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12th South Carolina/ 4th Michigan Volunteer Infantry, Inc.

Campsite Reference Guide

By Pvt. Brian C. Crater

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12th South Carolina/ 4th Michigan Volunteer Infantry, Inc.

Campsite Reference Guide

1st EDITION

Pvt. Brian C. Crater 30th of April, 2015

Table of Contents

1. Preface Page 2 2. Tents Page 4

a. Wedge Tents Page 4 b. Fly Tents Page 5 c. Camp Road Set-Up Page 5

3. Bedding Page 6 a. Wool Blankets Page 6 b. Quilts Page 7 c. Ground Cloth Page 8

4. Cookware and Utensils Page 9 5. Tools Page 10 6. Wooden Items Page 11

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For Capt. John P. Crater, 15th NJ Co. K

Corporal Jacob Crater, 3rd NJ Co. G Pvt. Matthias Crater Jr., 55th Michigan Co F.

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Preface I greatly enjoyed the research involved with this project. As I continue to enhance the guide for future editions, my appreciation for what our ancestors went through grows. It is my hope that with the information provided by this guide, as well as The Uniform Impression Guide and future informational pamphlets, the company can continue to honor these men in the most historically accurate way possible.

- Private Brian Charles Crater

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Tents

During the war there were many tent styles utilized by the Confederacy. The 12th S.C. prefer you only use Dog Tents or Flys. All tents are white/eggshell canvas and are supported by poles, rope, and stakes. Quality Tent Characteristics 10+ oz. Fire Retardant, Treated, Canvas Wooden Tent Poles- (natural sticks preferred) at least 1½-2 inches in diameter with a fork on top Ground Stakes- Metal or Wood are both acceptable, 8-10 inch stakes are preferred for proper support Dog tents are 1-2 man shelters that were cheap to make, light to carry, and quick to pitch. They’re generally made of two halves that are buttoned together on the ridge of the structure. To further protect yourself from weather, consider adding an end closure. End closures were actually not as common as some in the hobby seem to think, most ends were covered by blankets or ground cloths. Where to get this:

-Fall Creek Sutler: www.fcsutler.com

Shelter half $42.50 Whole Shelter $74.95 End Closure $32.50

10” Tent Stakes $2.75 each -Wambaugh, White & Co.

www.wwandcompany.com Shelter half $100.00 (Four styles to choose from)

-Panther Primitives (Lindeman choice) www.pantherpimitives.com 13 oz. Halves $62.00 +$15 for rope loops End Closure $32.00 Full Tent Accessories$58.00

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Flys are open aired canvas shelters that were mainly used for sheltering seating areas or acted as a pavilion to walled tents. These structures however, when lowered a bit, can also be used as sleeping quarters for many soldiers at a time. They are extremely versatile, and are easy to set up. They come in many sizes, the bigger the better. It should be noted that it would be cheaper for 4 guys to purchase one fly together than getting 2 wedge tents. Where to get this: -Panther Primitives (Lindeman Choice)

www.pantherprimitives.com 8’6” L x 14’2” W – 10.38 oz. $182.00 11’2” L x 13’4” W – 10.38 oz. $220.00 8’6” L x 14’2” W – 13.2 oz. $202.00 11’2” L x 13’4” W – 13.2 oz. $244.00 -Fall Creek Sutler: www.fcsutler.com 12” L x 12” W - 10.38 oz. $169.00 Camp set up should be made of a simple road/block system. If followed, it will be easy to move through camp while maintaining ample room for camp activities.

1. Wedge Tents 2. Supply Tent 3. Fly Tents

Maintain a minimum 15 feet.

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3 Captain

Cwayna

2 1 1 1 1

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Bedding Wool blankets are a must for those cooler nights at the very beginning and toward the end of the season. There are many manufactures out there that produce wool blankets but only one company has been around since 1830, Woolrich. In 1845 John Rich bought out Daniel McCormick’s share of their mutually owned wool mill located in Dunnstable Township, Pennsylvania. Around that time he was forced to move operations due to insufficient water supply at the Dunnstable location. The company bought 300 acres of land on Chatham’s Run in Pine Creek Township; which is now the current location of Woolrich, Pennsylvania and Woolrich Headquarters. The facilities that made blankets and outerwear for soldiers during the Civil War are long gone; but the material, process, location, and company remain the same. (Tier 3) Authentic Blanket Characteristics -80%+ Wool -Blue, Grey, or Tan in color -Something large enough for a bedroll. Authentic Blankets -Woolrich, www.woolrich.com Civil War Fort Sumter Blanket $139.00 Gettysburg Blanket $115.00 -M.U.S., www.militaryuniformsupply.com Woolrich Gettysburg Blanket $89.99 Amana Woolen Mill Blanket $89.99 (Tier 2) Economy Blanket Characteristics -65%+ Wool -Blue, Grey, or Tan -Something large enough for a bedroll -Not as warm as the authentic, but they look the part Economy Blankets -Fall Creek Sutler, www.fcsutler.com Milk Creek Mercantile, www.milkcreek.com Economy Wool Blankets $34.95 Solid Grey Wool Blanket $25.00 Surplus Blanket $19.99

The original Dunnstable location is a museum today.

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Quilts are an interesting minute detail about your impression. From region to region, quilts were made differently. With their soldiers away at war, the women within a town started Soldiers Aid Societies; the members of these societies would get together on a regular bases and put together various quilts as a part of aid packages to ship off to war. The older women within the community would teach the younger women how they made quilts; this is why styles were different region to region and not necessarily different from soldier to soldier. The most significant difference between North and South was the lack of materials within the Confederacy. The reason why so few have survived the test of time is mainly because not as many were made. Women where short of fiber to weave fabric, and even thread to sew. Yes cotton was the major southern crop, but the well-established system dictated that raw fiber went north to New England mills or across the pond to European countries for processing into cloth and sewing thread. Tier 3 (100% Authentic) -Handmade -100% Cotton/Wool - 4 or 9 patch patterns -Linear in style (not diagonal) -Rounded/Imperfect Corners -Thin borders, and divided panels -Earth Tones -Women used to make some patches out of old dresses from home so their beloved soldier had something to remember them by; a patch like this would be a nice touch. Tier 2 -Machine Made -80% + Cotton -4/9Patch Pattern -Linear Style -Any Corner -Calm tones of any color

Tier 1

Though not wrong, diagonals and diamonds were styles of western states. Floral Designs were utilized by Midwest states both north and south, basically from Kentucky to Mississippi, and as far east as Tennessee. Floral design outliers were in all northern states; they had excess material to experiment and potentially waste. Quilts with birds like Eagles or Crows were mostly Underground Railroad Quilts. Any of these styles would be less accurate.

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Michigan Note: With materials more abundant and slaves escaping

northward, most styles where used in northern states. The best styles

would be any patriotic design with the union stars and stripes. The quilts

made by northern women are largely considered the first widespread

public expression of women in America. There were a lot more quilts in

the North, most any design would work for the impression.

(Extra layer for the Wolcott Mill event.)

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Ground Cloth Ground cloths are essential to camp life; they do wonders at insolating your body heat from escaping beneath you through the night, and are very versatile as well; one can simply add a slit in the center of the cloth and use it for a rain poncho, these would actually be called gum blankets. Tier 3 (100% Authentic) -46’x71’ -18 grummets placed 2 inches from the edge to the grummet center. -Grummets are to be equidistant all around not exceeding 14 inches apart. -Ground cloth to be tarred in a mix of ink, oil, varnish, and/or coffee grounds. -Coated in boiled linseed oil. Claude Sinclair www.claudesinclair.com/Palmetto-Batallion/Federal-OilBlanket.html $65.00 Tier 2 Tier 1 -Non regulation size -Plain Canvas -Similar grummets equally apart -Rubber material Fall Creek Sutler www.fcsutler.com $59.95 Mountain State Supply www.mountainstatesupply.com $24.00

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Cookware & Utensils

Cookware and Utensils are some of the most farbbed items in reenacting; Coleman camping equipment is sighted in nearly every camp at any reenactment. We can do better! Please Co-ordinate with others on Cookware, we don’t need 20 full size skillets in camp,

however, a small 6 -7inch pan can be used both as a skillet and a plate.

Tier 3 (100% Authentic) -Cast Iron Skillets 9 to 11 inches in diameter -Cast Iron Kettle Pots or Cauldrons, most any size -Cast Iron Grates for cooking over fires -Cast Iron Coffee Pots -Tin Coffee Pots -Large tin spoons -Tin cups no bigger than 4 inches in diameter -Tin personal pans 4 to 6 inches in diameter -Silver plate forks, knives, and spoons (with or w/o wooden handles) -stem dimple welds on the spoon bowl is a nice touch -Tin Mess Plates (no centered US or CS preferred) Where to get this: Village Tinsmith Tier 2 www.csa-dixie.com/villagetinsmith -anything made of stainless steel

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Tools

Note: Tools can be used a little bit around camp but one must be mindful of regulations of the park hosting the event.

Shovels, saws, pick axes, and hammers all can be useful around camp and will add a little detail your campsite. There aren’t any companies to be found that specifically sell shovels, pick axes, or hammers for reenactment purposes. It will take some hunting around on forums and auctions to find close interpretations. Here’s what you’re looking for though;

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Wooden Items Ammo Boxes- are pine boxes that were used to ship 1000 cartridges to soldiers from various arsenals. These boxes were Army Green with Eggshell or White stenciled Arsenal Stamps. Later on in the war, some arsenals skipped the green paint and went with black stencil paint to expedite their production. Handles with 45 cuts dress the short ends of the box. A nice touch, I might add, are scribe marks instead of pencil. I notice almost every sutler has overlooked this on all boxes. Box Dimensions: 16 ½ x 12 ½ x 7 Where to get this: Charlie’s Boatworks $35.00 + S&H www.charliesboatworks.com Civil War Wood Reproductions $40.00 + S&H www.civilwarreproductions.com Hardtack boxes- were used to ship hardtack to the soldiers. The big thing about hardtack boxes is NOT ONE sutler makes an authentic box. Real hardtack boxes were made out of Basswood or Poplar and ALL sutlers make their boxes out of pine unless otherwise requested, it would more than double the price. These boxes had unique stenciling on the lid depending on the producer of the bread, to maintain versatility with your impressions, an unstenciled box is preferred. These boxes had no handles on them however adding handles today would be more practical and would be overlooked by most. Box Dimensions: 18 ½ x 24-26 x 10 ¾ Where to get this: S&S Sutler of Gettysburg $85 + S&H www.ss-sutler.com Both Hardtack and Ammo boxes shown