "big show" event, where we had not intended to set up, had been postponed, we visited with numerous subscribers, members of the enacting community and park visitors. The company of Jason Anderson and his Flying Turtle Mercantile Company and Robert Land the cordwainer was appreciated as we had time to discuss products as well as merchant and supplier philosophy,

I will be at the event in Richmond, Kentucky over this coming Labor Day weekend with a period clothing display of selected items from the Christen Clothing Collection and The Aurora Mens Clothing Collection.

At this time at least one of our editor's planning to attend the NorthISouth Alliance event at Spring Hill, Tennessee over the weekend of 24-26 October.

Mr. Christen

FROM '%HE CLERK'S DESK

1862 Contracts for Painted Goods More on Waterproof Blankets

Regular contributor and subscriber, Fred Gaede, has provided a couple of 1862 contracts for painted goods, ordered by the US Army's Philadelphia Depot. They are in the National Archives, RG 92, E 2195.

Sept. 10, 1862 James E. Bowen, Philadelphia

You are authorized to make and deliver at the Schuylkill Arsenal [Philadelphia Depot] twenty thousand Ponchos, painted, on cotton sheeting, like sample in this office, by which they are to be inspected, and which sample is approved, and recommended by Genl. R.C. Dale, (QMG of the state of Pennsylvania) and to be marked "PA. Vols.", at two 10/100 dollars ($2.1 0) each; to be 60 by 71 inches in size, and provided with 18 grummets [sic] for lacing, with a hole in the center, 14 inches long, provided with flaps of cotton, 3 inches wide, like sample in all respects.

Deliveries to commence in ten days, and to be delivered at the rate of 1500 to 3000 per day, after that time, and subject to inspection: your name is required, by law, to be attached to every Poncho. Bond and contract will be made out in a few days, and sent to you for execution.

Respectfully, yr. obdt. sew. G.H. Crosman

Deputy QM Genl.

Sept. 13, 1862 Mr. 'Thomas Potter Cor. Bread & Arch Phila. Sir;

You are authorized to furnish at the Schuylkill Arsenal, 30,000 Painted Infantry Tent Blankets, 46 by 71 inches with 18 grummets [sic], and tape for tying as a shawl, at $1.39 each. Grummets to be placed 2 inches from the edge to the centre of grummet, on one side and one end, and one inch on the opposite side and end, not exceeding 14 inches apart, and equidistant. Stayed like sample. Quality of cloth used and coating like sealed sample in this Off ice, dated September 12, 1862. To be delivered at the rate of 1200 per day commencing on the 20fh inst[ant, i.e., of September], and subject to inspection.

Your name must be marked, or stamped upon each Blanket.

Quadruplicate agreements and a bond will be sent you for signature and execution.

Respectfully, G.H. Crosman

Dept. QM Genl.

I read with interest Eric Hageman's review of the Jarnagin-manufactured reproduction of the 'Stevens' blanket in the SPRING issue (11.2). 1 am delighted to see suppliers who are working to promote diversity of items, while maintaining high standards for quality. Because of the limited numbers of surviving examples of many of the items we use (unlike what was recovered from the Arabia!), and equally limited numbers of quality vendors, often duplicates of items are observed in the same mess. David Jarnagin should be commended for his efforts to both accommodate "special requests," and transform one of the oldest suppliers to the military "Living History" community.

The comments that follow are not intended to be definitive about the rubber tent blanket, but rather to clarify points made by Mr. Hageman's review. First, the Quartermaster Department (QMD) did not generally refer to lndia rubber, gutta percha or painted cloth items as having a "gum" finish. Certainly there were times when the term was used during the Civil War, with one quoted below, but they tend to be the exception. Senior QMD officers, such as Meigs, Crosman, Vinton, Thomas, et al, did not use the term in correspondence that I have had the opportunity to read. "Gum" is apparently a term that has been given much wider circulation today than in the nineteenth century, by modern collectors and re-enactors. Personally, I think it is one of which we should limit, and not promote, as it does not really describe the finish. I have been told it was attached to the sorry condition of the finish on many of the painted knapsacks and haversacks (and many fewer tent blankets and ponchos) that came from Bannerman's Island before and during the Civil War Centennial. It may be apocryphal, but their "gummy" appearance was applied generally to all such items with a black finish.

Second, the QMD added to the confusion that we have of the difference between rubber blankets and ponchos by using a multitude of terms during the War for them. Before they were "standardized' as just "water proof blankets, for infantry" and "ponchos, for cavalry" at the end of the War in the 1865 "Quartermaster's Manual," these items were variously called "painted infantry tent blankets," "saturated waterproof blankets," "rubber poncho tent blankets," "vulcanized tent blankets," "vulcanized rubber tent blankets, infantry, army pattern," "vulcanized water-proof gutta percha tent blankets, on drill, full grommeted," "Indian rubber blankets," "lndia rubber tent blankets for footmen" and "painted poncho blankets," among other descriptions. Those are only some of the terms used in contracts for the iterr issued to foot soldiers; many others would have to be include- for the ponchos that were to go to mounted troops. Person2 .

SUMMR 2663 THE WATCHDOG. 9 I

tying this into my comment in the first paragraph, I think we should refer to these items as Colonel Crosman did in 1865 in his manual draft.. .simply as "water proof blankets" and "ponchos."

Third, the primary purpose of the water proof blanket (and ponchos, for that matter) was not to serve as rain gear. Rather, they were intended to serve primarily as ground cloths, to prevent ground moisture from reaching the soldier. "Night air" was considered very detrimental to the sold~ers' health. The fact that they could serve a second purpose, to shed water coming from above as well, was welcomed by veterans who were weight conscious. Apparently they served a third purpose for some men, substituting for the shelter tent. Chief Quartermaster, Seventeenth Army Corps, Lieutenant Colonel E.M. Joel wrote after General Sherman's "March to the Sea" that 'The Gum Blanket and Ponchos have become almost an indispensable part of the Soldiers outfit, between the two there can be but little choice. In many of the commands the Men make a first rate Shelter Tent from the Gum Blanket."

The colonel brings up a fourth po~nt. Today virtually everyone uses a rubberized poncho. The colonel suggests both were common among the soldiers of the Seventeenth Army Corps at the end of the War, even if percentages between the two cannot be determined. Mr. Hageman makes the point that more of us should use the waterproof blanket, secured by (probably seldom used) sprung buttons, "extra" knapsack hooks, 'Yent blanket lacing" or "tape for tying as a shawl." (The latter two items were originally bought separately and supplied by the QMD, albeit in limited quantities.) Certainly for "early-War impressions" many more waterproof blankets than ponchos should be in evidence in the ranks of infantry.li]

A quick review of the ninety-four extant contracts with twenty-four contractors for waterproof blankets and ponchos supports this contention. These contracts indicate 1,753,401 of the former (60.2 percent) and 1 , I 58,733 of the latter (39.8 percent) were received through these contracts by the QMD during the War. (The Ordnance Department received more of both items, independently of these contracts, but in very limited numbers.) However, the "mix" of the two items changed dramatically from 1862, when virtually all the contracts were for water proof blankets, and painted ones at that; to 1863, when the rubber companies start to make signifcant deliveries of ponchos for the emergirlg Federal cavalry forces; to 1864 when deliveries were about the same for the two items, although fewer of each painted than rubber~zed The bulk of these items had been ordered by August of 1864, with only two contracts for waterproof blankets total~ng 150,000 pieces, being made in 1865. Looklrg ai :.:hat was entering the QMD supply line, not every foot scl-3~er1tiould have been able to acquire a poncho, even later - :-2 !'/ar Certainly for impressions and events represg-: - ' 8Ei and 1862, rubber goods and ponchos shoulc EE zss r * ze-t

Am 5-5255 -; :?at we discard our rubber ponchos?

Of course not. We do have considerable investments in them, and they are appropriate in some situations. However, I am suggesting two things for the DOG'S readers. That as we add to our equipage we consider acquiring a waterproof blanket, and possibly a painted version. Using the information in the article Larry Babits published in Military Collector & Historian on the recoveries of these blankets from the Army transport Maple Leaf [2] the author now has one (Osman- manufactured) rubber poncho and five rubber waterproof blankets. However, my latest (and favorite) acquisition is a painted Day's poncho tent blanket. That helps with my implementation of a second suggestion, that we use more painted goods as ground cloths and foul weather gear, especially when portraying early-war impressions. There are excellent vendors of painted goods that may be persuaded to expand their offerings if we asked for more painted waterproof blankets and ponchos. Their products repel water quite as well as rubber, and are lighter to boot.

Fred Gaede NOTES: [I] Editor: While in Gettysburg last month I was shown and given a sample of a period blanket pin (a large "safety pin"), which were patented well before the Civil War. This brass pin is another alternative for fastening a 'Waterproof blankel' about oneself. See the images below. Mr. Christen. [2] MilitaryCollector& Historian, Vol. 47, No. 2, summer 1995), pages 60- 68. The MC&H is the journal of the Company of Military Historians. Back issues are available from the CMH Headquarters at PO BOX 910, Rutland, MA 01 543 and information is available at www.miIitary-historians.org

The pin is made of brass. It was provided by Spiros G. Marinos, from his personal collection. The pin is typical of those used in the period by both civilians and soldiers.

BOOK REVIEW

The Bloody Crucible of Courage

It has been awhile since I have come across a book that deserves the "must be on your bookshelf" recommendation. Brent Nosworhy's The Bloody Crucible of Courage, Fighting Methods and Combat Experience of the Civil War is more than entitled to that honor. With respect to the reader who is simply interested in the history of campaigns and battles this book provides another useful tool for understanding the mechanics of military combat in North America in 1861 through 1865.

With respect to the Civil War enactor and role-player this book is as important to one's military impression as the photographs in the two Echoes of Gloryvolumes, the interpretation of Dom Dal Bello's examination of drill manuals and Bell I. Wiley's lives of "Billy Yank and "Johnny Reb." As many of us, who have participated for more than a year or two have discovered that the Civil War enacting community is rife with "re-enactorisms." Much of the tribal lore that has been passed down from participants in the Civil War centennial sham battles to those who have and will attend the mega-event versions today is historically incorrect and based on less than sound scholarship. It is also unfortunate that this gets passed on to the general public attending these events through interaction with the participants.

Nosworthy' s book, if read and digested by us, provides a rigorous and systematic comparison of weapon systems and tactical practices actually employed during the conflict. He also gives an overview of the state of military arts and science existing in the world at the start of the war. This is all done in an interesting and enjoyable manner. This is not a mere dictionary or encyclopedia of military terms, but a carefully thought out journey that clears away the myth and misunderstandings in the doctrine and military tools used on the land and in the water. Your next public "interpretation" or public lecture on Civil War military will be changed after reading and grasping the intent of this book.

The author speaks about such things as the history of the conical bullet, the development of the Zouave and Chasseur, the evolution of the rifled musket and cannon, changes in tactics, the myth and utility of the bayonet among other technologies. He has reconstructed the framework of contemporary military science and thought as well as including many insightful firsthand accounts of battlefield experience. This is one of the key assets of the book.

He points out quickly that the weapons, fighting methods and tactics did not somehow, as if by magic, appear as the first shells landed on the parade ground at Fort Sumter. This lead to the conclusion that perhaps the Civil War was not the great source of technological firsts, but rather the largest demonstration of those technologies. The reader will learn from a thorough historical analysis that the development and combat use of rifled and breechloading weapons, mortar boats, the telegraph, ironclad ships, torpedoes, mines, nurses, photography and earthen fortifications all preceded the American Civil War. No matter what your military impression, you will find something of interest and, most important, at a minimum you will find a misconception or two in your own knowledge of Civil War era military science.

One of the best examples of careful scholarship is the author's discussion of battlefield casualties. We are all aware of enactor complaints about not "taking hits' that are heard around the campfires after almost every battle scenario. During a discussion about the rifle musket's supposed effectiveness over the smoothbore, the reader learns that on average the number of casualties compared to total shots fired was roughly between less than one percent and no more than two percent even at close range! Perhaps we are doing something more correct than we realize. There is much more to this particular discussion, but I point it out here show that this book does shed light on some of our basic misconceptions. In preparation for the review I started placing small stick notes and points in the text that should be mentioned in the review. Before long almost every third or fourth page had a sticky note. Since Mr. Nosworthy has done a fine job, I will just add a "sticky note" with the words ARF! right here and encourage the use of many of his conclusions in our interpretations.

Brent Nosworthy is an independent scholar who has also written The Anatomy of Victory: Battle Tactics 1689- 1763 and With Musket, Sword and Cannon: Battle Tactics of Napoleon and His Enemies. Carrol and Graf (1 6 William St, 16th Floor, New York, New York 10038 and (646) 375- 2570) publish the Bloody Crucible of Courage. The book runs 768 pages and has many illustrations and diagrams. The price is $35 (ISBIV 0-7867-1147-7).

Mr. Christen

SUMMER 2003 THE WATCNDOG. I f

The Price sf Success

A review of the 2003 Midwest Civil War Civilian Conference. Sponsored by Midwest Civil War Civilian Education. INC.

January 2002 was a month of firsts for me, not only did I attend my first Civil War conference, but also I was asked to be the keynote speaker. I would like to thank the conference sponsors, Midwest Civilian War Civilian Education, Inc. for giving me this honor.

My presentation contrasted the look of high-end fashion as represented in period fashion prints with the reality of dress seen in photographs of the era. My objective was to show how absurd the dresses featured in fashion plates were. Their resemblance to reality was about the same as the designs from today's French fashion houses, none! Of course, it is my understanding that the designs featured either then or now were not to be reproduced exactly as seen. Various design elements were to be used which personalized the design.

I accomplished my objective in several ways: outline of presentation, copies of the fashion plates and cdvs, a worksheet to help reinforce the objective, and most importantly a bibliography. For the actual presentation I used an overhead projector and a slide projector. For the more casual evening presentation on textiles, I still provided an outline.

All presentations at the 2002 Conference were accompanied by outline, but only two had bibliographies. However, ignoring that, the presentations were great. Many were interactive thus allowing the audience to participate. Piaget said we learn by doing and we did.

The Conference was very good, especially for a first time event. The 2003 Conference would hopefully bulld on the success of the first.

The 2003 Conference again was intended to provide more information to those doing a civil~an impression. Also, the conference was to be more inclusive of gentlemen with subjects that would appeal to men transitioning from military to civilian impressions.

The conference did accomplish its goal, but unfortunately not with the polish of the first. The presenters were very good. I especially appreciated the audience participation of Mr. Magosky's presentation on china, even though 1 got the wrong date on my china. Mrs. Gnagey's talk on bodices was outstanding in its practicality. Mrs. Vincent's 1860s Wedding Customs made me wish I could be a br~de again.

U nforrunately, the keynote speaker, Mr. Christen got lost 117 I -e m~dd le of the schedule. His excellent preser:e: a- Trans~tioning from Military to Civilian lost its - Impac: -z <eVno:e speech should set the theme and it th~s cesz - : -J -:-

^ ----.---- -- = , ,G 3ooklets were another source of

disappointment for me. There were not enough to go around. Couples attending had to share, not acceptable.

My biggest disappointment lies with some of the presenters, not with their speeches, but with what they provided as outlines and bibliographies. There was a list of works used. It was not alphabetized nor dated. Others just included whole copies of magazine articles which were reprinted with permission, but reflected the scholarship of the author, not the presenter. This was glaring because so much of the other material presented in the booklet showed a real research and scholarship on the part of the presenter.

I never give criticism without offering a solution. The Watch Dog is offering to print 2004 Conference booklets. However, we will require something from the presenters. They will need to follow a simple outline developed by The DOG. It will help them organize their presentation in a concise manner. It will benefit presenters and conference participants.

This conference is what the Midwest has needed and MCWCE, INC has fulfilled that need. The Watch Dog is charged with guarding the interests of enacting community that attend conferences like this. Hopefully we can work together.

Mrs. Soszynski

Games and Generals

When one puts the words "game" and "Civil War" in the same sentence, it is hard not to think of Abner Doubleday. As a general in the Civil War, Doubleday fought in many great battles. However, in modern times he is most famous for "inventing" the greatest game of all time, baseball. He realized the difficulty of "re-living" history, noting that "it is no easy task to relate contemporaneous events. Whoever attempts it must be prepared for severe criticism and the exhibition of much personal feeling."[i] He could not have made a more eloquent statement with regard to Gods and Generals, the game. It has become one of the most ridiculed computer games of all time. However, all the reviews to date are from computer "garners"' and none with any appreciation of the Civil War re-enactor.

The crowd that spends all of their time in front of a computer terminal feels that the game was a marketing ad for the movie. It used average graphics with large, flat scenes. Even though the textures (i.e., the look of the grass, the dirt and the bricks on the buildings) were passable, the computer models were often incomplete (e.g., doors missing on houses, fields stopping in mid-air or cannons firing without artillery personnel assistance.) The artificial intelligence of the characters was non-existent. Most of all, the game play (i.e., is this game fun to play?) was worse than the Federal's actual results at Fredericksburg.

These problems have been observed in the game world before. That is, it is not the first time that a game has been made for the sole purpose of marketing a product.

12 THE WATCHDOGa SUMMER 2003

Like everything else, sources of capital are not easy to come by and the context of a computer game is quite often set by a higher source (i.e., the venture capitalist of the project). In this case, the direction came from a newly formed company called Baric/Maxwell LLC, which is the same Maxwell as the director of the movie. Naturally, many of the scenes-and especially the lack of a story- mimicked the movie.

There is a possibility, however, that a re-enactor might look at this project as an attempt to portray the Civil War. With this delusion of grandeur, he may have related to some brief moments in the game to his experience on the field. For example, in a mission called the "Rebel Yell," which was aptly named after much study and research, the player gets to join a small group of charging Confederates and attack a group of Yankees. They are motivated, by words in the game, to yell as they charge. There is confusion, cannon explosions, fighting and general disorder. One can even shoot their fellow Confederates to observe the results of friendly fire-something that a re- enactor never gets to do in "real" battles.

If the exercise is extrapolated further, the re-enactor might actually find an instance or two of fun: standing behind a stack of railroad ties and firing at attacking Federals, watching soldiers try to attack through fires and become ignited to the point of death and even watching a group of soldiers standing around not knowing what to do and looking in all directions as if just landing on the planet Earth.

Probably the best aspect of the entire game was the combination of shock wave and black and white smoke as the result of striking cannon balls. The shock wave shook the screen at the explosion of the nearby ball. Then, there was a large black flash with lots of white smoke.

Another aspect of humor and enjoyment for the one with a keen Civil War eye came from programming errors of the developers. In computer games, a model of a person has to be connected to the ground somehow. If this connection is broken, the model does not "know" where the ground is and could be rendered anywhere on the screen. This happened in a number of instances in Gods and Generals. A few times there were rifles floating in midair and even soldiers hovering like Jesus Christ in the Ascension. Sometimes when the cannon shells hit a group of soldiers, guns flew erratically around the screen. Also, when soldiers died, they partially sunk into the ground. One could almost vision only a leg, an arm or a head lying on the ground as the result of a terrible battle.

After playing many different types of computer games-mostly futuristic games with conceptual electro- magnetic weapons-it was different to use a "Bowie Knife," ".54 caliber musket," and a "Colt 1851 Revolver"' the main weapons used in the game. While the revolver had six shots, with ammo placed sporadically on the ground throughout the game, the muskets had only one. There was the opportunity to pick up muskets from the stockpiles

at strategic locations or'-on the ground next to a soldier who had just been killed. There were even Ketchum Hand Grenades and Steel Body Armor. Although when you threw two grenades at a cannon, the cannon was destroyed and vanished from the screen, but kept firing after it was gone. Perhaps they were trying to encapsulate a ghost story with everything else.

No game can be successful today without multi-player capabilities. The game, Gods and Generals did not ship with these capabilities, but the multi-player version is supposed to come out later in 2003. That might be more fun-being able to actually play against live players. It could not be worse.

This game has a chance to takes its rightful place in history. That is, there is an award called the "Coaster of the Year" award. It is given to the game that was so terrible the only use left for the CD is as a coaster. It would be understandable if a Civil War historian goes to the official Gods and Generals web site and reads the following quote, "You'll love the Movie. Can you survive the game?" That person will assume that the Freudian slip means, "commit suicide."

After everything, the game could have been saved if they would have given the player the opportunity to kill whoever made the music.

Todd Kalil NOTE: 1. Chancellorsville and Genysburg, General Abner Doubleday, Da Capo Press, 1994, p. xx. [Editor's Note: Doubeday's only verifiable connection to organized baseball comes from his approval of an order of ball playing recreational equipment for troops under his command at, I seem to recall, a Texas aarrison. Lest anvone connected with the Droduction think that the ~ 0 6 i s part of the "vasl' conspiracy to undermine the movie, we are not. It was with high hopes that we wished for success to fall upon the enterprise, as it would have had a positive effect on the entire CW community. Mr. Christen]

PRODUCT UPDATE

Civilian Blankets

In the next issue we will be reviewing a period-correct, one hundred percent wool blanket that was typical of those found in many homes across America and Canada in the third quarter of the nineteenth century. In the first year of the war many soldiers were only able to procure civilian blankets due to the great demand put on governments of both sides to supply the large number of troops.

The blankets will be available through Mrs. Christen's Mercantile, at her web site and at events where the shop is setup in the field merchant area. The blankets are machine-washable, and can be had in both double and twin sizes. Blankets may be procured in variety of colors through special order, with browns and greys generally kept in stock. For further information, contact Glenna Jo Christen at gwjchris@earthlink.net and ht tp: / l home.earthlink.net/-gchristenl

Mrs. Kalil

SUMMER 2003 THE WATCHDOG. 13 ,

The Right Stu ff... tl?e Impoflance of Using the Correct Linen for Historical Clothing

[Editor's Note: This article is based on one that recently appeared online at Fablics-store.com web site at www.fabrics- store.com. It was intended more for enactors of earlier periods than Civil War. However, after reading it I felt it would be of interest to our readers. Since the use of linen, particularly as a warm-weather fabric, may have been more prevalent than many of image, I suggest that you can "stay tuned" for future monthly articles on linen and its usage for enacting various time periods from the author, Kass McGann, at the "Esoteric Creations" page at wwwfabrics-store.com. Mr. Christen]

Why Linen? Like many historical reenactors, when I started in this

hobby, the clothing I wore was just the means to an end. We have to wear correct historical clothing in order to participate in our hobby. It is our uniform, just like football players wearing shoulder pads and helmets and baseball players wearing cleats and caps. It is also important for us to wear the right uniform for the occasion. You cannot show up at the Battle of Hastings wearing jeans and a T-shirt and expect to look like a Norman knight. By the same token, you cannot show up to an English Civil War reenactment dressed in Fourteenth-century kit. It is simply the wrong clothing for the occasion. And since we like to think our events are more than just elaborate historical costume parties, we're sometimes rather strict.

But living history reenactors are not strict because they want to be exclusionary or because they have had a bad day at the office and want to be mean to you. We simply take pride in getting all the pieces right and accurately portraying a certain period in history. We're sticklers for detail and the little things are tremendously important to us.

Our hobby is about half history and half theatre but it is the theatre part that many people get confused about. In theatrical costuming, it is important to look the part. However, it is not so important to feel as if you really are living in Ireland in the Sixteenth century as it is in living history. If there is a hidden zipper in the back of your gown or you are wearing modern shoes, as long as the audience does not see it, it does not matter. But in reenacting, these kinds of shortcuts are taboo. However, today I would like to share with you the deeper reason why we insist on using the right materials from which to construct our "uniform."

It has oft been said that you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. But what about a Sixteenth century smock out of a modern micro-fiber or a poly-cotton blend? Many believe that the reenactors' insistence on period-accurate materials is pure snobbery paired with a rejection of things modern. This simply is not so. The truth is more akin to the saying "It it ain't broke, don't fix it." In spite of increased technolog;d and sophisticated modern thought, the best material ' c v a ; x a l Sixteenth century smock is still the

stuff from which Sixteenth century seamstresses made smocks: Linen.

No other fiber feels like linen. Nothing else moves like linen. And most importantly, nothing else reacts to the sewing techniques and pattern shapes like linen. As with all things, if you want to make a replica that will teach you about the original from which it is copied, but must use the same materials. Even substituting cotton or a linen-cotton blend for one hundred percent linen will change the result dramatically. Linen has an inherent crispness that makes pleating a dream. You can literally do it with your fingers as you sew! And that same crispness will make the linen stand away from your skin in the heat. This increases airflow to your skin at humid summer reenactments. Paired with that crispness is a stability that makes linen perfect for lining bodices, jackets, waistcoats - anything that requires substance without stiffening. And linen breathes. The ancient Egyptians wore linen in their hot climate. And our European ancestors wore linen under garments in all weather until the beginning of the Nineteenth century. Millennia of ancestors cannot be wrong.

So to answer our question: Why linen? Well, honestly, why wear anything else!

Which Linen? If you have ever browsed the linen stock at a fabric store

you may be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of different types and styles of linen and wonder how you could ever be expected to know which type is the right one for you. Well, that is why I am here. Knowing the correct fabric to use truly takes many years of experience both studying extant historical sources and comparing swatches from modern fabric manufacturers. But today, I am going to give you the goods in a nutshell so that you can buy linen for your historical clothing project in confidence.

First, let me make things easy. Rather than get into a discussion of what colors are appropriate for what period of history, let me just focus on the subject of fabric weights.

The first fabric I will talk about is a 3.5-ounce linen. Sometimes called "handkerchief linen." Three and one-half ounces is very lightweight, but not light enough to be considered sheer. However, do not expect to hide behind it. This weight linen is not heavy enough to hide skin color. In other words, do not run around camp in a handkerchief linen shift unless you want to be known as "The Streak." It really leaves nothing to the imagination!

Handkerchief linen is suitable for under-dresses, shifts, smocks, men's shirts, caps, linen headdresses, veils, falling bands, collars, cuffs and neckerchiefs as well as handkerchiefs. Throughout history, the finest, whitest linen was reserved for the upper classes. So if your persona is of the nobility, 3.5-ounce linen is perfect for all your body

SUMMER 2083 THE WATCHDOG. 14

THE WATCNDOG. PO BOX 1675 WARRISN, MI 48090-1675

Guarding your interests.. . SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION

The Watchdog. (ISSN 1067-2729) is published quarterly by The Watchdog Quarterly, Inc., a nonprofit corporation in the State of Michigan and an IRS 501 (c)3 tax exempt organization. Subscriptions (US and Canadian) are $1 5 annually, with $13for each additional year. Foreign subscriptions are $20 (US) per year. Back issues are $2 (before 1999) and $4 (1 999 and beyond). An index is available upon request. Send subscription requests, inquiries and submissions to theaddressabove. Online paymentcan be made through PayPal at w.paypal.com using the e-mail address below.

The Watchdog accepts no paid advertising. Contributors and writers receive no compensation for their articles otherthan free copies of the issue with their article. yearly donations are made to battlefield and historical preservation organizations. Contributors are solely responsible for the accuracy of their research, the opinions expressed in any article and do retain copyright to content.

Bill Christen, Publisher & Editor-at-fault Lynn Kalil, Assistant Editor

Jacob VanMeter, Technical Editor Mark Jaeger, Associate Editor

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Rick Simmons, Associate Editor Jomarie Soszynski, Associate Editor

John Yingling, Associate Editor Larry See, Web Site Editor

HAS YOUR SUBSCRIPTION EXPIRED? There is a number after your name on your address label that looks like X.Y (X = volume, Y = issue, for example: the SUMMER 2003 issue is (11.3). This numbel: indicates the last issue of your subscription ... unless you renew. If the box on the left is checked, your subscription has expired and you have received this issue as a courtesy.

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SUMMER 2003 [I 1.31 IN THIS ISSUE...

Designer Re-enacting? "Military Notes and Queries" from The United States Service Magazine Publishers Notes From the Clerk's Desk - 1862 Contracts for Painted Goods More on Waterproof Blankets The Bloody Crucible of Courage The Price of Success Games and Generals Product Update - Civilian Blankets The Right Stu ff... the Importance of Using the Correct Linen

for Historical Clothing That Flippin' Jacket: Another Theory

1 he usual Queries, Feedback and Follow-up . .. .. ...... . . .

Expertly printed by John Chmclko ol'Easrown I'ri111i11g SCI.V~CC. ( ' C I I I C I I I I I I . . M I ~ . I I I J ~ , I I I Copyright O 2002 All rights rcscrvcd

linens. Depending upon the width of the sleeves, three yards should be enough to make an ample undergarment.

It usually comes in a variety of colors and two types of white often identified as Bleached and Opt ic Whi te. For reenactment purposes, I recommend Bleached. Bleached has a slight yellow cast, which makes it closer to the color linen would have been before the invention of chlorine bleach. Optic White appeals to our modern sense of "white," but it is too artificially bright to look correct for historical clothing.

Our next fabric is five ounce linen. This rnid- weight linen might be termed "universal." It is substantially heavier than the 3.5 ounce but not as bulky as the seven ounce I discuss below. It can be used for the same garments outlined above, but in five ounce linen, the garments will be much less see-through. If portraying a middle-class or common person, this would be a terrific choice for your body linens. Again, "Bleached" is the perfect color choice.

But wait a minute, kids! The beauty of five ounce, mid-weight linen, linen does not end there. There is a reason they call this stuff "universal." This linen is truly versatile in that you can use the same weight to make outer garments as well as body linens. Petticoats, gowns, jackets, waistcoats and breeches can all be made out of this mid- weight linen. So find the colors appropriate for your time period and go crazy.

And last but not least seven ounce linen -this hefty fabric is too coarse for body linens, but it is just the thing for everything else: breeches, pet t icoats, dresses, waistcoats, tunics, kirtles ...j ust about every garment you can think of can be made out of good old seven ounce (or more), heavy-weight linen.

Be sure to research whether linen was used for these garments in the time period you wish to portray. In many cases, linen was the hot-weather alternative to wool. But in some places in certain periods, garments were just made from lighter wool for the summer and linen was restricted to body garments. So be careful. Do not use it where it is not appropriate.

The Care and Feeding of Linen. Before you do anything with your linen, make

sure you wash it. All fabrics shrink to a certain extent, and it is best if they shrink before you cut out your garment. This will also remove any shelf dust and commercial finishing from the factory that can irritate the skin. You can hand wash the fabric

if you want, but I throw mine right in the washing machine on a normal (not delicate) setting. Turn the water on hot (remember, you want it to shrink) and toss your fabric in. Just wash it with normal laundry detergent and skip the fabric softener. Send the fabric through the dryer for extra shrinkage potential. Linen is a very hearty fiber. It is made from the stalk of a plant that is nearly three feet tall. Unlike cotton and wool that have fibers ranging from one to six inches in length, linen is really a giant. The longer the fiber, the sturdier the fabric. You will not harm it by laundering it roughly. It does not need to be babied. Matter of fact, the harder you are on your linen, the softer it will be to you! Take your linen out of the dryer as soon as i t 's dry or leave i t a l i t t le damp. Hang it up immediately!

Possibly the only drawback with linen is that it wrinkles terribly and that lovely crispness will turn into creases and ridges if you are not diligent. However, quick removal from the dryer is about all you need to keep the linen relatively wrinkle- free.

Before you cut your garments, you will want to straighten the grain. Lay the linen on your cutting table and look carefully at the grain. Do the threads intersect at right angles? If so, your grain is straight. But sometimes in the laundering process, the grain gets bunched up and crooked. To correct this, get out your ironing board and iron. Spray the linen lightly with water and iron it on the highest setting. Keep the iron moving and pull the grain straight with your free hand as you go back and forth with the iron. This should fix the grain and make your linen straight again. Now spread it out on your cutting table and start on your masterpiece.

Wear it in Good Health! Kass McGann (Reconstructing History)

Kass McGann is a historical clothing researcher specializing in Irish, Highland Scottish and Japanese dress. She has spoken in Europe and the US on the subject of replicating extant period garments for use by modern historical reenactors. She runs the site Reconstructing History (www,reconstructinghistory.com) to educate the Internet public about historic clothing from all over the world and help them replicate their own. She writes a monthly column on historical replica clothing for fabrics-store.com.

SUMMER 2003 THE WATCHDOG. 15

That Flippin' Jacket: Another Theory

The Richmond Depot (RD) type I l l was a plain (untrimmed, without shoulder straps) jacket, sometimes appearing in blue-gray ("cadet gray") wool.[l] In the course of debates over whether jackets like the RD Ill were ever worn by western troops, photos of western Confederates in such jackets, and one example of an actual eight-button jacket (worn by Thomas J. Flippen, Company G, Third Tennessee Infantry), were pointed out.[2]

Since there was no evidence of issue of cadet gray jackets from Western depots, how such jackets wound up on the backs of western troops has been a mystery. Some theorize that western soldiers were issued such jackets during the few months in 1865 when the Army of Tennessee was in the Carolinas.[s] However, if that were the case, wouldn't the jackets conform more to the patterns of the Charleston Depot (with its characteristic collar meeting the edge of the front hem)[4] or of North Carolina issue jackets, which were usually six button fronts, and rarely exceeded seven buttons?[s]

John Fitzgerald's "Andersonville of the North" in Military Images (M1)[6] suggests a third possibility. In that article, he notes that Confederate prisoners at Camp Douglas, Illinois were issued jackets from three sources: "cheap gray jeans or satinets," from "their friends"; the US

Turning to the photographs, Table A lists Confederate prisoners wearing jackets that may have been issued to them in prison.

Finally, what of the Flippen jacket? As Geoff Walden points out, from Mid-February to June 1865, Flippen was in Federal handspi Given that his cadet gray jacket looks more like what Confederate prisoners wore than what he would likely have received in the Carolinas, Flippen's blue- gray, eight-button front jacket may be neither western nor eastern issue, but Northern issue!

John A. Braden NOTES: [I] Leslie Jensen, "A Survey of Confederate Central Government Quartermaster Issue Jackets," Military Collectorand Historian, Vol. 41, No. 3, p p 198-121 (Fall 1989). [2] Charlie McColloh, "Wool Jacket from the Sam Davis Home Museum," The Watchdog, WINTER 2002. [3] ~eo f f rey ~ a l d e n , "Flippin's Jacket," The Watchdog, SPRING 2002 [4] Photos show men from the Fourteenth, Sixteenth, Nineteenth, Twentieth, Twenty-first, Twenty-fifth and Twenty-sixth South Carolina Infantry wearing such jackets (with five or six button fronts). Two such jackets (with five-button fronts) are discussed in Jensen, op. cit., No. 4, pp. 165-1 66 (Winter 1989). [5] North Carolina jackets are shown In Greg Mast, State Troops and Volunteers, pp. 46, 68, 127, 134, 135, 178, 180, 198. 242.246.248, 252, 253,256,258-261,263-265.296.302.349.352 (Rale~gh: North Carolina Dept of Cultural Resources. 1995). An example of a late-war butternut

Quartermaster (from "gray salt and pepper," not cadet gray, jacket produced in North Carolina (with a six-button frontj is shown and

clothing originally intended for Illinois and Wisconsin discussed in Ross M. Kimmel, "Enlisted Uniforms of the Maryland Confederate Infantry," Military Collector and Historian, Vol. 41, No. 4, pp.

troops); and jackets "purchased by the Confederates in 185,187 (Winter 1989). New York for their prisoners under a deal struck with U.S. [6] vol. Xll, No. 2 (Sept-Oct, 2000). References to "MI' only referto this

~ ~

authorities." I thought I had read elsewhere that some issue.

jackets may have even come through the lines under the [7] Walden, op. cit.

latter "deal."

TABLE A confederate Prisoners' Jacket Description ("CD" = Camp Douglas, Illinois; "PL" = Point Lookout, Maryland).

Francis McClaran, Company B, Thirteenth Tennessee

Charles H. Bailey, Eddie Reed & Charles D. Shanklin, Forty-ninth Tennessee

76 THE WATCHDOG. SUMMER 2003

7+

8

CD 6/64

CD 1865

----- 7 others wear similar jackets

with eight and nine button fronts

another wears a Columbus Depot jacket

Sevenih Lo~:siana

Unide-r 'ec:

Serrano, Still More Confederate Faces, p. 47

6

PL 1865 (from western prisons

CD 1864

looks like RD Ill

looks like RD Ill

Xlll MI No. 3, pp. 16-17 (Nov-Dec 1 99 1 )

looks like RD Ill

looks like North Carolina issue

QUERIES, FEEDBACK AND FOLLOW-UP

Subject: Kids on the Battlefield? I have a possible exception to your generalization in the

article on children/adolescents in re-enacting. I organized a youth based (majority are boys) "Venture Crew" of the Boy Scouts of America. We are fully insured and all parents or guardians of participants provide medical information in case of an emergency. The group has an excellent relationship with a respected company of re-enactors in the Midwest. You, or a chosen representative, are welcome to drill the members of our unit and inspect our uniforms and equipment. We have a web site at http:llunits.nwsc.orglcrew862. Dave Rydin, Thirteenth Tennessee Infantry

I congratulate you on your efforts and will look for them on the field. I believe that the key point is proper training based accurate historical and supervision. The structure of Scouting certainly makes this possible. The "venture" program is aimed at teenage youngsters, the age group of whom there is a historical model as soldiers. It is the pre- teens that I am most concerned about after the issue of proper appearance and training.

We offer below two period newspaper items appropriate to the discussion in the SPRING 2003 issue (11 -2) on "Kids on the Battlefield." Mr. Christen

The Enlistment of Minors. Our Provost Marshals have received an official circular

relative to the enlistment of minors, as issued by the War Department, in response to the inquiry as to whether the President's proclamation suspending the writ of habeas corpus, applied to them. Judge Holt decided that minors, who have enlisted without the parent's consent, cannot be discharged by that writ. He says that the conclusion, therefore is, that minors between the age of eighteen and twenty years cannot be discharged at all-that minors under eighteen cannot be discharged. In their oath of enlistment it is set forth that they are of age, and further, that in case of a minor actually under eighteen, whose age is correctly stated in his oath and who has been enlisted or mustered without taking the formal oath, a discharge can be obtained only upon a full statement of all the facts, in proper form, and addressed to the Secretary of War. [Daily Ohio State Journal, Columbus, Ohio, 12 January 18641

Boy Soldiers. A correspondent of the Philadelphia Press, writing from

Blaine's Cros Roads, Tennessee, says: Across a little creek is a place they called Shieldstown.

The spirit of war is among the boys six, eight, and ten years old, and the fight raged fiercely between the Shiledstowners and Knoxvillers. They used slings and Minnie balls, which they used with great dexterity. They had camp-fires built along in a line. Every morning each party appeared on its own side of the stream, drawn up in array, ammunition was

distributed out of a bag, fifteen rounds to the man, and the commenced. Old soldiers of the 9th corps, who have been through many a storm of shot and shell, kept a respectable distance as they hurled their Minnies with vigor.-

One day the Shieldstowners made a charge at the single plank that crossed the stream. The Knoxvillers ran, all except one little fellow about eight years old, who stood at the end of the plank, swearing oaths like Parrott shells, calling them cowards, and, by a vigorous discharge of Minnies, repulsed the assault. The casualties amounted to bruises and cuts in all parts of the body, rather serious to look at, or to think what they might have been; but every little fellow was proud of his wound. So it went on for several days, when one bright morning as they were drawn up in full fighting array, and only waited the signal to commence, suddenly appeared some women in rear of each; a half dozen were caught up and led off. The rest were disconcerted and dispersed. [The Ohio State Journal, Columbus, Ohio, 3 January 18641

Subject: Woolrich Blankets. IUr. Sean Smith, in the SPRING 2003 (11.2) issue

compares Family Heirloom blankets with Woolrich blankets. Now, I do not own a Family Heirloom blanket, but Pat Kline produces some of the finest fabrics I have ever seen. I visited his plant in Red Lion and saw his operation. I do, however, own a Woolrich blanket. It is one hundred percent wool. I have seen Woolrich blankets advertised as blends; I agree they are not as good as those that are one hundred percent wool. In my opinion, the "Feedback" is correct but misleading. If Pat Kline made a blend blanket (he does not), it would be inferior to his wool blankets. A blanket's insulating capability is a function of its weight (ounces/square yard) and fiber composition.. .the more wool the better, and the heavier the better. You get what you pay for in this business. Peter Schwartz, (Head of the Department of Textile Engineering, Auburn University).

Mr. Schwartz, We do not get an over abundance of technical articles for publication and some are more "scientific" than others. I was motivated to publish it because Mr. Smith's "homespun" research was on track. I am sure with your background you might be able to provide some sound testing guidelines. As an engineer myself, I was wondering how one measures the amount of airspace between the fibers (all wool or blend) that could provide insulating "space." Mr. Christen.

There are a couple of ways of doing this. One is to measure the amount of pressure it takes to get a fixed air flow rate. A second uses mercury to determine the pore sizes and the distribution. Finally using a fixed pressure, you can measure the "loft" of the blanket. You can also measure the insulation directly using a covered hot plate and sensors to measure the thermal flux. Except for the last, of course, comparisons can only be made using the same fibertfiber blend. Peter Schwartz.

SUMMER 2003 THE WATCHDOG. 17 C

Subject: John L. Clem John L. Clem retired from the US Army with the rank of

Major General, not just Major in 191 5. He was said to be the last man "active" in the armed forces who had fought in the Civil War. Joe Roman

Subject: Forty-fourth lndiana lnfantry Image.. .Not! In the WINTER 2003 issue (I1 .I) we published a photograph

that has been commonly identified as showing members of the Forty-fourth lndiana Infantry. Subscriber, Larry Strayer, let us know that the image is really that of Company E of the Ninth Michigan Infantry. An image identical to the one we published from the National Archives is shown and identified opposite page 40 of Bennet's Historical Sketches of the Ninth Michigan Infantry, (Coldwater, Michigan, 1913). It was taken in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in April 1864. The Forty-fourth was also garrisoned there and apparently the two regiments have been confused in other nineteenth-century photograph captions. Our standard reference on the Forty-fourth, The Iron 44th, by Robert Willey (privately published, 1980) has a photograph of Company H of the Forty-fourth with a similar background and a caption also attributed to Chattanooga in 1864. Are there more out there? Mr. Christen

Subject: Forty-fourth lndiana Image.. .Yes! I thank Larry Strayer for his comments; however, I would

respectfully disagree with his identification of the image in question as Company F, Ninth Michigan. I drew my identification primarily from the on-line National Archives Archival Research Catalog (ARC) caption and, more importantly, a close examination of the available on-line NARA image currently listed as "Company, 44th lndiana Infantry," ARC Identifier 524708.

Indeed a close examination of the reversed inscription, scratched into the emulsion at the very top of the photo reads, to all appearances, "Sherman's Veterans 44 Indiana." Given that the inscription is difficult to read (at least in the version I saw) and has been almost always cropped out priorto publication, it's not hard to understand why there is continuing confusion regarding the precise regimental designation of the unit shown. ''Watchdog" readers can view the photo for themselves, and draw their own conclusions, by going to the National Archives web site (www.nara.gov), entering the "Research Room," and accessing the Archival Research Catalog (ARC) search engine using the keywords "44th Indiana."

As Mr. Christen inferred, there are at least seven other extant images similar to the "9th Michigad44th Indiana" photograph I included in my article. These have appeared in numerous publications through the years and were all produced at roughly the same time (stated as either spring or summer of 1863 or 1864), in the same locale (allegedly either Murfreesboro or Chattanooga), and by the same photographer (who remains unidentified to my knowledge).

The concurrency of these photographs is largely clinched by the fact that several of them feature either a distinctive barn- like structure or a small house, with prominent chimneys at both ends, loomins i~mediately behind the companies that are mostly

posed in line of battle. WP,a: s - c . ~ ; -z zqotograph, represented as that of a compar) cz :- 3 - - 2 - -2 :-3 Twenty-first

- Michigan, clearly shows both of i re a': -r - c-r :-33 structures; this establishes their immediate prox~r-:, :,- szc- 3tier beyond all doubt. The "barn" itself is best seer - -5 -2;s of Company H, Forty-fourth lndiana mentioned by Mr C- -5-5- YARA ARC Identifier52471 1) which, for its part, carnes e -ear) ,:*en albeit reversed inscription on the lower edge of tre negaL1;e ~dent~fying the specific company and unit.

Accordingly, if these analyses are correct I iivould concur that the "Sherman's Veterans" inscription on tre proto I used for my article supports a spring or summer 1864 date: For ~f the photo had been "stnrcK'the previous year the rnscnptlon would have more likely been "Rosecrans' Veterans!" The most likely scenario surrounding these images is that many, if not all, were made in camp near Chattanooga, on a single April day in 1864, just prior to the commencement of Sherman's Atlanta Campaign.

The "Murfreesboro/Chattanooga" photographs, most of which are available for viewing on the NARA ARC, epitomize the difficulties encountered over the years in properly identifying Civil War unit images. Indeed, the men in this photographic series have been variously assigned to the 9th lndiana (at least two series images), Ninth Michigan, Twenty-first Michigan (four images including one showing a company with its r~fles at a bizarre "sideways" parade rest!), and Forty-fourth lndiana (at least two images) among others. Additional research in wartime letters and diaries attributed to the above mentioned units may well give us the precise date(@ these images were made since, obviously, the taking of a company photograph would have been a noteworthy event to most troops.

I have not personally seen the "9th Mich~gaWth Indiana" photo as it was reproduced in the Ninth Michigan Infantry regimental history. However, I would be grateful to know if the author of that work specifically claimed that it either depicted members of his regiment or, more importantly, identified them by name. It may be worth noting that post-war regimental histories occasionally used "generic" images as stand-ins for unit photos that were either non-existent or were not immediately available. Needless to say, this practice continues today much to our periodic discomfiture.

A parting thought: If we allow that the image in question has long been known to portray Company F, Ninth Michigan, why has no one apparently informed the National Archives that its photo caption was erroneous? I, for one, certainly support and encourage interested readers to correct histor~cal inaccuracies wherever and whenever they find them. We can never be too sure in these matters as famed Getlysburg photographic historian William Frassanito would readlly attest.

With all this in mind, the "Murfreesboro (or Chattanooga?)" camp photographs remain superb representations of Western troops, as they appeared in the latter half of the war and are well worth review and study, regardless of their actual unit aff~liation. I eagerly look forward to, and invite, further observations and insights from the DOG'S readers about them.

Mr. Jaeger

18 THE WATCHDOG. SUMMER 2003

ARC Identifier: 524711 Title: Company "H", 44th Indiana Infantry, ca. 1860 - ca. 1865

Creator: War Department. Office of the Chief Signal Officer. (0311863 - 09118/1947) (Most Recent) Type of Archival Materials: Photographs and other Graphic Materials Level of Description: Item from Record Group 111: Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer, 1860 - 1982 Location: Still Picture Records LICON, Special Media Archives Services Division (NWCS-S), National Archives at College Park, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001 PHONE: 301 -837-3530, FAX: 301 -837-3621, EMAIL: stillpix@ nara.gov Coverage Dates: ca. 1860 - ca. 1865 Part of: Series: Mathew Bradv Photoaraphs of Civil War-Era Personalities and Scenes, 1921 - 1940 Access Restrictions: Unrestricted Variant Control Number(s): NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-111 -B-292 Local Identifier: NWDNS-111 -B-292 Copv 1 Copy Status: Preservation Storage Facility: National Archives at College Park - Archives II (College Park, MD) Media Media Type: Negative

SUMMER 2003 TME WATCHDOG. 19