Moratorium on High-Lows - Carl (Chip) Gnam

Picture from Robert Land Historic Shoes http://www.robertlandhistoricshoes.com/servlet/Detail?no=13

I have noticed more of our soldiers wearing “High-low” boots at events. While these are interesting reproductions, they are generally not correct footwear for Continental infantry. We don’t want any new pairs worn at events, and will decide how to handle the existing pairs already purchased by members. (That’s a matter for the board.)

I asked Al Saguto, the Master Cordwainer (shoemaker) at Colonial Williamsburg, and former 1 VA member, to give me his opinion on these. Al is one of the foremost experts on colonial era footwear and lectures here and abroad on the subject. His beautiful coffee-table book on 18th c. footwear, "Art of the Shoemaker," was recently published by Colonial Williamsburg. Here are some of his comments.

“High-lows” (called “shoe boots” and “half boots”) of the one (iffy) pattern that Land and Fugawee make are indeed greatly over-done by reenactors -- low shoes should always dominate.

In 18th c. period images, High-lows (a 19th c. British term not documented in colonial America) are seen on grooms exercising horses, gentlemen bird hunting, Queens Rangers and Hussars, and even satirical cartoons of women doing "male" sports.

The documentary record is a little more helpful. In Virginia, “shoe boots” and “half boots” can be found mentioned in runaway ads (slaves and apprentices), probate inventories, etc. In the Virginia Public Store Records research report at Colonial Williamsburg there is an item listing them as uniform issue footwear for the Virginia dragoons in 1775 –‘76, in lieu of the more expensive top boots for riding. Evidence suggests that “shoe boots” cost about two to three times more than common shoes, so while not a luxury item, they were more costly.

Regarding archaeology, so far known there's only one surviving child’s High-low in North America from a 1760s-70s site in New York City [Colonial Williamsburg owns this -- see 'Art of the Shoemaker’], as opposed to 4,500+ surviving low shoes. In addition, there is one circa 1773+ High-Low from a farm in the UK, one woman's circa 1780-5 in the UK, another similar woman's High-Low in Germany, plus a man's "costume" fancy-dress one in buff leather circa 1730.

So, there are not many surviving High-Lows. The current repros are too loose fitting in the legs to be very convincing, and the machine stitching down the facings of the Land's, in imitation of hand whip-stitching, (which should not be visible) is not well done.

To summarize Al’s comments, High-lows were made for special use, and cost several times more than shoes. This fact alone tells us that these would not have been made for infantry soldiers. The fact that at least some High-lows were made for dragoons because they were cheaper than regular riding boots supports the idea that cost was an over-riding factor when it came to soldier’s footwear.

While Al points out that High-lows were not unknown in America, the fact that only one High-low has been found, compared to thousands of shoes, seems to be a good indication that they were not very common among the general population, much less the Army. It’s certainly possible that “gentleman” officers might have owned these, but among the “common class” that made up the bulk of the Army High-lows would have been much less common. The exception among the lower class seems to be those who worked around horses.

I think High-lows are similar to some of the civilian clothing that many of us own. You generally wouldn’t think about wearing your fancy silk frock coat to one of our military events and High-lows fall into that civilian category. If you own a pair, and love to wear them, try wearing half-gaiters to cover them up. If you have problems with your feet, let’s discuss it – we want everyone to be able to participate.

Patterns Available Unitl Sold

The regiment has two patterns available for purchase.

The first one is the Smoke and Fire pattern for Military Overalls, sizes 30-48. The second pattern is a Period Impressions pattern for 18th Century Breeches. Each pattern is $10.

To order the overalls or breeches pattern, email the Quartermaster.

5 December 2009 Carlyle House Event

On December 5 the 1VA will host along with our partner's the staff at Carlyle House our annual " Soldiers Christmas" This is held on the grounds of the Carlyle House in Old Town Alexandria. Along with setting up a small camp and doing a bit of drill and firing demos we typically facilitate other indoor and outdoor scenarios and demonstrations going on during the day. In the past Doc Hartland has set up his medical display in the house. Leslie has had her laundry going on out doors. Some of the ladies have had a tea going on in one of the rooms of the Carlyle House.

This year hopefully, Doc and Leslie will once again put on their demos for the public. Additionally, this year the event falls on the Feast of St. Barbara. The 1VA artillery is taking advantage of the occasion to interpret this Feast day focus on the artillery at the house. They will also have a punch available - sorry it's non alcoholic given 1VA Policy.

If any of you have ideas for additional indoor and /or out door activities that you are interested in coordinating please contact me ASAP. In the past we have also had some cooking demo's, gaming indoors and ladies if you are interested in a tea, contact me with your ideas or any other thoughts on activities ASAP. I will be meeting with the staff at Carlyle House on Nov 3 to firm up the Dec event.

Marshall

Quartermaster Update

There is now a link to the Quartermaster website on the 1st Virginia Links page. I have also updated the Kits and Accoutrement pages to allow you to order more items using the Internet.

For those of you that have not gotten your 1st Virginia Flag Magnet, you can order now on the Accouterments page.


Here is the picture of the magnet which is 5" by 5".

And here is what it looks like on my truck door.

Godwin's will now give the Quartermaster a 10% discount for any item that we order a dozen or more of. We are currently considering making a large purchase for cocked hats. If you make an order for a cocked hat with the QM, we will provide a conversion kit for just $1.00 more (normally $2.50). The conversion will take the Godwin's hat and allow you to make it appropriate for the 1st Virgina.

Leslie (AKA 1st Virginia Regimental Quartermaster and Laundress)

The Variety of Continental Army Blankets

"White Wollen," "Striped Indian Blankets," "Rugs and Coverlids":

The Variety of Continental Army Blankets
(Originally published in The Brigade Dispatch, vol. 30, no. 2 (Summer 2000), 11-14)
John U. Rees, © 2000, 2003

When portraying a Revolutionary period soldier or civilian, special care should be taken when choosing a blanket. Whether displayed in a home or camp, carried in a knapsack or used for a blanket roll or sling (tumpline), the blanket is quite prominently seen so the proper color and/or pattern is important. This article will give an overview of blanket terminology and styles, with documented examples to show the variety that existed in the Continental Army.Unlike the European armies involved in the war, there is no "typical" style of blanket for American soldiers.Those wishing to achieve an accurate portrayal should make a considered decision based on available information.

Materials, Styles, and Terminology
Blankets were made of wool, linen, or the mixed cloth linsey-woolsey, and came in a variety of colors and patterns. Most were white or off-white; other colors were black, yellow, blue, red, brown, orange and green. Striped and checked blankets were also common. Locally manufactured blankets were issued to the troops at various times during the war, usually as a result of the donation by, or confiscation from, local civilians. For those who really wish to adhere to authenticity, all American-made blankets of the period had a center seam, this being the point at which the two pieces of woven wool or linen were sewn together to make a full-sized blanket. There was no large-scale American wool manufactory, and domestic looms produced only narrow cloth, though due to the lack of standardization the parameters vary. According to Lynne Z. Bassett, former Curator of Textiles and Fine Arts at Old Sturbridge Village, in her "research on 18th- and early 19th-century wool quilts, it is common to find old blankets or wool sheets - probably nearly all domestically woven - used as the backing material. The wool backing fabrics range from 20 to 35 inches [one exception, circa 1800, was 64 ½ inches wide] ... Most commonly, the fabrics are 30 to 32 inches, it seems." Robert G. Stone, weaver and researcher, notes that "American looms would have been producing blanketing ... roughly 30-42 inches wide." On the other hand, imported blankets could be made unseamed; British army barracks blankets were up to 74 inches in width and some English Rose blankets were as much as 117 inches wide.1

Before proceeding to army blanket descriptions several clarifications are in order. Rugs and coverlids (or coverlets) were also woven bed coverings. Robert Stone relates, "Despite recording over 8000 probated bed coverings, I still can't tell you the difference between a 'blanket' and a 'coverlid' in the 1700's ...There was probably not as much difference as we would like there to have been." While 18th century coverlets were likely more decorative than blankets, Dorothy K. Barnham writes, "The key difference seems to be that a blanket is simply a covering for warmth, while a coverlet is a top covering and hence more likely to be for show. In the past many a blanket was used as a top covering and many a patterned coverlet was valued for its warmth. It is difficult to draw even a hazy line between the two terms ..."2 (Pictures of several coverlets may be seen in Rita J. Adrosko’s "18th-Century American Weavers, Their Looms and Their Products," Imported and Domestic Textiles in 18th-Century America, Patricia L. Fiske, ed. (Irene Emery Roundtable on Museum Textiles 1975 Proceedings, The Textile Museum, Washington, D.C.); for a good discussion of rugs, with some descriptions, see, Suellen Tatrai, "Bed Rugs," The Express (Publication of the Brigade of the American Revolution), Summer 1995, 9.)
As for blankets, some English examples were described as follows: "In order to adorn them, they work stripes of blue or red wool at each end, and a crown at each corner; with this difference, however, that the stripes are worked in the loom; and the crowns are worked with the needle, after the blankets are finished, and before they are sent to the fuller." In the 18th and 19th centuries "stitched stars or wheels were worked at the corners. Known as 'rose blankets,' they were commonly imported..." A number of descriptions of Indian trade blankets survive, and several are of interest. A letter dated 1714 made note of "Striped Blankets that are white like other Blankets only towards the ends they have generally four broad Stripes as each 2 red and 2 blue or black..." In the 1730s "5 pr. Indian Blanketts, Black stripe" were purchased in New York. Point blankets were very common, and get their name from stripe marks woven into the blanket near one corner. The number of points is an indication of the size and weight of the blanket. Apparently, the number of points originally equated to the number of beaver pelts required in trade for the blanket; since there was no way to fix pricing based on such a system, the points quickly became an indication of size, rather than of cost. It is not known when points originated, but they were in use at the beginning of the 18th Century. A surviving example known to have been carried by an American private soldier in the war is a white 3-point blanket, 53 inches by 72 inches, with two 2 ¾ inch stripes of indigo blue (one at either end) and points of the same color.3 (Note 3 contains a discussion of point blankets.)

A 3-point blanket carried by Private Henry Marble of Massachusetts in the Revolutionary War. White wool, with 2 3/4 inch indigo blue stripes and points. Marble's blanket is in the foreground. Behind it is a 19th century 3-point Hudson's Bay blanket. Museum of the Fur Trade Collections, Chadron, Nebraska. Frederick C. Gaede and E. Bryce Workman, "Notes on Point Blankets in the Military Service," The Museum of the Fur Trade Quarterly, vol. 15, 2, (Summer 1979), 1-2.
Below are examples of blankets used by Revolutionary armies, from a variety of sources.

American and British Rose Blankets
Peter T. Curtenius, the local Commissary through whom the Province of New York made all military purchases, wrote to the Provincial Congress in summer 1775 that suitable blankets were getting difficult to find. He was reduced to purchasing one point blankets, which had to be sewn together to provide proper soldiers' blankets, so he informed the congress that he had bought double the usual amount, wanting to avoid squabbles over the bill he was soon to submit. Curtenius also had available to him oversized rose blankets, of 9 and 10 quarters size (that is, 81 inches, and 90 inches), too large for convenient soldier use. It is not clear if he actually purchased them. Captain Henry Beekman Livingston's 1st Company of the 4th New York Regiment did receive 27 Indian blankets and 45 rose blankets in August 1775. We can infer that this was typical for the 1775 establishment. Two years later, "Colo: Lamb's Regimt: Artillery to the Public Store of Cloathing at Albany," delivered to Captain Mott, 3 April 1777, "4 Rose Blankets... [and] 2 Blue D[itt]o:"4

On 3 October 1777 General George Washington's troops "began their march for Germantown ...” Captain James Morris, 5th Connecticut Regiment, recalled in his 19th century pension deposition, “I marched with only my military suit, and my implements of war, without any change of dress or even a blanket ..."During the post-battle American retreat from Germantown Morris was captured by British soldiers, "and marched back to Germantown under a guard." His waiter made his escape, taking with him Captain Morris’s "blanket and provisions with a canteen of whiskey ..."That night having had no refreshment and "no blanket or any covering to shield me from the cold," he asked a sympathetic British officer for assistance. After being given some food he was brought "a large and clean Rose blanket ... for my use that night, I accordingly went out into the field, and lay down among the soldiers who were prisoners, wrapped myself in the blanket, kept my hat on my head, and slept soundly through the night..."5

1777 "Rugs and Coverlids"
General Washington wrote to Massachusetts congressman Elbridge Gerry, 27 September 1777, "I am glad you have begun the collection of Blankets and Shoes; this business cannot be carried to too great an extent, and I think, if the Measure is properly pursued, great Quantities of Blankets, Rugs and Coverlids, may be collected in the back Counties."6

On 19 November 1777, payment was made by "The Continent To" Elias Dayton; 75 dollars for "18 Blankets" for Maxwell's Brigade. Also listed are "Blankets purchased by Lt. Day", including 40 dollars for "5 Blankets of the Miss Van dikes," and 160 dollars for "10 Green Rugs."7 A document headed "Receipts for delivery of Sundry Cloathing for the Use of the Troops belong ing to the State of New Jersey" lists many interesting items including several forms of blankets:8
To whom Delivered General Maxwell, 26th November 1777: 91 Blankets; 33 Coverlids; 94 pairs of Stockings; 7 Yards of Lincey; 2 pairs of Breeches; 1 pair of Shoes; 10 Coats; 12 Jacketts; 1 piece of Blanketting; 1 piece of Cloth; 4 woolen Shirts; 1 ps. of Blue Cloth
Enos Kelsey, December 1st 1777: 4 pairs of Stockings; 1 Coat; 6 Shirts;Jacob West, December 1 1777: 4 Blankets; 3 Ruggs; 1 pair of Stockings;Genl. Maxwell, April 12th. 1778: 5 Blankets; 26 pairs of Stockings; 1 Coat; 1 [pair of] Mittens;Jacob West, June 22d. 1778: 7 Blankets; 3 Coverlids; 5 pairs of Stockings;Delivered to Soldiers in the 9 Months Service: 6 Blan kets; 3 Ruggs; 5 pairs of Stockings; 13 Hatts pr Bill 1 June 1778

1778
The papers of the Continental Congress include two records from 1778 referring to imported blankets, presumably for army use:9
Invoice of Sixty Bales of Merchandise... for Boston... on Acct. of Arthur Lee Esqr.", Bilboa, Portugal, 11 February 1778. Included on this invoice are 1,695 "fine large Palencia [Valencia?] Blankets at 26 Riales each.Invoice of 75 Bales Merchandise... consigned to the Honble. Elbridge Gerry... on account of the Honble. Arthur Lee Esqr.", Bilboa, Portugal, 1 April 1778: "75 Bales containing 1926 large Palencia Blankets at 27 Riales.[Apended to this invoice was the note "Number of Blankets sent from Bilboa for Congress since January 1778 ... 8668.”]
Near the end of the year (18 December), Deputy Quarter Master General Jacob Weiss wrote to DQMG Udny Hay, "The Cloathing for the Artificers &c. of your Department were put up and sent off yesterday all in good order - with a Return enclosed." The return listed, among other items, "Brown Cloth Coats lined throughout," leather breeches, and "Striped Indian Blankets." An undated "Invoice of Sundry articles of Cloathing &ca. d[e]l[ivere]d. to Colo. Hughes D.Q.M.," included two green and twenty-eight "Striped" blankets.10

1779
Major General Nathanael Greene dealt with many blanket shortages throughout his Continental Army career, but especially when serving as quartermaster general.In January 1779 Deputy Quartermaster General Udny Hay wrote him, ”The Blanketts we had are extremely small and the sheets (or rather a part of them) very bad. Respecting the Former, Colo Weiss has informd that you allow two for one, which we have communicated to the Artificers and I dare say they are contented on that Score.”11

The following month Hay confirmed that the blankets formerly received were "so bad that they have been estimated at two for one."12Hay may have been referring to the "Striped Indian Blankets" mentioned above, or to another parcel of blankets. The situation had not improved by the autumn of that year. In October 1779 the Boston contractors Otis & Henley informed Greene they would attempt to get blankets, but they "will be of an indifferent Quality and an exorbitant price."13 Greene's subordinates were, however, creative in their efforts to mitigate the shortages. Colonel James Thompson, Wagon Master General, told General Greene that lack of blankets among teamsters was likely to cause sickness and desertion. Thompson suggested substituting watch coats and "pieces of coarse Duffle" which were available at Newburgh; a few days later, Jacob Weiss relayed Thompson's suggestion of using some "coarse Blue Woollens" available at the clothier's store in case blankets could not be procured for the teamsters.14 (Duffle is discussed in note 15.)

In November 1779, Colonel John Mitchell wrote Greene from Philadelphia, ”As to Blankets none can be purchased or procured, but I have got a Quantity of 3/4 Wd [wide] Baize which I got milled and believe they will do very well. I have sent some to Mr Weiss on tryal. The Board of War can not even return the Blankets we lent them.”16

1781
By 1781 blankets were among war materials shipped from French military stores for Continental Army use. An "Invoice of Goods Drawn from the Kings Magazines at Brest... Shipped this 27th May 1781... for the Service of the United States of America" included cloth, gray and white "Milled Hose", and 1,896 "White Wollen Blankets."17

Denouement.

The information above gives us a glimpse at the wide variety of coverings used by Continental troops.Connecticut soldier Joseph Plumb Martin suggests that even when blankets sufficient in quantity, their quality often left much to be desired:
… what did we ever realize from this ample store [of clothing] - why, perhaps a coat (we generally did get that) and one or two shirts, the same of shoes and stockings, and, indeed, the same may be said of every other article of clothing - a few dribbled out in a regiment, two or three times a year, never getting a whole suit at a time … all of the poorest quality, and blankets of thin baize, thin enough to have straws shot through without discommoding the threads ...18
(For an overview of blanket supply and quality see, John U. Rees, "'The great distress of the Army for want of Blankets ...': Supply Shortages, Suffering Soldiers, and a Secret Mission During the Hard Winter of 1780," Military Collector & Historian, vol. 52, no. 3 (Fall 2000), 98-110. On Line.)

Acknowledgements
Thanks to Lynne Z. Bassett, Roger Fuller, Stephen Gilbert, Charles and Sarah LeCount, Robert G. Stone for contributing to this article.

Notes
1. Lynne Z. Bassett to John Rees, 22 July 1998, 24 August 1998, correspondence concerning American loom sizes. Robert G. Stone to John Rees, 24 July 1998, correspondence concerning late 18th century blankets. Robert G. Stone, "British Military Blankets, 1776-1813," Military Collector & Historian, vol. 49, no. 1 (Spring 1997), 37-39. Rita J. Adrosko, "18th-Century American Weavers, Their Looms and Their Products," in Imported and Domestic Textiles in 18th-Century America, Patricia L. Fiske, ed. (Irene Emery Roundtable on Museum Textiles 1975 Proceedings, The Textile Museum, Washington, D.C.)

2. Dorothy K. Barnham, "Winter's Rest: Warm Bedding in the Northeastern American Tradition," in The Blanket: Past and Present (exhibit booklet, Roberta Houllahan and Alice Marcoux, co-curators, 1984).

3. Florence M. Montgomery, Textiles in America 1650-1870 (New York, N.Y., 1984), p. 169-171. Frederick C. Gaede and E. Bryce Workman, "Notes on Point Blankets in the Military Service," The Museum of the Fur Trade Quarterly, vol. 15, 2, (Summer 1979), 1-5. A number of other blankets are pictured in George C. Neumann and Frank J. Kravic, Collector's Illustrated Encyclopedia of the American Revolution, (Harrisburg, Pa., 1975), 42. "Blankets - In the fur trade, blankets served as both garment and bed covering, but were viewed primarily as apparel. They were introduced to the Native North American market at least as early as 1678 and were traded in large quantities by 1730 (Smith 1991:12). Blankets were usually white with two or three red or blue stripes bordering either end. In 1779, the HBC introduced the point system in which the size of the blankets was designated by a number of points ranging from 4 1/2 as the largest to 1 as the smallest (Wheeler 1985:62). These points were woven into the blankets at one edge just above the rows of stripes. Two-and-a-half point blankets were by far the most numerous size sold. This was probably because that was the most common size for women and Native women wore only blankets as outwear whereas Native men wore either blankets or capotes (White 1985:173). On fur trade inventories, pointed blankets conventionally headed up the list, or were found immediately after the woollen textiles, and were enumerated in pairs. Blankets sold in the Great Lakes fur trade were manufactured in Whitney, Oxfordshire (Anon 1811:14, NBL). An average sized blanket sold from between 2 and 7 beavers, depending on fluctuations in the European market for furs. (Silverstien)" Online Source

4. Commissary Peter T. Curtenius to the New-York Provincial Congress, 28 June 1775. Journals of the Provincial Congress of New-York, vol. II (Albany: Thurlow Weed, 1842), 39-40. Captain Henry Beekman Livingston's Ledger of Accounts (1775 and part 1777), Mss, National Archives Records Group 93, Entry 40, BW 1 112/D in oversize Box, p. 24. "Colo: Lamb's Regimt: Artillery to the Public Store of Cloathing at Albany," 27 March 1777 to 31 December 1777, Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783, National Archives Microfilm Publication M246, Record Group 93, reel 117, section 37-4.

5. Memoirs of James Morris of Litchfield, Conn., Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty - Land - Warrant Application Files, National Archives Microfilm Publication M804, S16204.

6. George Washington to Elbridge Gerry, 27 September 1777, John C. Fitzpatrick, ed., The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources 1745-1799, vol. 9 (Washington, DC, 1933), 275.

7. Anderson House, Society of Cincinnati Library (Washington, D.C.); Acc. 85.19.3. Courtesy of James Kochan.

8. New Jersey State Archives, Revolutionary War Manuscripts (Numbered),

Women's Garments

Check out this blog. This is an excellent site about 18th Century women's clothing.

Cocked Hats

George Franks has agreed to offer 1 VA members a 15% discount on hats. That makes the cost $175. You need to mention you are with the 1 VA and he will supply the correct enlisted hat with white binding, black loops, pewter button, and adjustable lining, with all sewing done by hand. The price is $175 and the order generally takes a month.

He hopes to offer a machine finished hat (or partially machine finished) at some point but does not know when that will be.

http://cockedhats.com/

Overalls Fit

ATTENTION SOLDIERS !

Do your Continental Army Overalls (aka Gaitered Trousers) fit like an old pair of comfortable blue jeans? Or maybe like a pair of M.C. Hammer’s best baloon pants?

If so, now is the time to take action!

The images reproduced here were all drawn by witnesses who actually saw the soldiers of the Continental Army. Note how tightly their Overalls fit! There are few, or no, wrinkles shown in these images, indicating that the correct fit is virtually skin tight from mid-thigh, down to the ankle.

Don’t be a Farb! Take in the inner-seams to gain a snug, manly, and period-correct fit. The simpliest way to make this adjustment is to put them on inside-out (but don’t wear them to an event like that!), have your wife pin them tight, then run them through the sewing machine. Adding a second seam next to the first will help keep them from ripping, or hand-stitch a flat-fell seam.

Voila! You look marvelous!

All images from the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection.

Preventing the Agony of Da-Feet By Stephen Gilbert, 3rd New York Regiment of (dry) foot

Preventing the Agony of Da-Feet --
Weather-treating your Period Footwear.

By Stephen Gilbert, 3rd New York Regiment of (dry) foot

As members of "Foot" or infantry regiments, artillery, dismounted dragoons, boatless naval personnel and camp followers, our collective Alliance feet and shoes play a vital role. Besides the usual hazard of blister-raising marches in squeaky new shoes, every campaign season, Alliance members spend a part of each weekend (so it seems) treading in wet grass. For those with new leather "authentic" shoes, this is a mixed blessing -- if tough thick leather soles at last develop flexibility when the shoes become wet and soggy. However, when they dry out at home, one is sometimes left with an uncomfortable pair of shoes impossible to wear until re-wetted or reshaped. What do we do? What did our forebears do?

We may not be able to alter the weather each weekend, but we can treat our leather shoes to make them both water resistant and flexible, even though 18th-century shoe weatherproofing is a very obscure area. One documented treatment was blackball -- a mixture of tallow, beeswax, and soot (carbon black). Applied onto the surface of shoes, gaiters and spatterdashes like an oversized round crayon, it waterproofed and blackened the footwear. Next, it was scrubbed into the surface with a brush, and was probably followed up with a buffing by a second brush. Former Captain (and quarter master of the 5th foot) Bennet Cuthbertson wrote: "... it is likewise requisite, that every Soldier should be furnished with a pair of shoe-brushes, and a blackening ball of good ingredients, that there may be no excuse, for not having at all times, their Shoes and Gaiters extremely clean and highly polished."1

Another possible treatment was neatsfoot oil, still in use today among outdoorsmen. At Valley Forge, PA, on 12 January 1778, General Orders read: "...The Brigade Commissaries are to apply forthwith to their Brigadiers or Officers Commanding Brigades and with their approbation fix upon a place for Collecting all the dirty Tallow and saving the Ashes for the purpose of making soft soap for the use of the Army, also for imploying proper persons to boile the Oyle out of the Cattles feet and preserve it for the use of the Army. This Oile is to be put in Casks and delivered to the Qr Mr Genl."2 (A "neat" is a beef animal = "neat's foot oil").

It isn't clear if this neatsfoot oil was for firearms, harness leather, or shoe treatment; still, it was available. I'm aware that some folks today swear by mink oil as their waterproofing oil, but I've never personally used the stuff.

Surviving clothing account books of the 71st Foot for 1776 show that infantry soldiers in a well-equipped army received a pair of shoes every six months.3 In that time span, the shoes were repeatedly soaked, marched wet through rough terrain, and still held together. Obviously they had some sort of weatherproofing treatment and tender loving care to survive that long. In particular, the sort of barnyard acids produced by water, mud, and manure would eat through the linen stitching unless there was some sort of special treatment.

The following treatment was suggested to me partly by period primary sources, hunters and fishermen, and Civil War re-enactors. I personally have used all techniques at some time or another, but think the process below is the best. The five pairs of shoes in my household have all had this treatment, not to mention several other pairs in my unit. The process works on either brand-new or well-used shoes, rough side out or smooth. I claim no patent on it, so feel free to adapt.

MATERIAL NEEDED: Bottle of neatsfoot oil (manufactured by Kiwi among others), cost about $3.50; and a jar of Sno-Seal (manufactured in Orange, South Carolina), cost about $3.98; blackball (sold by Roy Najecki), cost about $2.50; two wooden-handled horsehair shoe brushes (one small-handled applicator brush and a larger shoe brush, both sold by Kiwi, cost less than $6.00 a pair); and a flat work area at room temperature. It helps immensely to have the shoes you are treating off your feet! The actual process takes about two hours (less the inevitable drying time), and can be divided over several evenings.

PREPARATION: The shoes should be relatively clean, dry, and at room temperature (I do this in a heated basement). If your untreated shoes need to have scuffed spots re-blackened, use leather dye at this time.

STEP ONE: Apply neatsfoot oil to the soles of your shoes. This can be done by selectively dribbling oil onto the upturned sole, and rubbing in. (I use my hands, messy though it is, for better control), or one might set the shoes sole down in a baking pan containing 1/8 inch of neatsfoot oil and leaving to soak the soles and heels for ten minutes. Allow three hours to dry, or rather, soak in completely.

STEP TWO: Using the small-handled Kiwi applicator brush, dip the bristles into the jar of Sno-Seal, and rub the Sno-Seal into the suede leather of the shoe upper. This will cause the surface to take on a waxy, glossy appearance (the stuff contains beeswax, among other ingredients), as well as making your hands feel slightly tacky. Let stand for about 24 hours, preferably in the hot sun or a very warm spot, to allow the ingredients to soak in.4

STEP THREE: Apply Sno-Seal to the soles to seal the stitching. You could do this in the same step as above, though I prefer to use gravity to let the treatments soak in. In winter, in fact the soles, if overly Sno-Sealed, will be rather slippery when treading directly on packed snow.

STEP FOUR: Using the big Kiwi brush, buff the surfaces to a gloss.5 You will notice that you may have some white waxy material caught in the seams and creases. Buff it out if you prefer, or put on a thin coat of blackball to hide it. In the 18th-century, remember, blackball completely took the place of the Sno Seal we have used.

WEARING YOUR SHOES: If your shoes were misshapen from previous wettings and dried out of normal position, this is the time to try them on. Your oiled and Sno-Sealed shoes will remain flexible when wet, hot, or exposed to snow and ice (even Fort Michilimackinac in January). Perspiration and body heat will soon shape them to normal.

TOUCH-UP: Treated shoes will soon become very dusty because of the tacky surface. Brush them off vigorously with the big brush and apply black shoe polish or blackball (your choice; it might depend on your surroundings) to coat the exterior. Buff with the big brush.
RENEWAL: Repeat the treatment during the off season, especially if going on a winter outing. Not as much Sno-Seal will be needed in subsequent weather-treating applications.

NOTES:

1) Bennett Cuthbertson, System for the Complete Interior Management and Oeconomy of a Battalion of Infantry, Second edition, London: J. Millan, 1779, p 81. Thomas Simes, The Regulator, or Instruction to Form the Officer and Complete the Soldier, London, 1780, p 14, writes in a list of necessaries, included "...one colouring and two shoe brushes."

2) Valley Forge Orderly Book of General George Weedon, New York: Dodd, Mead and Co., 1902; reprint ed. New York: The New York Times and Arno Press, 1971, p. 190.

3) Lawrence E. Babits, "Shoe Life in the 71st of Foot, 1776-1777," Military Collector and Historian #34 (1982), pp 84-86.

4) Mark Tully, "Complete Your Kit - CHEAP!", The NWTA Courier, XX (June 1996) suggests that today's soldier needs two large brushes. My experience shows that one of the brushes should be a small one for application/scouring in the polish.

5) Take care to have sanded off the modern red Kiwi logo off this brush and the small one, as suggested by author Tully (see above).

MORE FOOTWEAR TIPS.
By Stephen Gilbert

1. Wear padded liners in your shoes. I know it's not authentic, but neither is the asphalt pavement we often find ourselves marching on! I use Dr. Scholl's Air Pillo or Work Comfort insoles, trimmed to size.

2. Have your shoe lachets trimmed and buckles fitted before this treatment, while wearing new insoles, and the proper weight of stocking or socks on your feet. I use a Wigwam-brand medium weight woolen stocking for my fittings, and my "duty stockings" range from thin "Williamsburg" type cotton stockings in the summer to heavy woolen stockings for winter encampments. The shoes do stretch, and punching an extra set of buckle holes in the lachets is okay (the Fort Ligonier originals show multiple holes, too). Treat your brand-new shoes before you take them out for a weekend; you can't control the weather , and softening the sole prevents heel rub by allowing the sole to flex with walking motion.

3. Using steel heel plates or hobnails will prolong the life of the heels. The archaeology collection of Fort Ligonier (1758-1764) contains several excavated leather heels with hobnails arranged in an arc around the outside of the heel.1

The drawback to such heel protection is that on hard surfaces, one can skate unexpectedly across the floor! Also, wooden and vinyl floor surfaces take on a permanent speckled appearance as the hobnails dimple the surface (such as my new decking -- I forgot myself one day early this summer), but my shoe soles do not need replacing and I never lose traction on wet sloping surfaces)! No military or civilian shoes as yet have been recovered with hobnails still in the soles (except for the heels at Fort Ligonier mentioned previously), but there are many written descriptions of hobnailed soles.2 You will need thick soles and padded insoles if you put in hobnails!

Reproduction hobnails and heel plates are available from Roy Najecki. Brass heel plates were found among a preserved shipment of contract shoes on the French frigate Machault, sunk in 1760 in Canada,3 and at Fort Michilimackinac.4

4. Leather shoes can be resoled if you can find a shoe repair shop with a person experienced enough to do it -- not all can. Cost is about $38.00.

5. I experimented with scrubbing Sno-Seal into a pair of black pre-dyed canvas spatterdashes, which took on a sheen as the beeswax penetrated the canvas (I personally think this is how the British kept their gaiters and spatterdashes "blacked", not through the use of paint which was never provided for in the lists of necessaries) -- see Footnote one. Blackball would serve a dual purpose, both as treatment and touch-up. I may just have to buy a second small applicator brush for scrubbing the touch-up coats of blackball into the treated canvas surface.
Special thanks to Dan Joyce, Josef Kleffman, Jeff Saeger and Mark Tully for advice and tips.

NOTES:

1) Personal correspondence with Roy Najecki, 1992. These heels were neither mentioned nor illustrated in the book, Archaeological Investigation of Fort Ligonier, 1960-1965.

2) Howard, Bryan P., Had On and Took with Him, ; Runaway Indentured Servant Clothing in Virginia, 1774-1778, Phd dissertation, Texas A&M University, 1996 (pp 311-12, 316, 324).

3) Catherine Sullivan, Legacy of the Machault: A Collection of 18th Century Artifacts, Ottawa, ONT: Nat'l Historic Parks & Sites Branch, 1986, p. 80.

4) Lyle Stone, Fort Michilimackinac, 1715-1781: An Archaeological Perspective on the Revolutionary Frontier, East Lansing, MI: Publication of the Museum, 1974, pp. 83, 87.

Virtual Blanket Sale

Virginians,
Often the Quartermaster & Loaner Locker get donations or purchase items from folks retiring from the hobby. The intent of this posting is to list those items that are available for members - that meet the authenticity standards & are “one time” items that the Quartermaster will not try to stock. So here’s the first list for the “Virtual Blanket Sale” (referring to the period assumed means of placing items for sale on a blanket for folks to see as they walked by… so here we’re putting them out for you to “surf by”).

If you are interested in any of this first set email me at vampire03@aol.com to discuss / see / get fotos.

More to follow;

--Size 10 Men’s Shoes with brass buckles – BRAND NEW without a single mark on the leather soles! They’re from Robert Lamb in Canada, marked size “10 M”. Rough out leather! $ 100 for shoes & buckles.
--Ground cloth of yellowish Duck, sized 6 ½ feet by 7 feet to cover the inside of an EM tent. Simple cloth, no sewn edges, looks very similar to the material JAS Townsend sells. $ 10.
--Lanterns, tin. Two similar “Single Candle Window Lantern” styles WITHOUT the glass pane. Used with wear, but still functional. $ 10 each.
--Wool Capote, made from a blanket, just like the pattern in our Soldier’s Manual. All correctly hand stitched of blanket weight wool, very warm. No visible wear or stains, I estimate it is sized Large(as all were to go over all the other cloths); $ 65.
--Woman’s Wool Coat, very similar to a hunting shirt type construction of thick wool. The collar has fur added for warmth as well, with no visible wear or stains; $ 50.
--Black wool Hunting Shirt, used. A hand made thick wool hunting shirt (no facings, just black thick wool. I estimate sized Large, shows use but fully functional; $ 20.

Overalls Tailor

Carl Johnson, the guy who is making overalls for us, will be at the Guilford Reenactment (next weekend) and can take measurements for any members wishing to have overalls made. Carl lives in North Carolina, and can make them without seeing you, but this is a chance to get him to take the measurements, resulting in a better fit the first time.

If you are interested in ordering overalls from Carl you may wish to pick up an overalls kit from the QM in advance. However, you can always send Carl your kit after the event, if that works better for you.Please let me know if you want him to make you overalls and if you are going to Guilford. I will then let Carl know and arrange a time for him to meet us in our camp.

Thanks,Chip

1st Virginia Kitchen Police (KP) Duty

So you've "volunteered" for KP duty (or just want to know about camp cooking). To make your experience "pleasurable" the following instructions should be followed.

You can make a wide variety of authentic meals ahead of time and bring them to an event. While this does not allow the public to see the preparation and cooking of food in an 18th c. camp, you can still explain what the soldiers are going to eat and where they got it while it heats up in the pot (that is after you store the modern containers it came to camp in!). “Pot Meals” such as stews, soups and chowders are the easiest to make as they can be easily stored in Tupperware or Ziploc bags (get the “Jumbo” size), or even kept in the pot you made them in and transported to the event. Be careful that anything you make that spoils easily, i.e. recipes that contain milk or meats, are either frozen or properly refrigerated both prior to leaving for the event, and on the way to the event. Even a few hours in a hot car is enough to make something go bad, and as much as we strive to be authentic, botulism or food poisoning is going a little too far.



The purpose of our KP Duty Instructions is to give you an outline of methods and ingredients so that you can prepare meals for First Virginia events. It includes recipes and instructions for preparation, storage, delivery and serving at the event.


Read more.

..

Staying Warm

Ft. Ward Feb 2007

Fellow Virginians,

I wanted to pass along information to our newer members about ways to stay warm at events this winter. I hope this is all “old news” already passed along this campaign season, but being unprepared for the cold can ruin a good event for some. While I hope for warmer events the next 2 months I am prepping for cold!

Hands: The simplest item you can use on your hands to stay warm are woolen mittens. Our Soldiers Manual has a pattern. This year the QM has made 20 of these mitten kits pre-cut from blanket thick wool. They take between 1 & 2 hours to make depending on if you use a sewing machine or sew them by hand. They’re only $4 and you can order on the QM website at http://1vaqm.org/. The Quartermaster has also put together “How to make them” instructions online at http://qm1stva.blogspot.com/. They’re awesome to stay warm around camp. When I made mine I added a “trigger finger” slit. For drilling the best option is fingerless wool gloves & the QM has a number of them as well.

Chest: Most of us can wear thermals under our body shirts unseen. Several of us have made a 2nd Weskit of wool. Mines’ white wool with a wool lining & I swear by it for cold events such as Ft Ward! The woolen Weskit “tips” aren’t in the manual yet, so contact one of us to help you make it correctly… it IS DIFFERNET construction steps from the linen one!

Bottom half: If you’ve gotten overalls (recommended) you’re set as we can wear thermals under them unseen! If you’ll be using breeches the next 2 months, consider making the ‘early war’ Blue Wool Gaiters, the QM has a number of them on hand. They are 3-5 hours to make, mostly because of the number of button holes, but they go over stockings & are warm!! For the feet, make sure you have woolen stockings & not the thin cotton sutler ones. There are several sources with good thick wool ones. Also several of us use larger sized period correct shoes so we can use thicker socks (I even use polypro sock liners!! They’re unseen but help – I stay “correct” when the public talks with us, but don’t want to freeze!). Several of us have wool breeches & wool overalls. All were issued at various times in the war, but be sure to check to make the wool versions correctly with “rough edges” at the right places.

Heads: Many have scarves, and for times when we can most have knitted caps. There’s various sources for period correct styles and several of us have Monmouth caps & Liberty or Death caps to wear when we can take off Cocked hats. Check out these various sites for good caps: Smoke & Fire (Monmouth) http://www.smoke-fire.com/ or http://lcoknits.com/ (Liberty or Death & Monmouth caps).

Overall: Every soldier needs a wool blanket! Our commander has a couple period correct 3 point woven blankets left & the QM has the basic wool blankets on hand. These wrap us up in any event! Several members make Watch capes (be careful, the sutler ones are often way beyond what a Rev War soldier would have had available!!) I made a watch cape with 2 blankets using the pattern from “The Packet III”. It was simpler than I thought & is amazing to stay warm. (Let me know if you want to make one & I can send along the pointers I learned.) It folds up in my Knapsack-haversack & goes to all the winter events with me if you want to see one.

Wool Mitten Kit Directions

We have some wool mitten kits for sale at $4. These kits include everything you will need except the thread. The set includes wool and pattern and you can download the directions.

Email me if you are interested in purchasing a kit (1st Virginia Regiment members only).


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Women's Clothing Accessories of the Early 18th-Century Workshop

Women's Clothing Accessories of the Early 18th-Century Workshop, Saturday and Sunday, March 7 & 8, 2009 9:30am – 4:30pm.

Construct a woman's shift, an apron, and a cap, based on early 18th-century clothing designs. This workshop will be taught by Janea Whitacre, Mistress Milliner and Mantua Maker at Colonial Williamsburg.

Workshop participants will learn about common articles of clothing available to women living in the Chesapeake as well as the draping methods needed for accurate construction. Attendees will construct their own women's clothing accessories.

Please bring your own sewing machine (if desired), needles, pins, scissors, threads, and fabric. Plain white or off-white, light- to mid-weight linen is required for these clothing items. Based on a 54" or 60" width fabric, the shift, apron, and cap will require 6 – 6½ yards (add ½ yard more if you are tall). 4-5 yards of linen tape (included with workshop admission) is also required.

The cost for both days is $125 per person. Drinks, light snacks, and lunch each day are included.Space is limited.Pre-paid reservations are required.410-222-1919

Depending on the interest, a wholesale order of linen may be placed to reduce individual fabric costs. This option will be discussed with each participant during registration.

Rod Cofield
Director of Interpretation and Museum Programs
Historic London Town & Gardens
839 Londontown RD
Edgewater MD 21037
410-222-1919
www.historiclondontown.org

Regimental Coat Construction

A member of the 33rd Regiment of Foot has placed on the web step-by-step instructions on his regimental coat construction. Although this is for a British coat, the steps are quite similar to the construction of our regimental coats. You can view his instructions at http://www.33rdfoot.org/coat-project.html.

Tailors

Regimental Tailors

Overalls:

Carl Johnson, 706 North Davidson St., Charlotte, NC 28202, carlivar@yahoo.com
Carl makes overalls to our specifications using the fabric kit you supply from the QM. Carl has a sliding scale for pricing – the more hand-sewing you want, the more he'll charge. I’m attaching his measurement chart which he’ll need to make your Overalls. Last quoted at: He will measure and cut your fabric for $50; he will machine finish overalls for $125 (plus our kit); he will hand finish all seams except buttonholes for $160 plus our kit (our preferred method).


WESKITs, BODYSHIRTs (potentially Breeches, Overalls & Coats soon):

Kate Tilley, 1406B N Mount Vernon Ave., Williamsburg, VA 23185, 703-727-5385,
kate@katetilleytailoring.com.
Kate has made Weskits for some members. She can also do Bodyshirts. She’s doing a set of Breeches w/ Chip so may soon know our style for them as well. Her price list is;
Regimental Coat $350.00; Overalls/Breeches $160.00; Body Shirt $60.00; Weskit (Waistcoat)$100.00; Hunting Shirt $100.00; Wash/Iron fabric $20 each; Button Holes $5 each.

Weapons

*** The membership of the 1st Virginia regiment has established a ban on firearms manufactured in India. This issue will be reviewed at the upcoming 2009 Annual Meeting.***

"From Click to Bang" This is a well done article by Norm Fuss, a member of the 1st VA & 1st NC Regiments. This was published before in our "Dispatchs" but is linked here for newcomers to the unit!

Body Shirts Available

Joyce McDonald, one of our 1 VA tailors has several men's body shirts finished and ready to sell.

If you are ready to purchase a shirt I suggest you contact her.

Sizes currently available are (these are neck sizes): 15 1/2"; 16 1/2"; 17"

She is also working on a couple of finer (lighter weight) shirts that would be suitable although they may not last as long with regular "soldier" wear.

You may contact Joyce by e-mail: jwmcdonald@verizon.net

Researching the RevWar

As we all reach to better understand the lives, concerns and challenges of the 13 Colonies & specifically life as a “common Soldier” from Virginia, I offer my list of best learning tools… we are often asked a wide array of questions by the public at events & at school presentations. Personal research into those has made this hobby more rewarding. Okay, college makes me ‘lump’ the books like courses… there are many more, but these were my most helpful. These are books I’ve read… so not recommending anything I haven’t gone thru myself and left ALOT off the list… so this will grow, as I have many more I've found in a pile to get to!!

RevWar-101 “Understanding being a common Soldier in the Revolution”
· Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States, reprinted, by Baron von Steuben… THE book all Soldiers were taught from on drill.
· Private Yankee Doodle, Joseph Plum Martin… a GREAT first hand account from a Soldier!
· Continental Infantryman of the American Revolution, John Milsop.
· The Revolutionary Soldier, C. Keith Wilbur.
· Sketch Book 76, Robert L. Klinger… still a fabulous resource on our gear!
· General Washington’s Army (1) & (2), Marko Zlatich.
· Soldiers of the American Revolution, Don Troiani.

RevWar-201 “What we should all know of our revolutionary war”
· The Real Revolution, Marc Aronson… our Revolution in context of a world-wide conflict.
· The First Salute, Barbara Tuchman.
· A Sketch of the Virginia Soldier in the revolution, Andrew Gallup… well researched!!
· Liberty!, Thomas Fleming.
· The Packet I, II, III, IV, Mark R. Tully… a wealth of useful, well researched articles!!!
· 1776, David McCullough.

RevWar-301 “Understanding hard living in the 18th century”
· Revolutionary Medicine, C. Keith Wilbur.
· The Tavern and the Ferry, Edwin Tunis.
· Colonial Craftsmen, Edwin Tunis.
· Frontier Living, Edwin Tunis.
· Colonial Living, Edwin Tunis.

RevWar-401 The finer details of life as a Continental “Regular”
· The First Virginia Regiment of Foot, 1775-1783, M. Lee Minnis.
· Exercise of Arms, Ernest W. Peterkin… the ultimate drill study! I’m still trying to absorb it all!! Extremely hard to find.
· The Book of the Continental Soldier, Harold L. Peterson.
· Distaff Sketchbook, Robert L. Klinger
· The Federalist Papers, Hamilton-Madison-Jay… what this was ALL about!