Re: [DL] Carrying a load

[Frempath2@netscape.net]

During the American Civil War there were 3 basic patterns available.

The "framed" would have been the "hard pack".  Wood frame, painted canvas. Heavy, very little storage space, rarest of the 3, not popular for those reasons.

The single bag knapsack was basically just that, an open bag with a flap for over the opening. No frame, but fair for storage.

The double back knoapsack had actually only 1 bag. The other "bag" was an area you could place something like a dry shirt or socks and 4 flaps joined in the center to cover the items.  The whole thing then folded over on itself.  The back of the bags providing the outside of the pack.  This pack also had no frame.

All 3 of these packs had shoulder straps which then buckled across the chest to each other.

None of these packs were very comfortable and many veteran troops prefered the "blanket roll".  In a blanket roll the personal effects of the soldier are placed onto his blanket. The blanket is then folded over the effects to form a long, thin effect.  The blanket is then twisted a number of times and the ends of the blanket are tied together forming a loop.  The blanket roll was then worn over the left shoulder and right hip so that the soldier could still fire his rifle-musket.

g'day
fremapth  
deadlands@gamerz.net wrote:
>
> So, does anyone (eg our resident recreationists) have info on period
> military packs? Would there have been equivalent to a framed pack?
> 
> Sam de Smith.
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Heivilin, Jim <banzai@missouri.edu>
> To: <deadlands@gamerz.net>
> Sent: Monday, July 02, 2001 4:35 PM
> Subject: [DL] Carrying a load
> 
> 
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Jeff Yates [mailto:jyates@primaryfunction.com]
> > > Subject: Re: [DL] Re: deadlands-digest.20010630-1
> > <snip>
> > > I would imagine that the penalties might be reduced if you
> > > could somehow "distribute" the weight well -- like with a
> > > real good backpackers pack -- a frame that helps make the
> > > load seem less cumbersome.
> > >
> > The frame helps spread the load out and balance it but more importantly,
> it
> > moves some of the load from your shoulders to your hips.
> >
> > > There are list members who've been in (are in) the military.
> > > Any comments on how fast you can march with a big ol' pack
> > > on your back?
> > >
> > Aye, was in the Light Infantry and in the Mech Engineers.  The question
> > doesn't equate.  In the Infantry, I usually carried a medium ALICE pack
> with
> > an assortment of personal items (spare uniform sometimes, spare underwear
> > and socks, an MRE or three, spare ammo and flares, etc.) and the radio (we
> > were perpetually short on personnel and if I carried the radio that meant
> we
> > had 1 more weapon on the line).  Probably (at a guess) a good 40 or 50
> > pounds.
> >
> > However I never really measured my "speed".  Usually we were going cross
> > country in a tactical situation in which speed is a secondary
> consideration
> > to security, stealth and the like.  When we *were* doing a road march I
> > never measured my speed because we were usually pretty dogged out by the
> > time we were done.
> >
> > When I was on active duty with the Engineers we rode everywhere (except
> when
> > I made them do a road march because I used to be infantry!).
> >
> > Jim
> >
> > MAJ, EN
> > USAR
> >
> >
> > To unsubscribe, send a message to esquire@gamerz.net with
> > unsubscribe deadlands
> > as the BODY of the message.  The SUBJECT is ignored.
> >
> >
> 
> 
> To unsubscribe, send a message to esquire@gamerz.net with
>     unsubscribe deadlands
> as the BODY of the message.  The SUBJECT is ignored.
> 
> 
__________________________________________________________________
Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Webmail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com/