tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55889429697621232672024-03-27T07:30:19.911-07:00The Shirttail Mess Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-37744472064134666362024-03-27T07:05:00.000-07:002024-03-27T07:29:47.455-07:00Face to the North and Real Sudden Like, Turn Left : Travels to the Illinois Country and the Old Stick Ball Game In about a week, we will be heading west. How is it I am heading west? Well, you know...<div><br /></div><div> I am really excited to get back to Fort De Chartres, a place I have been going since I was around 8 years old. It was the first Colonial event that my dad took me too that I remember vividly. That time so many years ago was for the June Rendezvous. It was everything you expect a rendezvous to be. Plenty of dead animal hats and loads of fantasy impressions of "mountain men", but man, I was hooked. Within the first 24 hours I had made friends with a bunch of the kids in the fort and we formed our own militia and spent the remainder of the weekend running all over the Fort fighting the rival kid militia. What amazing times! </div><div><br /></div><div> This time, I will be heading there with more expensive clothing, more expensive gear and my wonderful wife, but the goal will be much the same. To enjoy and experience good times with goods friends and play at history. </div><div><br /></div><div> One of the great aspects of 18th century living history is the game the natives call "baggatoway" or "the little brother of war". I was introduced to this game early on in my reenacting life at the spring Fort De Chartres event and at Fort Niagara where Gene Tesdahl, or "Henri" as he is known to a great many of us, took me as his little brother and showed me the game. I grew very fond of it and wanted to play at every opportunity. One year, Henri presented me with my very own stick, made of hickory and very thick on the end as he thought my vigorous play demanded it. It's a unique one and very special to me. </div><div><br /></div><div> I don't run like I used to, but I look forward to the ball game at De Chartres in a little over a week. I mostly let the young guys get in there and fight for the ball and stay near the goal and defend. We'll see. </div><div><br /></div><div> I wanted to feature my pal Chris Jones work here as well. He's been making some mighty fine sticks as of late. You can find him on instagram @linensstroudsandduffels </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjru2NhjtjlvMZKjf2Hkkg-_6jcPOpBd4m48YOoC4iFxOKqM2oDpDO51TlIY5qP8o8raprbXTbw4qt94h1aOGEjwrRKxugD5wxfl-UYsy4ee14z3I3nYPiHgBZEp0mx7eBgUXOZ5pNlNQiprSNDXQiAv4T-gU-SJUCqJQTkzM3HbkH7ouySy4sIoS7AenHD/s2048/IMG_5681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjru2NhjtjlvMZKjf2Hkkg-_6jcPOpBd4m48YOoC4iFxOKqM2oDpDO51TlIY5qP8o8raprbXTbw4qt94h1aOGEjwrRKxugD5wxfl-UYsy4ee14z3I3nYPiHgBZEp0mx7eBgUXOZ5pNlNQiprSNDXQiAv4T-gU-SJUCqJQTkzM3HbkH7ouySy4sIoS7AenHD/s320/IMG_5681.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYBQD8a3_1nY6-CUkKAG_IMD_RIkinNpOIhYvKN3fqJN-28s_w5h_YXxDbBlHaOdGdJFbNt2W1l7NZ1aw8QtPRyYZ16rgwGNWM6h7X5JqGbItzs31wNXtkbSJDGwrd7I6ijG0S1O3Rb7_9tM3cYiDTvlVlbA69IdUtNkuMDeWWV0sEH2vsmEBEI2ClIva/s2048/IMG_5682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYBQD8a3_1nY6-CUkKAG_IMD_RIkinNpOIhYvKN3fqJN-28s_w5h_YXxDbBlHaOdGdJFbNt2W1l7NZ1aw8QtPRyYZ16rgwGNWM6h7X5JqGbItzs31wNXtkbSJDGwrd7I6ijG0S1O3Rb7_9tM3cYiDTvlVlbA69IdUtNkuMDeWWV0sEH2vsmEBEI2ClIva/s320/IMG_5682.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> Do you have any great stick ball memories? Post them in the comments! </div><div><br /></div><div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSM9_oa7oMFAmYf097DXMnPD4Dr1P4FcXXaETfl6Ft0b8vSdFz3ilYnCXky4YNNohQGgAgL68n4e4kiPm0_NozFGDnvvHUq24_Uw3-dgq5uYHv_kPzorioC22mWyUMr7Zd10EM7d4KdThvat98oXHKsESU8-zbskGjSPo1RJSNBpQUuXNH0fI0zz2jlRis/s4032/IMG_5677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSM9_oa7oMFAmYf097DXMnPD4Dr1P4FcXXaETfl6Ft0b8vSdFz3ilYnCXky4YNNohQGgAgL68n4e4kiPm0_NozFGDnvvHUq24_Uw3-dgq5uYHv_kPzorioC22mWyUMr7Zd10EM7d4KdThvat98oXHKsESU8-zbskGjSPo1RJSNBpQUuXNH0fI0zz2jlRis/s320/IMG_5677.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fort Niagara, 2011</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEVI8fHD4LiP7odlJpPaW_lB2IKj4S8ooazh86UZtQ6Lx3sUAPYbKTVXw7tgqWgsMKtKzC86MKe6oVHzY5wSzZAcv7RWYQ28T2hyphenhyphenwSw38GsLU0d-tdIFdzk0TrDDDeauYrb2oDqjzPO76SNiLPbNqqhRpNuV11xzJtUsAbtRhYIug1pJQ6nO2c2r38nlCA/s1098/IMG_5678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="824" data-original-width="1098" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEVI8fHD4LiP7odlJpPaW_lB2IKj4S8ooazh86UZtQ6Lx3sUAPYbKTVXw7tgqWgsMKtKzC86MKe6oVHzY5wSzZAcv7RWYQ28T2hyphenhyphenwSw38GsLU0d-tdIFdzk0TrDDDeauYrb2oDqjzPO76SNiLPbNqqhRpNuV11xzJtUsAbtRhYIug1pJQ6nO2c2r38nlCA/s320/IMG_5678.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Martins Station 2023</div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHOwtZwFuLPyaZXNVkTC1AOjbo1BpFiZvFXx6n9ki-I3eFtmiv1noD7jEpZtk-SuC6ZE33ApnIfy8pMYd9AkabtoUVqhabwgAFByJJQy2LR8aDPGsPXLAowlKZfDExplOrO_cKBQ1HRUXbT4dmDJ7OflJMU2vQhLq5FC9L3iw-Rm0LVPNA4jVA1GIWoa-/s1170/IMG_5679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="1170" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHOwtZwFuLPyaZXNVkTC1AOjbo1BpFiZvFXx6n9ki-I3eFtmiv1noD7jEpZtk-SuC6ZE33ApnIfy8pMYd9AkabtoUVqhabwgAFByJJQy2LR8aDPGsPXLAowlKZfDExplOrO_cKBQ1HRUXbT4dmDJ7OflJMU2vQhLq5FC9L3iw-Rm0LVPNA4jVA1GIWoa-/s320/IMG_5679.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martins Station, 2023</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMrKIhwEeMvzMAMJ6ctcdOss8-Qys3CJ7PagovktQzotshHP3kqBxk8btKpy4yuaLRcigYxaayvScNqc_tgf__HnbuWSXolcLuM2zaZ0_7uG6fpqE8ZqVOQXGMKoDdZerJzOReqDtZ4p7zQDGmk9biqH7gVbsetchlF84gqbGNxLKgxSwMlBocmXyrR9f/s960/IMG_5680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMrKIhwEeMvzMAMJ6ctcdOss8-Qys3CJ7PagovktQzotshHP3kqBxk8btKpy4yuaLRcigYxaayvScNqc_tgf__HnbuWSXolcLuM2zaZ0_7uG6fpqE8ZqVOQXGMKoDdZerJzOReqDtZ4p7zQDGmk9biqH7gVbsetchlF84gqbGNxLKgxSwMlBocmXyrR9f/s320/IMG_5680.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For Niagara, 2011</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_8cxSNH-8Z83z0RuFJDad71G5kxtvfQeWdTYTBiAXiCThy07T1-ftlBd4PLAUg0NbaVuPLiMKks-TfMU1smuRE7ih8DsI9S4xrfnRG7sQnP6fuWdw9P94wLpFuyF-S8hBNFAfR4F8JLKdYyCPvqyFeLQRj0tIffZTXYs3SEjod8wf31fBVb6g5JEoVeV/s4032/IMG_8281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_8cxSNH-8Z83z0RuFJDad71G5kxtvfQeWdTYTBiAXiCThy07T1-ftlBd4PLAUg0NbaVuPLiMKks-TfMU1smuRE7ih8DsI9S4xrfnRG7sQnP6fuWdw9P94wLpFuyF-S8hBNFAfR4F8JLKdYyCPvqyFeLQRj0tIffZTXYs3SEjod8wf31fBVb6g5JEoVeV/s320/IMG_8281.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martins Station 2023</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><br /><br /></div>Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-91765356277465288952024-03-26T06:44:00.000-07:002024-03-26T06:44:29.127-07:00The Basic Backcountry Kit Part 1: Clothing <p> I thought I would jump off the last post and discuss what to my mind is the most basic kit for the Backcountry since that is our focus here. Now this kit will get you through the Spring, Summer and Fall but will not include items needed for the winter months. </p><p> These items are the most versatile items that can be made or purchased and will allow a number of impressions including, militia, civilian hunter and early war continental line. Note that none of these categories are historical ones, but they are modern and for our purposes. Theres no such thing as a "militia kit" in the period. You brought what you had and in SOME instances you would be provided with some things and so it's important to look at returns and such from the period to determine this sort of thing. It's also important to note that "brought what you had" doesn't mean your giant machine sewn F&I waistcoat worn as an outer garment. </p><p> The basic kit should include the following : </p><p style="text-align: center;"><span> Clothing </span><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">A good round hat shows up so many times in period images and for the backcountry is better suited to the woods than a cocked hat. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjyJ4yNwRnTIW5rsEvLK9eaB2NjPdc3ean7HbiD1mIqO99QLRcdzqM1gz22ZZL_CQ4hpH0Dmgg5ixU05BE6AIp7c95oAtUbF6GKJ1g4Mb_ECNB_-wNcn490ub7_TsNWYQupWp-ImjiacwbtNTV-uq4GPTH1YNONmfANlRyMSl3idiUjMO89PF7MXMOeRIK/s600/rs=w-600,h-600.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="600" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjyJ4yNwRnTIW5rsEvLK9eaB2NjPdc3ean7HbiD1mIqO99QLRcdzqM1gz22ZZL_CQ4hpH0Dmgg5ixU05BE6AIp7c95oAtUbF6GKJ1g4Mb_ECNB_-wNcn490ub7_TsNWYQupWp-ImjiacwbtNTV-uq4GPTH1YNONmfANlRyMSl3idiUjMO89PF7MXMOeRIK/s320/rs=w-600,h-600.webp" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A body shirt, easy enough to procure. Make sure the cuffs are thin. Also a neckcloth or handkerchief. These can be found at Burnley and Trowbridge or the Virginia Floor Cloth Company. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A hunting shirt. This is the most versatile garment there is and can be worn for militia duty, civilian hunting or Continental Line. A fine hunting shirt has just become available from South Union Mills. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A few good quotes on the hunting shirt : </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Washington's General Order July, 24th, 1776 <i>"No dress can be cheaper, nor more convenient, as the wearer may be cool in warm weather and warm in cool weather by putting on under-cloaths which will not change the outward dress, Winter or Summer-besides which it is a dress justly supposed to carry no small terror to the enemy, who think every such persona a complete marksmen"</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Capt Andrew Holmes Co. 1st Batt. of Cumberland County Militia<i>- </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Hunting Shirt and leggings of a light lye color, striped jacket, good shoes small brimmed hat. </i>Sept 76</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>"There whole dress is very singular, and not very materially different from that of the Indians; being a hunting shirt, somewhat resembling a waggoner’s frock, ornamented with a great many fringes, tied around the middle with a broad belt, much decorated also…Their hunting or rifle shirts, they have also died in variety of colors, some yellow, others red, some brown, and many wear them quite white</i> (Smyth 179-180)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.southunionmills.com/18th-century-handsewn-fringed-linen-hunting-shirt/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1280" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjybgDpFO4BIQYv3wsV_vOhRXV5tkP0rAPqnR8AK0jaR7z8HuauBu_JU0sCBcCf3D56e5W7iEm1TABEO4P9YEythh2sWx_BGm1sCqHOIzqN-GHR97LAs_uZafwUAJVCWvcMhdY_ooUc_wzNrQKkp2Fb5aWGZJgWJaWTww53ZDkCufK_Hvfx-U9d2bKzAlDj/s320/Photoroom_20240212_161504__78993.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Trousers are the next versatile piece of clothing and were the blue jean of the period. The working mans garment. South Union Mills also offers these! <a href="https://www.southunionmills.com/excelsior-line-18th-century-mens-linen-trousers/">Click here</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A good pair of leggings. We have an article on leggings which you can read here : <a href="https://shirttailmess.blogspot.com/2017/07/breech-clouts-and-legginsorlets-get.html">Leggings</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Make sure they fit well. Blue, Red and Green are great colors to start with. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>"Must wear leggings. These are pieces of coarse woollen cloth wrapped round the leg and tied below the knee with a string to prevent the snakes biting you."</i></div><div>-Cresswell Diary </div></div><p style="text-align: center;">Buckle Shoes or Moccasins. South Union Mills also carries shoes these days. </p><p style="text-align: center;">This to my mind is the quintessential backcountry kit when it comes to the clothing. We will get into the gear in the next post! </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgahqqf5uX9YfnafOCzVfB-VwpMQnfnMmAa_JMph78lRxWNDm44-dPVLbi296meH2fuMII_REiqfZfs4nOEi88w0IzdQQQ-G5_osVhyphenhyphenhVb9IWD2LE7DmII8zFpv5aRMfpX05DEDHf_jn8zuDDKJnSJH631mvJqkrFCAO_ne7j5LZ_dxI8g-FUA14ntOOd59/s1681/92678aea-b546-483d-b457-c2cfd5e691ba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1681" data-original-width="920" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgahqqf5uX9YfnafOCzVfB-VwpMQnfnMmAa_JMph78lRxWNDm44-dPVLbi296meH2fuMII_REiqfZfs4nOEi88w0IzdQQQ-G5_osVhyphenhyphenhVb9IWD2LE7DmII8zFpv5aRMfpX05DEDHf_jn8zuDDKJnSJH631mvJqkrFCAO_ne7j5LZ_dxI8g-FUA14ntOOd59/s320/92678aea-b546-483d-b457-c2cfd5e691ba.jpg" width="175" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3hgcmKcUp4PVhwMPnOsqpWuNlNJONbCpKZQzwcwJ626tpeVAsFIEREU1yyqsEO3XQg-W1DlGUpJ3TGkfidZSIz-TAzGy1z8y_3nTBmSxlGnnJk24uVMlQcVzlog-QSwvkhbD8cnHLMYQzZuxvKDUO_f4JabIWR8Sykkj-ze8Ud77ahsciJ7lkFtvkyLb/s960/IMG_3798.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3hgcmKcUp4PVhwMPnOsqpWuNlNJONbCpKZQzwcwJ626tpeVAsFIEREU1yyqsEO3XQg-W1DlGUpJ3TGkfidZSIz-TAzGy1z8y_3nTBmSxlGnnJk24uVMlQcVzlog-QSwvkhbD8cnHLMYQzZuxvKDUO_f4JabIWR8Sykkj-ze8Ud77ahsciJ7lkFtvkyLb/s320/IMG_3798.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcu4t798rmgPB8Mg00nprWaoGsSN0vx9dSQ-yUw6ONIdIkYNjX-y5lUJcknLmiLI-_LG7lpyI5-7fUeZC9X-VW6KVJa0GlwVcPaQNyWmJ9oBeh03BJQqF7Ml9F3Ub0oCA2F4-uC7eHLlr2E54JiMFCMcrxvyPcfKY9RvhDZj5yq115LBUyQ8j1Ai-teYVw/s937/IMG_7494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="937" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcu4t798rmgPB8Mg00nprWaoGsSN0vx9dSQ-yUw6ONIdIkYNjX-y5lUJcknLmiLI-_LG7lpyI5-7fUeZC9X-VW6KVJa0GlwVcPaQNyWmJ9oBeh03BJQqF7Ml9F3Ub0oCA2F4-uC7eHLlr2E54JiMFCMcrxvyPcfKY9RvhDZj5yq115LBUyQ8j1Ai-teYVw/s320/IMG_7494.jpg" width="219" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-16342622210717458662024-03-25T07:16:00.000-07:002024-03-25T07:16:22.540-07:00If a tree falls in the woods, and nobody is around to hear it, how does documentation get interpreted? "He's gonna talk about documentation AGAIN?" Yes...I'm sorry. <div><br /></div><div> After doing this blog off and on for a time, I occasionally will get asked for advice from people trying to put together their first "authentic" kit or I'll receive questions about improving on what they have. Frustratingly the advice is rarely followed and after some discourse the person asking will ghost me after I've told him that I can't recommend buying the thing he wanted to buy or making the thing he wanted to make. <div><br /></div><div> But a question was posed to me recently in a way that I hadn't thought much about. Unless you've been at this for awhile, research can be daunting. In my experience some folks have an intuitive ability to find good and solid sources and interpret them and others don't. Don't know why this is, but I see it all the time. The question was "If everyone is looking at the same documentation, why does it get interpreted so differently. How is one guy right and the other guy wrong?" Welcome to Protestantism...er, wrong topic. We all have preconceived ideas and notions. But I wanted to take a moment to demonstrate how research moves forward to those who maybe haven't been at this for very long and wonder what all the fuss is about when it comes to documentation. </div><div><br /></div><div> In the 1980s through the 90s, a fellow named Mark Baker took the living history world by storm with his experimental archeology and through his work we really got our first glimpses into a more skills based approach to living history. Not merely dressing up for a parade or to shoot in the primitive area at Friendship but dressing and going out into the wilderness and putting the knowledge, skills, equipment and clothing to the test. This style of living history took on the term "trekking". Mark based his clothing and accoutrements on his research into Morgans Hunters of the 1760s and tried to document what he did to those men. His attempts were good but in a time when the sources available were more difficult to find than simply googling it, some of his choices would be harder to document today or rather the research and our knowledge of 18th century garments have exploded since the dawn of the internet and better access to source material. </div><div><br /></div><div> It should be noted that Mark Baker was not the first to do this stuff, but he was the first to document his experiences in articles and books and so he was the first person to have a wide audience watching him do this stuff. </div><div><br /></div><div> Mark was a pioneer for this hobby. The problem was that most people didn't want to actually examine the source material. They were content to say "Mark Baker did it" and that was all the proof or documentation they needed. It's sort of like when you copy files on computers. You make a copy of the original, then a copy of the copy and then a copy of the copy of the copy and so on until eventually it degrades so badly that it's unrecognizable. That's essentially what people did. There are still guys out there today that have diverged so far from what even Mark was doing that Marks old Muzzleloader articles look current. </div><div><br /></div><div> As you examine the ledgers, paintings and sketches, archeology and extant garments from the 18th century, it becomes more clear that while people like Mark were on the right track, there was still so much to learn. And so others have taken up the mantle and through more thorough investigations different conclusions were brought to light. A consensus starts to be built as more eyes are laid on the source material. </div><div><br /></div><div>Below we have two versions of the same person. The first is a person who read some Mark Baker articles, walnut dyed a shirt, rolled his sleeves up over a shirt underneath because he saw Mark Baker do it. The second image is a person who read the actual ledger books and saw the items being bought by Morgans hunters combined with sketches and drawings and archeological evidence from the period and made a more informed choice. Looking at one aspect will never give you the full picture. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnl8AsF86-lSdqbRg3m5sweNL5UgOXmsshlxVP6EezJIM-eGL1a4JahISknhWj2ksfYzG_VdL8yFfTvocfmxnXKtqwlD36dF9ukw-Zpfwq7FWol86LLl-CfmfHTGplLiYlk2f1LBnqrPJM4bH7_GCGsZsjeXIPtKRbxU7-ynlA32hyphenhyphenP9CETRy9zf6SAK-/s960/IMG_3477.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="675" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnl8AsF86-lSdqbRg3m5sweNL5UgOXmsshlxVP6EezJIM-eGL1a4JahISknhWj2ksfYzG_VdL8yFfTvocfmxnXKtqwlD36dF9ukw-Zpfwq7FWol86LLl-CfmfHTGplLiYlk2f1LBnqrPJM4bH7_GCGsZsjeXIPtKRbxU7-ynlA32hyphenhyphenP9CETRy9zf6SAK-/s320/IMG_3477.JPG" width="225" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzg_XzuSdC-fiI2y5avrQpbjH_eM9uC_fIBC8ygYFX8qC9hOVfVLetkcDD-xZtExQCY0bNtxCBaWMgVd4uwzMvEc-fWcVcCOEf9hKEsvx1aUX_CEjGeLrznBINKF012hLzi12Li6Me4oE_GuwZykXI7SowkzRc8Fbv90WwxTOOG1hmn85zdiiaqhhbezd5/s960/IMG_3478.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzg_XzuSdC-fiI2y5avrQpbjH_eM9uC_fIBC8ygYFX8qC9hOVfVLetkcDD-xZtExQCY0bNtxCBaWMgVd4uwzMvEc-fWcVcCOEf9hKEsvx1aUX_CEjGeLrznBINKF012hLzi12Li6Me4oE_GuwZykXI7SowkzRc8Fbv90WwxTOOG1hmn85zdiiaqhhbezd5/s320/IMG_3478.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The person who posed the original question added "How can some people be wrong? Surely they are searching and studying as well." Unfortunately in my experience most folks don't research and study. They just want to have some fun, wear some old timey clothes and go to the woods. Nothing wrong with that either. But, it's all about the approach one takes and the goals one has in mind. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> If you don't enjoy the research part, I would suggest trusting those who can show you on paper, evidence for what they are doing. If somebody says "I saw someone else do it", then I'd try to steer clear of whatever advice they might give. </div><div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div></div>Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-63433368443783851902023-11-28T13:33:00.000-08:002023-11-28T13:46:22.277-08:00Culpepper Minute Battalion, Hunting Shirts and Duck Pouches Time to muse again. Maybe if I do, Kobuck will write another useful article that tells you how to do stuff. <div><br /></div><div>I've been throwing myself into some research of Culpepper Minute Battalion. I've been falling in with the recreated NWTA unit since I was a teenager and recently there has been a push within to try steering into some more updated research or rather, better interpretation of the research that has been there all along. So I've been enjoying looking through Greg Sandors amazing compendium "Journal of the Public Store at Williamsburg 1775-1776". </div><div><br /></div><div> One of the real problems with these "militia" style battalions is we tend to think that "brought from home" means "anything I have laying around becomes fair game" or "wearing just a waistcoat works cause that's all I had. I'm just a poor farmer after all". Getting ourselves further away from this founders day pageant costume approach to living history where everything was homespun and your wife sat weaving her own cloth in the cabin and updating to a view of the incredible economy and vast resources of the 18th century even on the frontier is a struggle. </div><div><br /></div><div> We know from the records they received a lot of oznaburg and linen for hunting shirts. Initially it was thought that these shirts were a pullover style smock. Original recreated Culpepper units would dye them or make them out of green linen or cotton and paint or stitch in big letters LIBERTY or DEATH on the front. It looked cool, but more recent scholarship on the hunting shirt seems to indicate a split front, caped shirt with Liberty or Death embroidered on the breast as a more likely option. </div><div><br /></div><div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikz8NV6rNgm-2vzhYO9nCkQR7fSiZLeEQqlTlPShWNhwvz-iz0Xqi1fxvqeMth3AfceXgL94ujWFCJfimxLRlzHz8nvay3yrXktonG86oo4VX6OZOyzqE45IVVhuBCFwJs0161yZ1eL4ia2VHhiSfhyEPPmRL1rbgwHy7HFAitDUudfNM3YAj4PpXyZKLB" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="770" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikz8NV6rNgm-2vzhYO9nCkQR7fSiZLeEQqlTlPShWNhwvz-iz0Xqi1fxvqeMth3AfceXgL94ujWFCJfimxLRlzHz8nvay3yrXktonG86oo4VX6OZOyzqE45IVVhuBCFwJs0161yZ1eL4ia2VHhiSfhyEPPmRL1rbgwHy7HFAitDUudfNM3YAj4PpXyZKLB=w400-h233" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Culpepper Minute Battalion 1996</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><i>"We encamped in Clayton's old field (at Catalpa, the home of Philip Clayton). Some had tents, and others huts of plank, &c. The whole regiment appeared according to orders in hunting shirts made of strong brown linen, dyed the color of the leaves of the trees, and on the breast was worked in large white letters the words, "Liberty or Death"! </i>(Green, p.13)<br /><div><br /></div><br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6ryrSbux8vBePhJis2A-E7fRS3QAkBo_5xlieiQ8ZBOb20rwit_KvHMvPw9CD5Hvz4j3YDqU5R8frkkYiE1Y1f1xKtT1BbpgmIGX1rNWBcjlyOPsvmwfKoDnaos9Vskn4HyDjNykFxqOXQM9QRpEfRTNnUUAzKJmXtqdselorBF6beTUlV-Znj_UQZuo/s600/Vincennes%202011%203-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="522" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6ryrSbux8vBePhJis2A-E7fRS3QAkBo_5xlieiQ8ZBOb20rwit_KvHMvPw9CD5Hvz4j3YDqU5R8frkkYiE1Y1f1xKtT1BbpgmIGX1rNWBcjlyOPsvmwfKoDnaos9Vskn4HyDjNykFxqOXQM9QRpEfRTNnUUAzKJmXtqdselorBF6beTUlV-Znj_UQZuo/s320/Vincennes%202011%203-1.jpg" width="278" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The more plausible appearance of the Minute Battalion Hunting Shirt <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div> Another thing we see in the records is a lot of cloth being purchased for leggings with Stroud being reserved for officers of the battalion. <div><br /></div><div> Captain William McLanahans company received <i>"49 yards of Blue thicks for Legings" </i>while receiving "<i>best blue stroud for officers".</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZE9ZA4OueOW5tgbUyORwvcE_kqfU0h85FzgEIeQHn-FB1CyCQf9Yt40HI7M7dT_0BaJuGwt8O_lNq1GqMCy-fx-AxJ8q_wKsMHdYzo5D0w8nlKerpYL_y-Wnyf1dfENHd9mehr2eeUSysA8IWyWCCsAYvlLtsGQUddCsRalp-ixSud68adkKK4pVqHrv/s1066/IMG_8963.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="575" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZE9ZA4OueOW5tgbUyORwvcE_kqfU0h85FzgEIeQHn-FB1CyCQf9Yt40HI7M7dT_0BaJuGwt8O_lNq1GqMCy-fx-AxJ8q_wKsMHdYzo5D0w8nlKerpYL_y-Wnyf1dfENHd9mehr2eeUSysA8IWyWCCsAYvlLtsGQUddCsRalp-ixSud68adkKK4pVqHrv/w216-h400/IMG_8963.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Another cool aspect that I've at present never seen anyone carry is the duck shot pouch. In October of 1775 the battalion received <i>"88 yds of stout duck for pouches".</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i> </i>This pouch would fit the bill and was probably a cheap source to get guys supplied with a way to carry ammunition. The following example was made by Adam HL based on an original. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidC51aBwjPcXLHWhkYS0psClmv92Qtgdwgvt3ENtkxMYUtOGZVXrQUud5aYXKyTIdf6YClWOnw2_Ao6ykBqYHd6i3Q4qOluo1Npn-Zp6MjHGLVyNltAVjcckH76dViJVoyBa8iNCwNAd1MjUWzar-_MkZO9MXp6X86HVZYOHU_MO0sRXwkuTM8Do0dIGPU/s2016/IMG_1576.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidC51aBwjPcXLHWhkYS0psClmv92Qtgdwgvt3ENtkxMYUtOGZVXrQUud5aYXKyTIdf6YClWOnw2_Ao6ykBqYHd6i3Q4qOluo1Npn-Zp6MjHGLVyNltAVjcckH76dViJVoyBa8iNCwNAd1MjUWzar-_MkZO9MXp6X86HVZYOHU_MO0sRXwkuTM8Do0dIGPU/s320/IMG_1576.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJlLAz6QxS72o89oFFW4YQWmenXOyjXXyx3us_khkOy5QMx9D_hmHDcXmRNMwC_A79FflfkGXJh8gQzuunu1IELWuhXH7fJpL4xg9nL7x48LaPqx2SS5FNs_Z433igcy1a0VEVBRaBJje0h_vP247ZHWkDufsnFc-now724ZJQxYlSJPZomNEYDNXWrhl6/s2016/IMG_1578.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJlLAz6QxS72o89oFFW4YQWmenXOyjXXyx3us_khkOy5QMx9D_hmHDcXmRNMwC_A79FflfkGXJh8gQzuunu1IELWuhXH7fJpL4xg9nL7x48LaPqx2SS5FNs_Z433igcy1a0VEVBRaBJje0h_vP247ZHWkDufsnFc-now724ZJQxYlSJPZomNEYDNXWrhl6/s320/IMG_1578.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> There are so many cool details one could bring to this impression and I hope more effort will be made to dispense with the "brought from home" catch all militia impression to something a bit more representative of what we find in the sources. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> This brought from home idea, the homespun etc should be contrasted with what we actually know about the availability of goods in the backcountry or at the edge of the frontier. In Virginia in the early 1770s, John Hooks store is a prime example. In her book "Buying in the the World of Goods", Ann Smart Martin writes the following :</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>"The quality, variety and fashionability of the items he stocked belie the pervasive currently held notions of rugged, self-sufficient, backcountry life ; his customers could thumb through the Spectator or Johnsons Dictionary and handle Backgammon boards, china tea cups and feather plumes."</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> She goes on to list an incredible amount of items and goods that certainly turn the homespun rugged frontiersman narrative on its head. It's not that in some places and in some cases this ruggedness didn't exist, we just need to be careful and specific about when, where, who and what when we are portraying something in history. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the case of Culpepper's, these men would have been aquanted with the "fashionability" of life in 1770s Virginia and it would reflect in their clothing and accouterments and items "brought from home". </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><div><i> <br /></i><br /></div>Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-101296561450735462023-05-15T06:06:00.002-07:002023-05-17T15:46:21.946-07:00Did you come here in a wagon? And other fun reasons to justify your impression<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_T_oAXUVmaNYlSsvuS02sgvJAY1Qj0x2Q-3E2HbF8-qUFMdCH0Q66-7wa777l8gpNxDPAZrlC_i9_5Sx2VpnzZRxE5QJzM8GehGngkzCi6iYwF_MRSN9ECgQuu9MtZUAuRlr1LTwQIkb0NEXeK-I3TAEz3knCTbKKGAecf4lTnJSCzSCr8ckFEtUdA/s4032/IMG_8159.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_T_oAXUVmaNYlSsvuS02sgvJAY1Qj0x2Q-3E2HbF8-qUFMdCH0Q66-7wa777l8gpNxDPAZrlC_i9_5Sx2VpnzZRxE5QJzM8GehGngkzCi6iYwF_MRSN9ECgQuu9MtZUAuRlr1LTwQIkb0NEXeK-I3TAEz3knCTbKKGAecf4lTnJSCzSCr8ckFEtUdA/s320/IMG_8159.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span> </span><p></p><p><span> <span> </span></span> Just returned from a weekend of catching up with friends and making new ones at the newly formatted Martins Station spring event. There was a lot of great conversations and talks given about frontier life. Two of them that I really enjoyed was given by Nathan Kobuck of the <a href="http://thebuffalotrace1765.blogspot.com">Buffalo Trace 1765 blog</a> and the other by Simeon England in which each talked about the gear of two particular occupations or limited occupations, that of the Longhunter/Market Hunter and the Militia man of the Revolutionary period. Both talks brought up two basic ideas, one, that I'll return to in another post and one that will be the focus of this post, being that as you dig into what makes your persona tic, it's important to go to sources and to understand the wider and broader context of the time period and how it relates to what you're trying to portray. To understand other industries and the economy that these people took for granted by virtue of living it everyday, and how we also take for granted our own time and the ways in which we interact with commerce and everyday commodities. </p><p><span> When I was listening I was reminded of a comment made once and one I've heard as an argument to sort of say that theres no real reason to improve an impression. "Did you come here in a wagon? Well then you must not be that authentic." This comment is meant to suggest that if you're not able to completely recreate the conditions of 18th century life, to travel by horse to an event, catch a period disease or live in a cabin with no running water or electricity then somehow you shouldn't offer up any critiques or that since those conditions aren't possible to meet we should throw out all expectations and by extension justify all manner of items documentable or not. It's a line of logic I do not follow. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO7BrOJe8vvTrpfRdukWlLv1qD8tSWpDqv8gFMqxa63kD1A90089jyd7LPCK1NPCjnL0V9pXj3FoxauYpUisqr7ulG-g0U84QRraJii9Y4ecmmwGD3H0z-UndAN2J4WV__Vg0-pCaY-PjMlJFkH1K0IpTy21LyZDKRwNlWSHBvEElZP9iEugxFVtqd2g/s4032/IMG_8255.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO7BrOJe8vvTrpfRdukWlLv1qD8tSWpDqv8gFMqxa63kD1A90089jyd7LPCK1NPCjnL0V9pXj3FoxauYpUisqr7ulG-g0U84QRraJii9Y4ecmmwGD3H0z-UndAN2J4WV__Vg0-pCaY-PjMlJFkH1K0IpTy21LyZDKRwNlWSHBvEElZP9iEugxFVtqd2g/s320/IMG_8255.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span> I would therefore like to discuss some things and admit to some things during this post that might help you. I very much tailor my level of immersion to the event. This past weekend at Martins I camped in a "modern" sun forger canvas tent. I kept a cooler behind the tent covered with a blanket that contained our food as well as cans of Coca Cola. Inside my tent was a plastic tub and a modern backpack and fiddle case. Typically at a public event, depending on the scenario, I will lessen the expectations on myself to be this uber authentic person. HOWEVER, one thing I will not </span>compromise on is what I carry and wear on my person. This is completely and totally under your control. Getting to an event in a wagon, or suddenly not having a modern food pallet is not exactly easy and in most cases impossible. I know after an event the first thing I do is go get fast food because I've been jonesing for it after a weekend of grazing on parched corn, bread and cheese. We are modern people and that is OKAY. But what is not okay, in my mind, is using my need for a cheeseburger after an event to justify wearing a giant antler handle knife made out of a file, or modern glasses or shoes.</p><p><span> So here are some things to think about or rules of thumb that I use and questions I ask before attending an event. </span></p><p><span> What am I going to be doing at the event? What is my purpose for attending? What is my role in it? </span></p><p><span><span> </span> If I'm with my unit or we're doing a special thing, I know to prepare for living out of a knapsack and probably sleeping on the ground or in a building with a whole bunch of other people. But if I'm going to be camping with just me and Eileen and we are just hanging for a weekend at a laid back public event like Martins or Vincennes in a couple weeks, we'll bring along some small comforts. What doesn't change though is what I wear and what gear I use. When I walk away from my modern sun forger wedge tent with a cooler of Coca Cola, what I have on my person is the important part. Our plan is though to eventually go from sun forger to a linen tent within the next year or two. Pacing yourself is a good thing. </span><br /></p><p><span> And as a brief side tangent, don't let your gear and clothing not being up to snuff keep you from attending an event. There's great opportunities to learn and most people if you're willing to take the time and put in the effort are more than happy to help you. </span></p><p><span> My philosophy has morphed over the years. At one time I was basically </span>campaigning at every event, not bringing a tent just roughing it every way I could possibly think. But at some point I felt like I needed to take an event by event approach about how "hardcore" I want to be with my camping situation. </p><p><span> What shouldn't change though is our commitment to nailing those things we can completely control and that is what we choose to put on and carry on our body to represent the people of the past. If you didn't show up to an event in a wagon, that doesn't make you a farb. But if you use not showing up in a wagon to justify wearing a sleeveless waistcoat over a long shirt, well....</span><br /></p><p><span> </span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdbCwt6bZyN80W593Qr7Va9GUhAf4MUnPbkmovbBCzorgpYkUqcZWghWifeSWc116TTAWO-GgOjxh8lwRCqLHKfkdFnCae4vMvxtr3nd9-yoa8VL_7T6i59wQDyhOZP3spj5Q1JrMs_zeFaeKBJ0pwI-3Y38Q6iymusZ88mq-myqjXA0bJ_msZ9dfAg/s4032/IMG_7987.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdbCwt6bZyN80W593Qr7Va9GUhAf4MUnPbkmovbBCzorgpYkUqcZWghWifeSWc116TTAWO-GgOjxh8lwRCqLHKfkdFnCae4vMvxtr3nd9-yoa8VL_7T6i59wQDyhOZP3spj5Q1JrMs_zeFaeKBJ0pwI-3Y38Q6iymusZ88mq-myqjXA0bJ_msZ9dfAg/s320/IMG_7987.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><p></p>Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-35652299949067791732022-12-31T13:49:00.001-08:002022-12-31T13:49:37.827-08:00Why Hand Sewing should be the least of your worries <p> <span> Before I start this post, I should say that it's going rile a few folks. To the progressive types I might be </span>preaching a heresy, and to the people who care less about what they wear and more about what they do, this might seem like I'm letting you off the hook. That I've finally seen the light and I don't care about the details anymore. Well, you're both wrong. So without further ado...</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLYPNt99XWn2qTsy_7MLXEMIja72HGWZXQRUeOwpCm3VBzng9fqOCUwLCfgLu1gDXptyz0mXIQ2tGKvQOpPXZdwGhEqeRnyFxJE584tYTR88p2gkMXEDmQseJE3ZG0G8yQ9A499nqJn8UBHM0tGrJRkZ4-2B7dktDo8-6Swl7vNen7S6d73TyqSodnQ/s960/12043229_1158569714170599_3466290496685855299_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLYPNt99XWn2qTsy_7MLXEMIja72HGWZXQRUeOwpCm3VBzng9fqOCUwLCfgLu1gDXptyz0mXIQ2tGKvQOpPXZdwGhEqeRnyFxJE584tYTR88p2gkMXEDmQseJE3ZG0G8yQ9A499nqJn8UBHM0tGrJRkZ4-2B7dktDo8-6Swl7vNen7S6d73TyqSodnQ/s320/12043229_1158569714170599_3466290496685855299_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michael Ramsey and Myself at Locust Grove. Micheal is one of the finest 18th century tailors in the hobby today. If you can afford his work, I highly recommend. </td></tr></tbody></table></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>There was and has been a major push in the last decade and a bit to move the hobby in the direction of hand sewn garments from head to toe. An admirable goal and I applaud those who make this commitment. <p></p><p><span><span> But, it is my opinion that hand sewing your clothes should be somewhat low on the priority list. </span><br /></span></p><p><span><span><span> There's several reasons people list for not hand sewing their clothing. Money, time and not having the ability to sew. Money tends to be a bit more scary than it actually is. You can often find people in the hobby that will sew a garment for a reasonable price. Some folks will charge high</span> prices, but the work is good so, I guess if you want that level of work, go for it. But suffice to say, it can be daunting. Not having the ability to sew and learning how can also be a daunting task when you're first starting out and of course theres the time aspect. Hand sewing takes a lot of time, and if you're not particularly efficient then sewing can take up huge chunks of it. </span></span></p><p><span> Now, stopping here, I just want to say. YOU SHOULD LEARN TO HAND SEW. At least so you can make some items or make repairs to clothing. But do you need to become the next bespoke tailor in the hobby? No. </span><br /></p><p><span> Theres a final aspect that I think is valid and that is, maybe you simply don't enjoy sewing. It might not be your thing. And that's okay. </span></p><p><span><span> So what should your priorities be? If it isn't hand sewn what should you be striving for? </span><br /></span></p><p><span> First, the right materials. Choosing the correct materials. Correct materials will be the building block of the proper look. </span></p><p><span><span> Second, patterns and the right cut are crucial to achieving a period look. </span></span></p><p><span><span><span> Machine sewing, while frowned upon in some circles, will help you get in the field quickly and save you a lot of time. Machine sewn interiors will never be visible to the public or your fellow reenactors, however, anything visible should be hand sewn. I think this is a happy compromise to make. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8XkEn2AWgsBZDL-TZCIFUyERirKQUsyGo44awBX7z6G3N3CxSmm8bdxOisc50Y9d8igCXBuK6VKIB3QYUXKujeVOe1dYKE6GbhC0T8BrNMUL0T8iy5G59hrIqayVQQLzM7VXkR6rQLr2rdboyzXbdUfx2Jikg0xZ9o4X6FPIepLulhAU6srpOBfamNA/s960/IMG_3806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8XkEn2AWgsBZDL-TZCIFUyERirKQUsyGo44awBX7z6G3N3CxSmm8bdxOisc50Y9d8igCXBuK6VKIB3QYUXKujeVOe1dYKE6GbhC0T8BrNMUL0T8iy5G59hrIqayVQQLzM7VXkR6rQLr2rdboyzXbdUfx2Jikg0xZ9o4X6FPIepLulhAU6srpOBfamNA/s320/IMG_3806.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My shirt is hand sewn, but my jacket and trousers are machined on the inside with hand finishing </td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></p><p><span> My kit is about 60-40 Machine to Hand Sewing. And I'm okay with it. Hand sewing has never been my cup of tea. I get really frustrated with it. So I usually buy second hand, order a machine sewn/hand finished garment, or if the price is right, something entirely hand-sewn. </span><br /></p><p><span> So, what am I saying? Learn to sew. That's the best option. But if it's not your thing, it's okay. There's options. A completely hand sewn kit is cool and admirable, but I usually don't like being told someones kit is hand sewn. Feels like an invitation to stroke an ego. That's cool, your kit is hand sewn, but can you build this fire in the rain so we can stay warm? No. Also fine, but let's not act like anyone is cooler than anyone else here. </span><br /></p><p><span><span> At the same time, not being able to hand sew yourself is not an excuse for making up whatever fantasy garment or ill fitting thing you can find wear because "People did with what they had" or "Out on the frontier they didn't know about the latest fashions" . Again, cut and fit are the key. <br /></span><br /></span></p><br /><p><br /></p><p><span><span><span><span> </span><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><br /></span></span></p>Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-73812739831722127352022-12-19T06:48:00.000-08:002022-12-19T06:48:27.994-08:00Christmas Gambols <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSk8hdDuX3a-Iq8lBEEtQbxxXsP065tt2A-4uv87heh_G8Me8KuZ4HH5PlMGg7jOTGw3a3x_a8hpWDOJKOQLc7NskXzRxCgF8dr1YE-SE-rBeV6zFkxoBmmQVF-j70o5QGphv3Rx2Ga3yxSc5LXPQHuco9t7LIVAZJof9MGM0S6iphmzw673IeYTzMUw/s600/Play03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="600" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSk8hdDuX3a-Iq8lBEEtQbxxXsP065tt2A-4uv87heh_G8Me8KuZ4HH5PlMGg7jOTGw3a3x_a8hpWDOJKOQLc7NskXzRxCgF8dr1YE-SE-rBeV6zFkxoBmmQVF-j70o5QGphv3Rx2Ga3yxSc5LXPQHuco9t7LIVAZJof9MGM0S6iphmzw673IeYTzMUw/s320/Play03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>A few passages relating to the festivities around this time of year. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Christmas is come, hang on the pot,</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Let spits turn round, and ovens be hot;</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Beef, pork, and poultry, now provide</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>To feast thy neighbors at this tide; </i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Then wash all down with good wine and beer, </i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>And so with mirth conclude the Year.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>-</i>Virginia Almanac (Royle) 1765</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"> Our boy Nick Creswell writes of a twelfth night party : </p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>"There was about 37 Ladys Dressed and Powdered to the like, some of them very handsom, and as much Vanity as is necessary. All of them fond of Dancing. But I do not think they perform it with the greatest elleganse. Betwixt the Country Dances they have What I call everlasting Jiggs.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>A Couple gets up, and begins to dance a Jig (to some Negro tune) others comes and cuts them out, these dances allways last as long as the Fiddler can play. This is social but I think it looks more like a Bacchanalian dance than one in a polite Assembly. Old Women, Young Wifes with young Children on the Laps, Widows, Maids, and Girls come promsciously to these Assemblys which generally continue til morning. A Cold supper, Punch, Wine, Coffee, and Chocolate, But no Tea. This is a forbidden herb. The men chiefly Scotch and Irish. I went home about Two Oclock, but part of the Company stayd got Drunk and had a fight."</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"> Also from Phillip Vickers Fithian in 1773 : </p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>"Guns are fired this Evening in the Neighbourhood, and the Negroes seem to be inspired with new Life."</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"> In 1772, the Virginia Almanac observed :</p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>"This Month much Meat will be roasted in rich Mens Kitchens, the Cooks sweating in making of minced Pies and other Christmas Cheer, and whole Rivers of Punch, Toddy, Wine, Beer, and Cider consumed with drinking. Cards and Dice will be greatly used, to drive away the Tediousness of the long cold Nights; and much Money will be lost at Whist Cribbage and All fours"</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></p><p style="text-align: left;">If you have anymore quotes, please leave some comments! Hope everyone has the merriest of Christmas feasts, warm drink and good company. </p><p style="text-align: left;"> </p>Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-64807301146114987162022-12-09T10:59:00.001-08:002022-12-09T10:59:32.274-08:00Off the Rack or Putting together an impression when sewing isn't your strength <p><span> <span> There was a time in this hobby when the only real option for correctly made clothing was to purchase the wool or linen, pattern it yourself or purchase a pattern and do some slight altering. But, thankfully some vendors are really upping the game on what is available off the rack. </span></span><br /></p><p><span> I thought I would post here to highlight some of those items that I think are being well made and completely legit options for putting together your 18th century kit. </span><br /></p><p><span> South Union mills is offering an excellent ready made trouser for a decent price. </span><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.southunionmills.com/excelsior-line-18th-century-mens-linen-trousers/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1095" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLzNnuz9qU-tU20NtMZHahX8qsUAaHNPGsoVT1Vpu2HOyT8tg-KCDzTK8gTaGyuxV12ye954LtzUcYDJUVbu2lxWhfGCx-Ody95_Q0LIZTdDPximE10OAHV4fZLmPeoIcY4j8yiWL10o--UvibtUCldSMMZ2oyRbw_j0nYiB6IakgkZqOsHEfzd2RVtw/s320/777CABAA-B1B0-4D1D-8402-4DE43C01B117__28461.jpg" width="274" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click to go to South Union Mills Store <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p> They also make an excellent waist coat and frock coat. Kobuck did a product review that you can check out <a href="http://thebuffalotrace1765.blogspot.com/2022/10/south-union-mills-clothing-review.html">here</a>. They also offer blankets, knit caps, socks, and shoes. Making one big purchase from them can take you a long way and outfit you for your first event or replace a lot of gear that is maybe not quite up to snuff. <br /></p><p><span> William Booth, Draper sells market wallets and knit caps that are ready made. </span></p><p><span> M Brenckle is an excellent hat maker. He is on Facebook and is easy to communicate with. </span></p><p><span><span> William Caldwell isn't exactly an off the rack sutler, but his hunting shirts have been very popular and he is usually very quick with his turnaround. </span><br /></span></p><p><span> Something to think about is this. Would it be great if we all had sewing skills and we handmade every single piece of </span>clothing? That would be ideal. Often times a lack of sewing skill or time is used as an excuse to wear sub par clothing, clothing that doesn't fit or isn't made incredibly correctly. The good news is there are better alternatives now and those excuses are quickly becoming obsolete. Fit is more important than the stitching in my opinion, at least the interior. A hand finished, machine stitched item will serve you well and look great. The real thing that makes all the difference is the tailoring. </p><p><span> This is a really great and exciting time to be in the hobby. Lots of awesome stuff going on. I see it all the time. I couldn't have dreamed of some of it happening back a couple decades ago. Wether it's the 13th Virginia, Davis and the boys at Frontier Culture museum with Crocketts Western Battalion, the Jersey Grays, David McClanahan and Will Manire. You can go on and on. A lot of good fervor right now. I love seeing Ethan Yazel using his podcast to highlight some of the great people in this hobby doing cool stuff. There's so much good stuff happening. The hobby isn't dying, it's just finding a new trail. Follow it. You'll have a good time. The off the rack clothing is just one aspect of improvement the hobby has seen over the last several years. Don't let hand sewing or not knowing how hold you back from getting involved! </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span><br /></span><p></p>Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-49861155493026090092022-12-06T08:29:00.003-08:002022-12-08T16:04:22.014-08:00Musings...again. It's Kobucks fault <p> <span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQjs7WrOOjOKDsP_D_0WPY9jaL4oJcH-MzOrrgRtTMkYpI7CUaL3_8QNtP3PogtZCOf2WuGHXR7eT3razvnpn0-PXh6CU94P9S65dZiemqmPWyeeizNi9Q0WtoSjy44kJ2QQNRg-ZWA-U61VXTjXz1G4mFaBRyF4rCc2CsSdBG6lu4UFmNHJ9d5ngPzQ/s1349/IMG_1585.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1349" data-original-width="407" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQjs7WrOOjOKDsP_D_0WPY9jaL4oJcH-MzOrrgRtTMkYpI7CUaL3_8QNtP3PogtZCOf2WuGHXR7eT3razvnpn0-PXh6CU94P9S65dZiemqmPWyeeizNi9Q0WtoSjy44kJ2QQNRg-ZWA-U61VXTjXz1G4mFaBRyF4rCc2CsSdBG6lu4UFmNHJ9d5ngPzQ/w194-h640/IMG_1585.jpg" width="194" /></a></div> I'm glad that Kobuck is writing prolifically again, because it pushes me to muse. Sometimes I muse on here more than I think I should instead of just sticking to primary sources and putting the information in front of people and letting them decide what to do with it. <p></p><p><span><span> Why does it matter so much to get this stuff "right". Especially when for a lot of this we aren't even necessarily doing it in front of the public. Private events, backyard camps and hunting trips. Who cares if you're wearing the right clothes. It's the spirit of it, right? </span><br /></span></p><p><span> I think sometimes because of the modern world we live in, it causes us to want to experience another time. And we then go about romantically concocting notions of rugged individuals living off the land in some kind of bushcrafter survival paradise. "Out here they're beholden to none, not living by another's leave". Cool story bro, but that's just our James Fenimore Cooper, Davy Crockett King of the Wild Frontier cultural mythos at play and it's VERY HARD to escape from it. </span></p><p><span><span> I think sometimes the fight is no longer, hey guys lets do this better, its become more so lets call a spade a spade and quit pretending like this bushcraft weekend in historically inspired outfits has anything to do with what guys in the 1760s backcountry were doing. Let's admit that there's two hobbies going on within this larger hobby and stop conflating them. Maybe your group shouldn't go on YouTube and claim to be portraying long hunters of the 1760s. Maybe just say "We are historically inspired bush crafters using some of the skills of the past to have some fun and get away from the modern hustle and bustle for a weekend." Who knows, maybe we all need to admit that's what we're doing wether our clothes can be documented down to the stitch or not. </span><br /></span></p><p><span><span><span><span> I don't know what the answer is. We all do this hobby for different reasons, I just really have a hard time with disinformation. So put a disclaimer up or something. Or not. Probably doesn't matter. Shoot flintlocks, build fires, make a shelter and have fun. Oh and read some primary sources and try to do that too. </span> </span></span></span></p><p> In other news, I think we're gonna do some Tshirts again, and I've got new Shirttail Mess "Liberty or Death" stickers. Stay tuned for that. Go read Kobuck's new <a href="http://thebuffalotrace1765.blogspot.com/2022/12/how-does-one-ape-or-breechclout.html"><br />blog post</a> about aping the savage. It'll make you rethink some things. <br /></p>Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-6346423649749124972022-11-19T08:37:00.001-08:002022-11-19T08:37:07.622-08:00Waterproofing Gear...or Not <span> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_ytBN0oSMS2VEPrnhdLPQ2weuQ7T81BLfOoTrtieOq4n0al1CO2_p7cR78N1uzzr5AQqr5TFF7stxFKvxP1OY3G6E7HVw-CpJDks3WoqILag5qH3ApTu_j6KZnkvKEG0fx7bW5z_4AwI8XLGNzWsJj8X_UUh3MqJkz53OG7WgiqqwtH7xrrjnANqzg/s3780/E95469ED-3629-46A0-8DEC-5CFD9C0A3E0E.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_ytBN0oSMS2VEPrnhdLPQ2weuQ7T81BLfOoTrtieOq4n0al1CO2_p7cR78N1uzzr5AQqr5TFF7stxFKvxP1OY3G6E7HVw-CpJDks3WoqILag5qH3ApTu_j6KZnkvKEG0fx7bW5z_4AwI8XLGNzWsJj8X_UUh3MqJkz53OG7WgiqqwtH7xrrjnANqzg/s320/E95469ED-3629-46A0-8DEC-5CFD9C0A3E0E.JPG" width="256" /></a></div><br /></span><div><span>A common thing we see in the hobby is the notion of waterproofing. While we do see the military knapsacks of the era being waterproofed to some degree with paint, is this a common thing men of the backcountry were doing when hunting etc? </span><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span> Nicholas Cresswell is one of the greatest resources for understanding some of these conundrums we face as reenactors. He talks about having to stay shut in during heavy rains, or that heavy rains prevented them from an activity. But he never mentions waterproofing gear. Two quotes give some insight into what was to be done in a rain. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span> </span><i>Monday, May 8th, 1775. Heavy rain this morning which obliged us to make a sort of awning with our tent cloths and blankets</i></div><div><br /></div><div><span> and</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><span> </span></span><i>Tuesday, June 27th, 1775. Very stiff current all day, heavy showers and very sultry. It is a custom with our company, as soon as it begins to rain to strip naked and secure their clothes from the wet. I have attempted it twice to-day, but the drops of rain are so disagreeable to my skin, that it obliged me to put on my shirt.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i> </i>Now, Cresswell and his company were on an extended hunting trip. Most people who farmed and hunted from their cabin would simply stay indoors during a heavy rain. Our modern time constraints make it difficult sometimes to avoid the rain. But here are some period methods that I think inform us as to how they dealt with it. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><span> If you have any documentation for waterproofing that I don't know about, I'd love to see it. Or if you're reading this and want to try the above methods mentioned by Cresswell, I'd love to hear about your experience. Next warm weather rain shower, I'm gonna go out and try my luck. </span></div>Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-6628562129906326602022-11-07T16:56:00.002-08:002022-11-07T17:21:51.628-08:00Musings on the hobby...<span> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzr1JybV6iaJjmdFnIblih-U4AzDe_hb62ClrcjMi3Q04w5PbSsYFsG-JB-LmCJvk1xlgJx7-V61Q7slTUWRq1ep3OEfB0eMmEZTFvANDSNsAvx1PDi4oOvvgqMdyOJFxojqZeB7zGRN6VcdHfHJFjFTd4vHVbKgdoO2EF672IOzxwIeZJHXhmECWHg/s478/b23e305318afd49980fcbe8b7c1ad27e.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzr1JybV6iaJjmdFnIblih-U4AzDe_hb62ClrcjMi3Q04w5PbSsYFsG-JB-LmCJvk1xlgJx7-V61Q7slTUWRq1ep3OEfB0eMmEZTFvANDSNsAvx1PDi4oOvvgqMdyOJFxojqZeB7zGRN6VcdHfHJFjFTd4vHVbKgdoO2EF672IOzxwIeZJHXhmECWHg/s320/b23e305318afd49980fcbe8b7c1ad27e.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><br /></span><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>Type in longhunter in google image search, and you'll find any and all sorts of things. I had to scroll down pretty far before I found an image that resembled realities of frontier and backcountry material culture. So why all the misinformation? Fess Parker? Mark Baker? Hawkeye from Last of the Mohicans? Our cultural mythos of the rugged individual and the homespun hero? Our distrust of "facts" in this country? </span></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUiS6BInNQOM-PiUoKHHomZt1-T1dK6YSsR6Lkw1NHxOb85chxPgA8zMR2mLUdpJH_w24Mfspi5OhbbBQI6zZjYGdE_ZUPXGRMXU36cnDsVRBRDOIcLING8S694c6Ob6qjyxwhTYkW8mUHpL7xIa8JgBbyLDsyrx4y_TSF1r_XdIzzCJTzuqRVOHohg/s604/990ceb2576714e56ae55adb81b3b27ff.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="457" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUiS6BInNQOM-PiUoKHHomZt1-T1dK6YSsR6Lkw1NHxOb85chxPgA8zMR2mLUdpJH_w24Mfspi5OhbbBQI6zZjYGdE_ZUPXGRMXU36cnDsVRBRDOIcLING8S694c6Ob6qjyxwhTYkW8mUHpL7xIa8JgBbyLDsyrx4y_TSF1r_XdIzzCJTzuqRVOHohg/s320/990ceb2576714e56ae55adb81b3b27ff.jpg" width="242" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Much respect to Mark Baker, but everyone copied this look</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /><div><span> </span>One thing I notice is the myriad of youtube channels now dedicated to a sort of amalgamation of 18th century trekking, modern bushcrafting, shelter building, and shooting/hunting. While I'm glad there's a lot of interest in this subject, I'm sad that so much of what we know through the source material is being pitched to the side in favor of myth and weird bushcraft approaches to 18th century life. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-GAJUGbYHDQ3sYPqL5Zyyoxny8zxlSgH8qGvXSLPajC8M7ZLSId8d_yeiLqqhBBTBF0DOiHqWDTqU-BRGA1SSXKPQ27Rhc0VDI5Re-icXizCxnWksANJ62iHzYCyXDjvtP00Rni89wFGJ5aBahO4Nhc9d_CJNBdP9SnlkrbHn70Y51uhVivOMfgWfQ/s800/10f10452186803596e708e7a0595535c.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-GAJUGbYHDQ3sYPqL5Zyyoxny8zxlSgH8qGvXSLPajC8M7ZLSId8d_yeiLqqhBBTBF0DOiHqWDTqU-BRGA1SSXKPQ27Rhc0VDI5Re-icXizCxnWksANJ62iHzYCyXDjvtP00Rni89wFGJ5aBahO4Nhc9d_CJNBdP9SnlkrbHn70Y51uhVivOMfgWfQ/s320/10f10452186803596e708e7a0595535c.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nathan Killbuck</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><span> </span>Nathan Killbuck pointed out in a recent interview with I Love Muzzleloading, (that you should check out), that there's so much to be learned by so many different types of folks. From the chrome tan clad ronde goer, to the walnut dyed "longhunter." And this is true. Much of the knowledge contained in some of these videos on skills are valuable, even in an 18th century context. But sadly, when it comes to the material culture, there seems to be a disconnect. There seems to be an unwillingness to go with the sources, or when the sources are cited, to grossly mishandle the interpretation. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigzZw_yRLz4Qr5OWAZwW5CZ7816iqgF_FJ_g0eCV-4OOUGYJ0WX0W84bel4012ShX8nFG2yA1zR7V_lud2PgMK67D_SbQQqouj_FOATAbu2xHdnsewlBwOFukGhj3MGf7z1xugaOidZgbfxsB_daBp_VZqu3mvS32zFV6lTzDymc1Po_B-tcLkFo3AEQ/s1243/H1097-L150605453.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1243" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigzZw_yRLz4Qr5OWAZwW5CZ7816iqgF_FJ_g0eCV-4OOUGYJ0WX0W84bel4012ShX8nFG2yA1zR7V_lud2PgMK67D_SbQQqouj_FOATAbu2xHdnsewlBwOFukGhj3MGf7z1xugaOidZgbfxsB_daBp_VZqu3mvS32zFV6lTzDymc1Po_B-tcLkFo3AEQ/s320/H1097-L150605453.jpg" width="257" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heck, even Henry Fonda looked better in the 1940s Drums Along the Mohawk movie than a lot of what I see today </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><span> </span>So what's to be done? Well, complaining about it sure feels good! But, at the end of the day, complaining never really makes a difference. Arguing also rarely makes a difference. I think the real difference that can be made is to just keep putting the information out there and show up where you can to inspire and gently nudge people towards something better. </div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span> What inspired this post? Well I had recently watched a video on a youtube channel that I will leave unnamed. There was an interview with an individual who by all accounts is incredibly </span>knowledgeable about backpacking, about being in the woods, and about survival. But also by all accounts has very limited knowledge of period sources and material culture. His kit was assembled more like a modern backpacking or military style pack but out of "period" materials making the mistake a lot of people make which is to retrofit 21st century modes of trekking and "primitive" camping onto the 18th century. It was fairly elaborate, well thought out and over thought out to achieve maximum comfort. But did it reflect what we know from the sources. Sadly, unless there's something I haven't read, no it did not. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQy7QZXy-PoI-L3Mx_wgyGgXwLDLY3APrv61JiNUbRZC7Xe1t7tXu2DdwricWeJ5EnyO6xqkC0h0tBhYBKWhtNrw3v2qCsJCecMpFHtrhnjCl97kn4S8z1Qz9zblzs0NGfQ8Z0Md7akSNrQpUJq0_12GJRhyzL5aHntZfgOzKHji8p8ghRxLT9ZoQyog/s960/9a50c62b0af5d272259e2272897abe00.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQy7QZXy-PoI-L3Mx_wgyGgXwLDLY3APrv61JiNUbRZC7Xe1t7tXu2DdwricWeJ5EnyO6xqkC0h0tBhYBKWhtNrw3v2qCsJCecMpFHtrhnjCl97kn4S8z1Qz9zblzs0NGfQ8Z0Md7akSNrQpUJq0_12GJRhyzL5aHntZfgOzKHji8p8ghRxLT9ZoQyog/s320/9a50c62b0af5d272259e2272897abe00.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michael Agee doing this right. Clothing of the common style which fits well, and even riding a horse! </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><span> </span>Where am I going with this? I don't know. Just sitting here, surrounded by books, thinking out loud, hoping by sending this into the void, I can make myself feel better about the state of things. Honestly, there is a lot to feel good about. The fact that I Love Muzzleloading sought out someone like Nathan Killbuck to interview is a breath of fresh air. Someone who has been banging the drum for us "authentic" weirdos for a long time. I hope to see the material culture, the skills and shooting all come together and be more prevalent on the internet for the sake of those interested in history. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>Until next time....</div>Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-79763572395727746362022-10-31T06:55:00.001-07:002022-10-31T07:01:16.463-07:00History is Fragile or Why We Should Care <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh724jod2L6afftQRLtXL3K3yWCxB55zRZxTDbYuHrqYlZg_IodabESqwhTZMmmMaNteKb3KZQ3pne2dalnYgz10DNdlqNxq5QdBxUWoor1e_nRtDxzrWLSd4YOE6aPlql9kA7hI02g99w4HJ44nIH-YRDH4_5cqmmKDyV0XJc_Vb__9m0Zl_1FAm4LA/s4032/IMG_3951.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh724jod2L6afftQRLtXL3K3yWCxB55zRZxTDbYuHrqYlZg_IodabESqwhTZMmmMaNteKb3KZQ3pne2dalnYgz10DNdlqNxq5QdBxUWoor1e_nRtDxzrWLSd4YOE6aPlql9kA7hI02g99w4HJ44nIH-YRDH4_5cqmmKDyV0XJc_Vb__9m0Zl_1FAm4LA/s320/IMG_3951.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div> <p></p><p><br />This past weekend, Eileen and I drove to Western Pennsylvania to see Fort Necessity, Jumonville Glen, and Fort Ligonier. It was a long time coming for me. I was raised on a healthy dose of George Washington history growing up and Fort Necessity had always stood out in my mind. The imagery sparked and fueled my imagination as I spent many hours recreating the battle in the Great Meadow. </p><p><span> We arrived at Fort Necessity, toured the museum and then walked towards the meadow through the tree line that once held an army of French and Native allies. A charming field indeed, George. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6B4Wv9w-vHoqf-cco9Kny2YcddQ3Ecsb_QwLtT1NZSA-CnESh2osTLMTAboMRlVSD4Zq3-TRiBJoY1TzE6Gqq7FYxJb3fqmCXsAx0p2q26_542TxlEAkgqOowAzf8qqmOvKgNNBWTahjL05v0VmegL1GAvpbH1xkEj0FvKPVn2sOdEnaZlTka6wbjqg/s4032/IMG_3963.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6B4Wv9w-vHoqf-cco9Kny2YcddQ3Ecsb_QwLtT1NZSA-CnESh2osTLMTAboMRlVSD4Zq3-TRiBJoY1TzE6Gqq7FYxJb3fqmCXsAx0p2q26_542TxlEAkgqOowAzf8qqmOvKgNNBWTahjL05v0VmegL1GAvpbH1xkEj0FvKPVn2sOdEnaZlTka6wbjqg/s320/IMG_3963.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p><span> </span>We browsed the small stockade with its breastworks. Amazing to think that many men were piled into such a small space. After inspecting the fort we made for the tree line and looked at things from the French perspective. The trees must have provided very affective cover and made the fort and its defenders sitting ducks. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQ7lyHQZXQ8xb9iOLnlhjHtRJ7GUrDMncPOhrTwOAtiDLzKeJcGumnb6WVqoddqWVPRtUzQE9MipWIWiP7kT1yx5DnOb4tAPvstg_TwbHfkNi4VnFeOltVlz_aM_7mOu7p5jq9obIHxICj27iox6qrl9xs2BQgycdPBPo6O2rtltCRzO8Rp2WVLS4aQ/s4032/IMG_3969.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQ7lyHQZXQ8xb9iOLnlhjHtRJ7GUrDMncPOhrTwOAtiDLzKeJcGumnb6WVqoddqWVPRtUzQE9MipWIWiP7kT1yx5DnOb4tAPvstg_TwbHfkNi4VnFeOltVlz_aM_7mOu7p5jq9obIHxICj27iox6qrl9xs2BQgycdPBPo6O2rtltCRzO8Rp2WVLS4aQ/s320/IMG_3969.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span> I was over the moon to have gotten to finally set foot on the ground that consumed my imagination for so many years. But it was the next part of the journey that made me take pause. We stopped and ate at Braddocks Inn Restaurant. This place was odd. Nothing in it had anything to do with Braddock or history, but instead it was cowboy themed. A missed opportunity for sure. However, next to the Braddock Inn is a monument to General Braddock, just up the hill from where his remains were discovered in 1804. This realization got my mind thinking as a stood next to the gravel pit and sign that mark his original burial spot. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmf28I9qliztw9vNfU4Ju6jsWheINde5w7LwYh1KSOTDGrBu2hRfcw1zHhuw6pvceU_7OGpGtGcqcOFLc2mUQzHohjBgUcXXzjTwzxvtH4LYABAZ4hwvmydTNles1iykHiL9KtDH0lsg5-qgrq_Yao4-PsC_ox_JME5y9yLXok-XqesKN0ftJDAQMSaA/s4032/IMG_3988.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmf28I9qliztw9vNfU4Ju6jsWheINde5w7LwYh1KSOTDGrBu2hRfcw1zHhuw6pvceU_7OGpGtGcqcOFLc2mUQzHohjBgUcXXzjTwzxvtH4LYABAZ4hwvmydTNles1iykHiL9KtDH0lsg5-qgrq_Yao4-PsC_ox_JME5y9yLXok-XqesKN0ftJDAQMSaA/s320/IMG_3988.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span><br /></span><p></p><p><span> My mind continued to turn as we drove up the road to Jumonville Glen, an area that remains mostly undisturbed from what it was almost 300 years ago. A beautiful rock outcropping that comes down into a bowl in the middle of a draw. A bad spot strategically to make camp. We explored and began to make our way back. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMyUTm_vN-Vs4vYM8FCukAxpqOhGJWVhDodgYug_nuaZSxIIByVoXhY_XBr4yuS1A6wyy7fO8AruOxIFJgMWIxxffs2m1IHUVbNiM-1CG6tn79SnoUGnzBG3huYsjAC6xJiD2ILRo7lT8XmaK9FFHuDUovrjYZYl77oDtOs2ubD5_npKo8emt9Dtl8rg/s4032/IMG_4002.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMyUTm_vN-Vs4vYM8FCukAxpqOhGJWVhDodgYug_nuaZSxIIByVoXhY_XBr4yuS1A6wyy7fO8AruOxIFJgMWIxxffs2m1IHUVbNiM-1CG6tn79SnoUGnzBG3huYsjAC6xJiD2ILRo7lT8XmaK9FFHuDUovrjYZYl77oDtOs2ubD5_npKo8emt9Dtl8rg/s320/IMG_4002.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span><br /></span><p></p><p><span> The thought had finally come to a point that I could express it allowed. And it is this: </span><br /></p><p><span> History is fragile. Once it happens, it ceases to have the capacity to defend itself from the future. In 1804, some men building a road unearth the body of Braddock. They think. How did they know? Because the local lore was strong enough, preserved enough, that Braddock was able to be identified and given a proper spot and later a monument to his memory. The items and documents that survive history do so because someone valued it enough to protect it, to keep it safe from the perils of every day living. Think of how much we have, and think of all that has been lost to the mists of time. </span></p><p><span> </span>As historical reenactors and living history interpreters, we have such a huge responsibility. It's our voices that give history its voice. Its our actions of preservation that give future generations the ability to experience and share the stories of our past. When we put on our silly clothes and go play at a historic site for the weekend, we should ask ourselves, "Am I doing my best? Does this item or this garment accurately represent our shared story and the people who lived that story?" We are, for many people, the link between what was and what now exists in books and museums. Dressing up and presenting history accurately is an act of preserving our history. We owe it to the past, to the people who went through it, to do our best.</p><p><span> </span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgesTByvVervqUsLrD0hBvh91Odg4hbIJX8dGBQ77Pq4gcGJccCmAWKk6p2jYc5q4Dqzw6gP9C-qUq9-bxQd9aC922WKBhjB3V-tP5O8_chxjbVlKTF59NLrJxP7QlNbO2VCuTeNsWofIRnJFBPajRJK6HlnD5jBa_WjSJWm6Yh3Pgs8a-1Y_0TCsOTpg/s4032/IMG_3975.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgesTByvVervqUsLrD0hBvh91Odg4hbIJX8dGBQ77Pq4gcGJccCmAWKk6p2jYc5q4Dqzw6gP9C-qUq9-bxQd9aC922WKBhjB3V-tP5O8_chxjbVlKTF59NLrJxP7QlNbO2VCuTeNsWofIRnJFBPajRJK6HlnD5jBa_WjSJWm6Yh3Pgs8a-1Y_0TCsOTpg/s320/IMG_3975.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><p></p>Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-85818962054885452642022-10-21T20:19:00.001-07:002022-10-21T20:20:03.677-07:00Preparing for your first Immersion Event Part 1 : What is Immersion? <div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7HS5IxlbsP0UzWvoDaKA0uV1v2CPebAIc1dH2M0UpySb9JxapzXeSYoUnEFuawqV4Y013WS4epC5tELivG0ycnZhVVPn7hy89bf0VK1tWsS5tcRq8bK7VnCKENwhA6V1IRPOrDBiNDUhcJCz0T19b_W2zqJeED6d6Q1-n0zZ-ffWthytmwJEdoFknw/s1955/IMG_9643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1955" data-original-width="1955" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7HS5IxlbsP0UzWvoDaKA0uV1v2CPebAIc1dH2M0UpySb9JxapzXeSYoUnEFuawqV4Y013WS4epC5tELivG0ycnZhVVPn7hy89bf0VK1tWsS5tcRq8bK7VnCKENwhA6V1IRPOrDBiNDUhcJCz0T19b_W2zqJeED6d6Q1-n0zZ-ffWthytmwJEdoFknw/s320/IMG_9643.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <span> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span> </span> There's many types of reenacting. The most common is the event based reenactment. Usually put on by a historic site or organization complete with food vendors, sutlers and merchants and a military encampment. There are demonstrations throughout the day for school kids and the general public, a battle at 2 O'Clock and that's a wrap. Do that for 2 days, pack up and go home and await the next event. This can be great. The bonds and the friendships made at that style of event is really wonderful.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> The drawbacks to events like that can be that one doesn't get a fully immersive experience. The public is all around you in modern clothing, the parking lot can be seen and sometimes even marched through to get to the battle and modern visitors centers sit next to the site. This is fine if you understand what you're getting yourself into. But for those who want a more in depth experience, there's an alternative option. The Immersion event or tactical. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> Tacticals and immersive events have been going on since the 1970s with groups doing canoe trips, pack ins and various other hunting and trekking style camps. In the 90s Historical Trekking was all the rage and even had a forum run by On the Trail and Muzzleloader Magazine publisher, Jason Gatliff. Mark Baker and John Curry led and did dozens of immersive treks. Nathan Kobuck, <a href="http://buffalotrace1765.blogspot.com">keeper of the oracles of the backcountry</a>, hosted several tacticals. </span>Doc Shaffer's fort in Northeast Ohio has been host to many immersive French and Indian War immersion events. </div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span>Unlike the normal public attended reenactment, immersion events usually have a scenario or objective, but rarely a decided outcome. Usually there will be an impression agreed upon, guidelines drawn up and followed closely. The two sides will do their best to complete some kind of objective while interacting with the opposing force in a sort of war game. Casualties are done on an honor system. If you know you've been overtaken, give ground. If you'r outnumbered or maneuvered, give ground. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> The goal of the immersion event is simple: have fun and experience a small taste of military or civilian life in the 18th century. What was it like to be a soldier on the march, to carry your knapsack and food on your back, rifle in hand. To bivouac in a field. It can be a real learning experience that gives you another level of understanding and appreciation for our forefathers. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> Over the course of the next several posts we will be outlining how to prepare for an immersion. What should you bring and what should you avoid. What will you eat? How will you stay warm? All these questions and more will be answered! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></span></div>Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-75700891326593719062022-10-16T18:44:00.002-07:002022-10-16T18:44:36.470-07:0013th Virginia at Schoenbrunn Village or Dutch Blankets, Petty Sutlers and The Little Things <span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsa5ALjdxzMpBGc-nvQbvA1hZFc67cyXlCmlXvG7uEHpa373WQhGrjOcD3FTVkIfs6haefnOG31fM1OXA7DnSIoc3jwrRlPyDYBM6ABTUkszQkbI_T69K-ahPj7_3gkqsgOtVakLX5T_Zc7_8gMqkXR8DsSMUD2CcLx5JA4rytJV6DZBi3zks6LfWPg/s4032/IMG_3528.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsa5ALjdxzMpBGc-nvQbvA1hZFc67cyXlCmlXvG7uEHpa373WQhGrjOcD3FTVkIfs6haefnOG31fM1OXA7DnSIoc3jwrRlPyDYBM6ABTUkszQkbI_T69K-ahPj7_3gkqsgOtVakLX5T_Zc7_8gMqkXR8DsSMUD2CcLx5JA4rytJV6DZBi3zks6LfWPg/s320/IMG_3528.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tony Bertalino leads the blankets into Schoenbrunn Village </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> Rare moments in the hobby are not to be missed, and once again Alan Kraus and company delivered. It's usually the little things that make the hobby enjoyable, and while some things seem like a small detail, they can really immerse you in the moment. Anyone can start a unit, tell guys to go out and buy some generic blanket for their impression and call it good. But often in the context of the military, items were purchased in large</span>quantities and as close to factory made as you could get in the pre industrial age. The continentals in the late 1770s were issued large amounts of "dutch" blankets. <div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>“DESERTED from Capt. Nathaniel Fox's company of the 6th Virginia, James Anderson, a black soldier, six feet high, about forty years of age ... and fond of liquor; had on when he went away, a light grey cloth coat and waistcoat: the coat faced with green, a pair of oznabrig overalls, and a small round hat with a piece of bear-skin on it: He took with him a pair of leather breeches which he had to clean, and also his firelock, cartridge- box, and new Dutch blanket </i>... John Gibson, Col. 6th Virginia Reg.” (Pennsylvania Packet, 13 May 1778)</div><div><br /></div><div>We don't really have a solid idea of what they looked like in terms of stripes etc, so a choice was made and the blankets you see below were issued. Dave Barno did a excellent job of sewing the rolls of blankets up in 2 bundles and we delivered them into camp via packhorse. The blankets were then cut from the roll which made for an excellent interpretive opportunity. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAUm9hNdlJj3DG-hWQ_AOooyyNEggSRCE0zubI3cRVKwEemf8T_y0pmpI0yVPAFeRU7rQ9pqfwfmzc5IdpCfY1LEhcRYbYy-MMn9T_ib5VHX2UDqfpcpR3Pc0kn3Zzs0OjZ2DBzG8scV36s7WPb3VLk9AddoqcV0dCB_aie-lS7Mk8UpLH_l_dmHaCTA/s4032/IMG_3542.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAUm9hNdlJj3DG-hWQ_AOooyyNEggSRCE0zubI3cRVKwEemf8T_y0pmpI0yVPAFeRU7rQ9pqfwfmzc5IdpCfY1LEhcRYbYy-MMn9T_ib5VHX2UDqfpcpR3Pc0kn3Zzs0OjZ2DBzG8scV36s7WPb3VLk9AddoqcV0dCB_aie-lS7Mk8UpLH_l_dmHaCTA/s320/IMG_3542.HEIC" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captain Kraus cuts his blanket from the roll</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><span> Petty Sutler, Eileen was on hand to offer fresh garden goods and tobacco and secret rum rations to the men of the 13th adding another layer of immersion to the weekend. </span></div><div><br /><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizOvNqx-AsEhHLqBDRJHRlruxrzv3cGgtYIAavs5vLflXPFUGCPaz2RbuWOkGrlG7KgPjEl1-C72YTNcMWCt9BOj-bNbVjWtS1t2WAirBwRqubQ0rr9gypprFEcc48WUHJhv8BLrXrxVos1EHCdpR7fleX0MUantP3KmMaNlIS0pV0uoAs8swLO1HTw/s4032/IMG_3529.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizOvNqx-AsEhHLqBDRJHRlruxrzv3cGgtYIAavs5vLflXPFUGCPaz2RbuWOkGrlG7KgPjEl1-C72YTNcMWCt9BOj-bNbVjWtS1t2WAirBwRqubQ0rr9gypprFEcc48WUHJhv8BLrXrxVos1EHCdpR7fleX0MUantP3KmMaNlIS0pV0uoAs8swLO1HTw/s320/IMG_3529.HEIC" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eileen, petty sutler </td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div><div><span> The 13th was actually in and around the area of Schoenbrunn Village during their deployment and this added another layer of realism. </span>Schoenbrunn Village, founded in 1772 as a Moravian mission among the Delaware Indians, was the first Christian settlement in Ohio. Although the village prospered for several years, pressures from encroaching settlers and British-aligned Indians forced the abandonment of Schoenbrunn in 1777, shortly after the start of the Revolutionary War.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><span> I was happy to be back in the field doing this again, brushing up on drill and getting my kit up to speed. Hoping to have the regimental coat finished soon and leather accoutrements acquired and made. A great weekend. Looking forward to more. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq90M_0H7lIW4QsVSBA7XfCgDMOTAhVFQD7c31Ts0x7mUDEk3K-QQ_YktCwXFnW-wW1m6WN9kt699jno3r3DHKScpm5KyMwG8yOClX9F3P5MDSytkfyAW9-qP9CqIQTbe8Hi6rkulmnluNeYd-qFoiucgmpggKWHdOUOc_dD-UOG-Dd4VmC-UkFd8PNg/s4032/IMG_3534%202.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq90M_0H7lIW4QsVSBA7XfCgDMOTAhVFQD7c31Ts0x7mUDEk3K-QQ_YktCwXFnW-wW1m6WN9kt699jno3r3DHKScpm5KyMwG8yOClX9F3P5MDSytkfyAW9-qP9CqIQTbe8Hi6rkulmnluNeYd-qFoiucgmpggKWHdOUOc_dD-UOG-Dd4VmC-UkFd8PNg/s320/IMG_3534%202.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimANbm4DPXQyPKslD1DXgWNIQQ2clVE8dPnHCH24JtKj3mSyvySGYu2fwWaFqHREiLK4yOVD9cuUbjXXxYJuviRnfr44bvjUsUSxes6ZYaqHiOv3FZCKb1yj1teCHt9C5kbw-3uv-TDpOiNVdPyFpABE88b6eii8K16B3zkD1wGRfiJphqIuENaHUYXw/s4032/IMG_3536.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimANbm4DPXQyPKslD1DXgWNIQQ2clVE8dPnHCH24JtKj3mSyvySGYu2fwWaFqHREiLK4yOVD9cuUbjXXxYJuviRnfr44bvjUsUSxes6ZYaqHiOv3FZCKb1yj1teCHt9C5kbw-3uv-TDpOiNVdPyFpABE88b6eii8K16B3zkD1wGRfiJphqIuENaHUYXw/s320/IMG_3536.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSmBPMvgpq92m1NAmz21KsSLvbOqgp5zNyil-5P07y9BZb6pzpDUIlqrEeJkAAdiEdNVBn5epodR9g_kTouWnbZqOs37460xxXKaK3R7o8o-qWgjVB-IgVNSjEu3takCBTaCcKniLET_Mvoe1PupCjONi_Ah4XGH_g59us-W7StxbOSj-XIaFd6JsTw/s4032/IMG_3524.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSmBPMvgpq92m1NAmz21KsSLvbOqgp5zNyil-5P07y9BZb6pzpDUIlqrEeJkAAdiEdNVBn5epodR9g_kTouWnbZqOs37460xxXKaK3R7o8o-qWgjVB-IgVNSjEu3takCBTaCcKniLET_Mvoe1PupCjONi_Ah4XGH_g59us-W7StxbOSj-XIaFd6JsTw/s320/IMG_3524.HEIC" width="240" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJPdgOSwOxfmopyqlNxC4zCHoRJFJcLNjOk3Bmzu5yxGqec-sbj-mBIDUwT73nIEldSz8ok8DBcnKxQjbG9YmU1oiG_wwKKnWZVzAcgqGQ1bQoamGI-ksuRdBy2ABaOShw41TKRa6ECXx8d3DW6gvc0in_EW4iK-AhxP__HnlA-ms6xGKHOa3RLwlLA/s2048/ade10698-70ea-4ece-ad31-19bd2775b988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="2048" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJPdgOSwOxfmopyqlNxC4zCHoRJFJcLNjOk3Bmzu5yxGqec-sbj-mBIDUwT73nIEldSz8ok8DBcnKxQjbG9YmU1oiG_wwKKnWZVzAcgqGQ1bQoamGI-ksuRdBy2ABaOShw41TKRa6ECXx8d3DW6gvc0in_EW4iK-AhxP__HnlA-ms6xGKHOa3RLwlLA/w400-h180/ade10698-70ea-4ece-ad31-19bd2775b988.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbDx5PYL5xRECeglECxqjeuyOIr8jSxA5QpO2dET2EsPsnhNoQ9gymGD57IB2dg8YEwQhMzsi03C56Vv2siCy3ZEVnPKS2jp2nbg11PAzzUwBu-5Syyki206Spn6hpl_7Mgvv-YqOztq3MoJaJ3lHbx1_nWzdxNE9M_bge7HbbYAAaI81pw4xWf_u9Q/s4032/IMG_3520.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbDx5PYL5xRECeglECxqjeuyOIr8jSxA5QpO2dET2EsPsnhNoQ9gymGD57IB2dg8YEwQhMzsi03C56Vv2siCy3ZEVnPKS2jp2nbg11PAzzUwBu-5Syyki206Spn6hpl_7Mgvv-YqOztq3MoJaJ3lHbx1_nWzdxNE9M_bge7HbbYAAaI81pw4xWf_u9Q/s320/IMG_3520.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span><br /></span></div>Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-54146541207854550802022-08-25T09:51:00.005-07:002022-08-25T09:53:05.065-07:00 "Halloo! John Cameron!" or The Boys Are Back in Town <p> It's been a while, but we are getting things back moving here in the Shirttail Mess slowly but surely. What has changed? Nothing much. Older, not much wiser, but the mission stays the same. Bring authenticity to the backcountry, one stitch and bottle of rum from the stores at Kaskaskia at a time. We have big plans for the new year kicking off with a big immersion event that you won't want to miss. Will Minire, our new friend is doing some incredible native interpretation along with David McClanahan and others. It's a great time for this stuff to be kicking back up again. A lot of young and new blood in the hobby as well as the old hands getting involved. Stay tuned friends! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwR4f9Kho3YjPvGiO4IMR7afmlDRy9SXYcEnVou_LFuR-plLIqhh-7AsKxWnMr4If9rK1ym8bB7xxY70SF2WTc5Uvjm14rqY8XDP6Bei8zIfONgPujKP3MXnwYs4MRlwPdFI90xBISMkduDubkLkE52P8-p7LxLzizjquR-_0qk50QwJNYGT1toyYfRA/s1440/292367919_5549580241774173_1630792249397957698_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwR4f9Kho3YjPvGiO4IMR7afmlDRy9SXYcEnVou_LFuR-plLIqhh-7AsKxWnMr4If9rK1ym8bB7xxY70SF2WTc5Uvjm14rqY8XDP6Bei8zIfONgPujKP3MXnwYs4MRlwPdFI90xBISMkduDubkLkE52P8-p7LxLzizjquR-_0qk50QwJNYGT1toyYfRA/w320-h320/292367919_5549580241774173_1630792249397957698_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Will Minire </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><br /><p><span> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hQo1HIcSVtg" width="320" youtube-src-id="hQo1HIcSVtg"></iframe></div><br />Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-35763704324505248472019-07-06T08:21:00.001-07:002019-07-06T08:33:59.758-07:00The History of the Shirttail Mess <div class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Well, it’s a been a while. We’ve been on a bit of a hiatus with the blog due to all sorts of real life happenings. Sometimes the hobbies get put on hold, but hopefully we’ll be rolling out some new blog posts in the future.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> I wanted to give a little story and history about the origins and the purposes of the Shirttail Mess and what it was that caused us to start the group in the first place.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The First Photo of The Shirttail Mess</td></tr>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"> </span><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">The story begins with Myself and Matthew Fennewald. After watching the discussions and seeing the poor quality at many of the Western Theatre events (Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois etc.) we decided it was time there be a group of individuals doing well researched impressions at said events. The impressions everybody claimed to be doing, but done with the most recent and best research available to us. We relied heavily on the research of Fred Lucas, Nathan Koebuck and a host of others who have dedicated their free time to wandering the ancient paths of ledgers, diaries, textiles and other archival material. It was our hope to make a place for that research as applied to the western frontier and backcountry of the 1760s and 1770s.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> But it was also our goal to not just compile this research, but to live it and represent it at events all across the Midwest. To create our own space within the walnut, the oiled haversacks and the baggy leggings. To show people a better way and to do so by participation in the events that were riddled with such caricatures. Not in a combative way, but to show up and let what we were doing speak for itself. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> Our goal as listed on the Facebook group and on this blog was to recreate Soldier and Civilian of the period. Not to have a Hawkeye complex about “I ain’t in no damn militia” simply because we didn’t want to mix it up with the farbs during a cheesy pitched battle on a mowed fort lawn. But to form our own militia and be active. To show that the common criticism that “Progressives just want to stand over there and not be involved” wasn’t true of us (or really any "progressive" reenactors I've ever known). This was discussed multiple times and it was agreed that this is what we intended to do.</span><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This image was made by Matthew Fennewald as a protest against bias towards the myths of the frontier era. The message of the Shirttail Mess is to put your own desires aside and let the research speak. </td></tr>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"> </span><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Then along came the great Internet Raid. A certain Facebook group run by people I will leave unnamed became the place where good research and discussion went to die. Censorship was commonplace. So we revolted. We made a big mess for them to clean up posting dozens of images of our “Crush Cognitive Bias” flyer all at once and after 10 min were promptly removed and blocked from the group. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> This is when things started to shift in our focus. We became a rather combative group (not really on purpose) with a bit of a reputation that started to leave a bad taste in peoples mouth. Some of these things got back to me from people attending events. We were getting a certain publicity, but not the kind that screams of respect and longevity. That calmed down eventually and I’d say we’re out of the woods on that. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> But during that time the tone of the group changed. We went from a group that was actively seeking to do soldier and civilian impressions to a group of “sharing research” and that’s been about all we’ve done in the last 2 years. My own frustration at this has caused me to take a step back and reevaluate the mess and see what could be done. It sort of has become its own animal and while that’s not a bad thing, it’s also not what I intended from the outset. Yes, I want the Shirttail Mess to be known for the research we share. But I also want it to be known for participation at events. For doing our own immersion events that inspire people to want to step up their game so they can be involved! </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shirttail Mess at Fort De Chartres 2017</td></tr>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> Going forward, my hope is to be more active. Life has gotten the best of me lately, but next year the hope is to get out a bit more. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> I’m calling all able bodied men. If you want to see the Shirttail Mess at events, being soldiers, being civilians, whatever the event calls for then don’t hesitate! Get involved! Hit me up about what you’d like to do and let’s try to get it rolling! </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> -Jake </span></div>
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Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-16777812830133420642018-05-02T04:31:00.002-07:002018-05-02T04:31:28.245-07:00They Used What Was Available....And We Know What it Was! <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaA0vspRLiJPvEKGzfCP8odaA-X8MJsBejOw6sxWWxoQroUeKWufAIDM40tuWqCzR0ajbJHLdFo8Im1iP3YNgsq69Kh1C7Z7iPsdXLVxEc8F2DhtOZpMxCA6tHhdhfMtFK_1xFDBKNb9dJ/s1600/11015071_770371979706666_5815807876231516160_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="675" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaA0vspRLiJPvEKGzfCP8odaA-X8MJsBejOw6sxWWxoQroUeKWufAIDM40tuWqCzR0ajbJHLdFo8Im1iP3YNgsq69Kh1C7Z7iPsdXLVxEc8F2DhtOZpMxCA6tHhdhfMtFK_1xFDBKNb9dJ/s320/11015071_770371979706666_5815807876231516160_n.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Poorly Researched Impression of one of Morgans Hunters </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>"They used what was available"</i> </span></div>
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You've probably heard this said before. A very true statement that is used to justify the weirdest fantasy impressions ever, like the one pictured above. Yes that's me back when I based my impression on nothing more than what other people around me were doing and what I read in a Pilgrims Journey (with all due respect to Mr. Baker, but the research has come a long way since then.)<br />
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The beauty of it is..... WE KNOW WHAT THEY HAD AVAILABLE!!! Ledgers, journals, inventories, period artwork, and existing artifacts paint a pretty clear picture leaving little to guess on. Modern publications, google, and facebook groups leave this info literally seconds away from any person in the developed world. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Well Researched Impression of one of Morgans Hunters</td></tr>
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Following that line of thought lets expand on a specific portrayal and what it's based on and in - Morgan's hunters. Dudes on the farthest reach of the frontier in the late 1760's hunting full time for a living. The men employed (usually on a monthly salary) by the trading firm of Baynton, Warton and Morgan to supply meat to the soldiers in the Illinois country and through out the Ohio river valley region. It'd be an easy portrayal to base in all sorts of conjecture and weird material culture, but thankfully they used what was available and we know what they commonly purchased. <br />
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Leggings -<br />
May 4, 1768 Edward Ashton purchased "1 pr leggings"<br />
April 20, 1768 Samuel Black purchased "1 pr leggings"<br />
July 26, 1768 Jacob Drinnen purchased "1 pair leggings"<br />
August 4, 1768 Jacob Drinnen purchased "1 pr red stroud leggings"<br />
April 21, 1768 John Higgins purchased "1 pr leggings"<br />
(there is a TON more but hopefully you get the idea. Premade wool leggings were commonly used by these guys)<br />
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Breach clouts -<br />
April 20, 1768 John Higgins purchased "1 breech clout"<br />
April 20, 1768 Samuel Black purchased "1 breech clout"<br />
April 21 1768 Michael Caple purchased "1 breech clout"<br />
(and on and on and on. Breach clouts = common. These too were I'm 99.9% sure wool. most likely stroud)<br />
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Check shirts -<br />
April 21, 1768 Valentine Schope purchased "1 check shirt"<br />
April 21, 1768 John Higgins purchased "1 check shirt"<br />
July 16, 1767 Simon Girty purchased "3 yds of check" "thread" and "making of a shirt"<br />
July 26, 1768 Jacob Drinnen purchased "1 check shirt"<br />
(once again, on and on. check shirts = common. A note on check, this should be window pane check, not the big squares of blue and white as is often seen and far more appropriate for curtains than shirts)<br />
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Rum -<br />
Too much to even start. Basically 98% of the hunters working for Morgan were heavy heavy drinkers and enjoyed booze every night, most commonly rum. <br />
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Combs. Shoes. Hunting frocks (!!!!! What What??!! Hunting frocks in the 60's and not split open smocks????!!! Heresy I know.) Deer hides (for moccs is my theory). Knives (TRADE KNIVES, not woodberry knives). Tom hawks. Pipe tom hawks. Soap. Chocolate. Match coats. Garters (including "garters of an Indian". Sorry to the quill workers out there, but these were finger woven, not quilled). Hat lace. More rum. Rifles. Blanket coats. And more rum. = all common. <br />
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So yeah. They used what was available. As should we who choose to portray them. The chore for us is just figuring out what that was and it really isn't too hard.Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-36051875980583236082018-03-26T10:33:00.000-07:002018-03-26T10:33:58.491-07:00Floyd's Defeat Immersion Event Photo Recap <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The 2018 Immersion event was a success, and a wet, cold success at that! </div>
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Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-47546604354684497592017-09-11T11:20:00.003-07:002017-09-11T11:45:20.966-07:00"a very nice Indian shot pouch with him . . . . don't know where he got it."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hPcn6VAlIJjxQ0A727m0oDHo63jOg5G72dN-qqWzg-83tULAN7GfyMA4UndHQS1qS2gUJhXCqxi7MU1yeNs-9aCsoFLqsfvo96ane23XfEuNd0PvbBBtwLE4q-myfiHr8l6s6ZOL0d4_/s1600/21624099_1435389003204957_143359377_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hPcn6VAlIJjxQ0A727m0oDHo63jOg5G72dN-qqWzg-83tULAN7GfyMA4UndHQS1qS2gUJhXCqxi7MU1yeNs-9aCsoFLqsfvo96ane23XfEuNd0PvbBBtwLE4q-myfiHr8l6s6ZOL0d4_/s320/21624099_1435389003204957_143359377_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Shot pouches are one of the most basic items for anybodies gear, and yet done so wrong so often. There are very few surviving examples to base one on is a big part of the problem, and lots of misdated ones to go wrong on. My hope with this write up is, by showing the two bags I use, along with a smattering of period images and a few period accounts, help dispel some shot pouch myths.<br />
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<i>"My powder horn and ball pouch always contained more or less ammunition, I found them empty. My knife also, which I commonly carried appended to the strap of my shot pouch, was gone." </i></div>
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<i>- A Narrative of the Captivity and Adventures of John Tanner</i></div>
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<i>"We sold the Indean plunder in the fort on Monday at Vandue and it fetched fifty shillings for each man. . . . . . . I bought some of this plunder, some nise wamp um and a shot bag and powder horn ect."</i></div>
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<i>-Daniel Trabue interview in the Draper manuscripts</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPMkxfKtASSjcwIANWjL2x6TqVOqauCqN91vBqKwwotxwGau7uhpqj3fWRiKGGq6k2LbPCwqn9pyp5XleIyz4dRp12tH-hOEZ11j-iwo36OUjDxHfGt19RF5MoQBl22DLsCFGtDw8utqK/s1600/21618172_1435388546538336_1769259016_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="1140" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPMkxfKtASSjcwIANWjL2x6TqVOqauCqN91vBqKwwotxwGau7uhpqj3fWRiKGGq6k2LbPCwqn9pyp5XleIyz4dRp12tH-hOEZ11j-iwo36OUjDxHfGt19RF5MoQBl22DLsCFGtDw8utqK/s320/21618172_1435388546538336_1769259016_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The first bag i use is one that I've shown before and is just a simple brain tan pouch with knife attached. It is my take on a plain jane simple Indian made shot pouch. Not really a lot to say about it other than it works. And I've taken a few spills, but have yet to have the bag spill anything even with out a button. <br />
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<i>"He went up that time, clear up as far as the mouth of the Kanawha. . . . . . Brought back a very nice Indian shot pouch with him, all beaded off; don't know where he got it."</i></div>
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<i>-William Clinkenbeard interview in the Shane portion of the Draper manuscripts</i></div>
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The second pouch I use is one inspired by an original finger woven bag and was made by Alec Fourman. No inside pockets on this one either, but still an excellent working pouch. A few thoughts here on finger woven bags - there is a lot of bad out there as far as attempts at repro's go. Think small yarn, oblique woven, with the beads woven in also - sometimes on a carrier strand of linen thread. Most originals are lined. They are constructed in one of two ways, either woven in the round or woven as a panel and then folded and sewn up the sides. Some originals have quill work on the bags, straps, and/ or fringe and many have tin cones with deer hair. (thanks Fourman for stopping hay work for a minute to get your brain picked!) DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT use a piece of wool fabric with beads sewn on and think it in any way resembles a finger woven bag. <br />
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Other thoughts on what to avoid when it comes to common shooting pouches on the 1770's frontier - Incorrect leather, i.e. chrome tan. Rings on the strap. Modern buckles. Giant yarn straps. Inkle loom straps. Complex construction technique. Asymmetrical flaps. There's a few original leather ones from the period and a couple cloth ones. This is a whole other subject than the purpose of this blog post, but there are certainly other options, and some probably better for wide spread representation than the two I use. At the end of the day, if using the pouch for living history, base it off an original. <br />
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And last but not least, a shot pouch is not a carry all purse. It's sole purpose is to carry stuff to make the gun go boom. Bullets, flints, turnscrew and vent pick. But there's always a guy who just have to have something odd in his bag, so here's a few quotes to help that guy out . . . .<br />
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<i>"Wymore had a pocket compass in his shot bag." </i></div>
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<i>"My father bought the first pig to Lexington, gave $5 for it and a a chew of tobacco. He put it in his shot bag and brought it home."</i></div>
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<i>- Wymore interview in the Shane portion of the Draper manuscripts</i></div>
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<i>"At the time he had an Indian scalp in his shot pouch."</i></div>
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<i>- Peter Cutright interview in the Shane portion of the Draper manuscripts</i></div>
Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-73084343503122836162017-09-05T15:12:00.000-07:002017-09-05T15:23:59.888-07:00Frontiersmen Weren't Special Forces Ninja Warriors : PART 1 <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Heroic and Romantic 19th Century Depiction of Daniel Boone fighting an Indian</td></tr>
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It's very easy for us to view the frontiersmen of the past as rugged individuals, out for days alone in the wilderness like some kind of specials forces ninja able to smell an Indian from a mile away and being completely self sufficiant, cut off from the rest of society in some quest for solitude.<br />
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This idea was perpetuated by wild stories of Daniel Boone and Davy Crocket in the 19th century and became a popular part of our American identity.<br />
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But how true is this rugged individualism?<br />
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Daniel Boone said later in his life :<br />
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Many heroic actions and chivalrous adventures are related of me which exist only in the regions of fancy. With me the world has taken great liberties, and yet I have been but a common man.<br />
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— Daniel Boone<br />
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Let's look at just a few things commonly thought about Frontiersman and see if we can't dispel some of the myths. I will be using the Cressweel Diary as my main source for this particular write up.<br />
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#1 . Frontiersmen were Skilled Expert Woodsmen<br />
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While in many cases this could be true, was it normative? Let's look at some examples of Longhunters being somewhat inept and some of the things they didn't prepare for. <br />
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<i>Wednesday, May 24th, 1775. Land in general covered with Beech. Limestone in large flags. Few rivulets empty into the River, or few springs to be seen, which makes me suppose the country is badly watered. Camped at a place where the Buffaloes cross the River. In the night were alarmed with a plunging in the River. In a little time Mr. Johnston (who slept on board) called out for help. <b>We ran to his assistance with our arms and to our great mortification and surprise found one of our Canoes that had all our flour on board sunk, and would have been inevitably lost, had it not been fixed to the other. We immediately hauled our shattered vessel to the shore and landed our things, tho' greatly damaged. It was done by the Buffaloes crossing the River from that side where the vessel was moored. Fortunately for Mr. Johnston he slept in that Canoe next the shore. The Buffaloes jumped over him into the other, and split it about fourteen foot. Mr. Nourse and Mr. Taylor's servants usually slept on board, but had by mistake brought their blankets on shore this evening and were too lazy to go on board again or probably they would have been killed.</b> </i></div>
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<i> Sunday, May 28th, 1775. Proceeded up the River. Saw a great many Buffaloes cross the River above us, all hands went ashore to surround them. I kept on the outside of them and shot a fine young Heifer, some of the rest shot a Cow and Calf. <b>Our stupid company will not stay to jerk any, tho' we are in want of provisions.</b> Camped on a gravelly Island. Beech bottoms and cedar hills with few rivulets.</i></div>
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<i>Saturday, June 24th, 1775. This morning set out to the Lick without breakfast. The reason was we had nothing to eat. Three of us stayed at the Lick till the afternoon waiting for the Buffaloes but saw none. When our out Hunters came loaded with meat and informed us they had killed a Buffalo about five miles off, set out and found it, and loaded ourselves and returned to the Camp, but never so much fatigued before. Having already experienced the want of victuals, was willing to guard against it for the future. I believe I have exerted myself more than I can bear. It is judged by the company that I brought between 70 and 80 pound of meat, exclusive of my Gun and Shot pouch. To add to my distress my shoesoles came off and I was obliged to walk bare foot for six miles. Find myself very unwell. Shot a Pole Cat. <b>One of our Company missing.All the rest (except Tilling and myself) are going this evening, as they expect he is killed by the Indians. But I think he has lost himself in the Woods. Very arduous task to persuade them to stay, as they all expect to be killed before morning.</b> </i></div>
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<i>Sunday, June 25th, 1775. Slept little last night, over-fatigued. This morning our company are for setting out immediately, confident that the man is killed. With much importunity prevailed on them to stay till evening but could not persuade any of them to goto seek the man. About sundown they all prepared for going, notwithstanding all that Mr. Tilling and I could say against it, but just as we were going aboard saw the man come along shore to our great joy. It had happened as I supposed--<b>he lost himself in the Woods and had rambled all night.</b> If we had left him, he must have perished. Very unwell.</i></div>
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<i><b>Out of twelve Guns five were rendered unfit for present use by the wet</b>, mine happened to be in goodorder and I loaded her with an ounce bullet and seven swan shot. The command of our Canoes was given to me. We had only two Guns on board fit for use, Mr. Tilling's and </i></div>
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<i>mine. <b>Tom O'Brien in the scuffle let his fall in the River and got her filled with water.</b></i></div>
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</i>Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-7765094462375735172017-08-16T04:57:00.000-07:002017-08-16T04:57:26.161-07:00 ...small round hat...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shawnee Warrior takes a young prisoner</td></tr>
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<i>"My Dress consisted of a calico shirt, made by an Indian woman without a collar, which reached below the waist; a blanket over my shoulders, tied round the waist with the bark of a tree; a pair of good buckskin leggings, which covered almost the thighs, given me by the great war chief, a pair of moccasins, in which I had pieces of blue cloth to make my step easier; a breech-cloth between my legs; a girdle round my waist; and <u><b>a small round hat</b></u>, in which the Indian placed a black ostrich feather by way of ornament (<u><b>the smaller the hat the more fashionable</b></u>)." </i></div>
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<i>-An Account of my Capture by the Shawnee Indians on the River Ohio in 1788 </i></div>
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<i>by Thomas Rideout</i></div>
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Some recent comments on facebook have led me to post some images and descriptions of small brimmed hats in the period. Please take a look at the following.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtJDKehKZQZS7YUymNkNuxB7-np57AOtQXyaSDE-qvyubg3JXrcRelCGjOfBAv5dFM7z8SgWlyl2hjsl6ksZesm1GLWrr3XEnAxLwoygZf41aT3zh6FSi0dV7P-vEDQXCxWcoIwmJQ5XO/s1600/18119605_10210958499590167_7436259187642673527_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="244" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtJDKehKZQZS7YUymNkNuxB7-np57AOtQXyaSDE-qvyubg3JXrcRelCGjOfBAv5dFM7z8SgWlyl2hjsl6ksZesm1GLWrr3XEnAxLwoygZf41aT3zh6FSi0dV7P-vEDQXCxWcoIwmJQ5XO/s320/18119605_10210958499590167_7436259187642673527_n.jpg" width="137" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1775 Map Image</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKIEaUdUYCfPHniPllMhQLr0mPrETK7osR6am7OcLNMzEGI_q4Ogj4SWLoEPu7_A7b3pXoZwsmHI7LWxlQRq-THLhfxqr4W8AhweeBn3cddkCg2TYHMXVD4sQiSexH_FgQLJbBf-Wd-Tp/s1600/url-3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="389" data-original-width="447" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKIEaUdUYCfPHniPllMhQLr0mPrETK7osR6am7OcLNMzEGI_q4Ogj4SWLoEPu7_A7b3pXoZwsmHI7LWxlQRq-THLhfxqr4W8AhweeBn3cddkCg2TYHMXVD4sQiSexH_FgQLJbBf-Wd-Tp/s320/url-3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phineas Meigs Hat, 1760s<br />
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The following images are in the context of sailors, but it shows some good small brimmed hats. All of these from the 1770s.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYm6DK93qBx_JSeIfIEFGvtaPbKPNrpb323sXeXh8zw8IIPhWGgBIyJfNhvdjU4LkQfaYOhQahTbOTUgWf38DIGetmkddTjbxh_8eM_tdWXunTbd_nMo1ZPGTumwS8x8IA1RLSnIM4YK4_/s1600/20158258_10158737211040538_268611866_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYm6DK93qBx_JSeIfIEFGvtaPbKPNrpb323sXeXh8zw8IIPhWGgBIyJfNhvdjU4LkQfaYOhQahTbOTUgWf38DIGetmkddTjbxh_8eM_tdWXunTbd_nMo1ZPGTumwS8x8IA1RLSnIM4YK4_/s320/20158258_10158737211040538_268611866_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNMztcSrlMSaqgIe06zt_c7rZYGw5o87ufie8fadcVTYAvLrHxrRRdQhicziP6DK75ZU4XPZOD48CNdOdi7REWzRCRsH2VroHBpQ1aEyoeDPsB8l6y_-v1dnxc_8X4gjOsrOvX_Au0gzMF/s1600/20187623_10158737211160538_941293198_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNMztcSrlMSaqgIe06zt_c7rZYGw5o87ufie8fadcVTYAvLrHxrRRdQhicziP6DK75ZU4XPZOD48CNdOdi7REWzRCRsH2VroHBpQ1aEyoeDPsB8l6y_-v1dnxc_8X4gjOsrOvX_Au0gzMF/s320/20187623_10158737211160538_941293198_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSKQQJzVp6xqG6WFw1tfQ0ZB0MOwuQw13lStjp-SuZfJfX5BhWllMM1AXph-loi87KfrqqxLn9xr38EelXvXIaXZVi5gQgUYoHbMbnTzU7stpXktMlIrMJqLHlv1DQ-xZZgEf1kIW5Z_0Z/s1600/20187903_10158737211260538_1826629366_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSKQQJzVp6xqG6WFw1tfQ0ZB0MOwuQw13lStjp-SuZfJfX5BhWllMM1AXph-loi87KfrqqxLn9xr38EelXvXIaXZVi5gQgUYoHbMbnTzU7stpXktMlIrMJqLHlv1DQ-xZZgEf1kIW5Z_0Z/s320/20187903_10158737211260538_1826629366_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8CQt5rEIbElyBm5Jp13QNX9qDVKrTSsq6wWsgTI7TGxPHny8flm2RVuZX4AR7y1JXws-v1fErrG7pOc6KsxyxoYP2p5tnE9BC3IspvPypzI1A9sHS53gK35ypvqpNk2rDVc-1fG11E3R/s1600/20187941_10158737211005538_251028744_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8CQt5rEIbElyBm5Jp13QNX9qDVKrTSsq6wWsgTI7TGxPHny8flm2RVuZX4AR7y1JXws-v1fErrG7pOc6KsxyxoYP2p5tnE9BC3IspvPypzI1A9sHS53gK35ypvqpNk2rDVc-1fG11E3R/s320/20187941_10158737211005538_251028744_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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A good mix of hats on the backcountry is good, and among them should be included a short brimmed round hat. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZRTQODZnKgtnibv7mgromK9O4EZMzKYcV10xcWNXfaCBhQK239DJ4EKN_DgaG85IYxqDxp-Syn-YajqTaOLZhYYTFgY1BR-3QUJtdssCPTuym-CrFNqStx4HJZ_HxpreSJtRmmB7OgUf/s1600/18447417_10155330003499487_8729268965472645047_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="480" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZRTQODZnKgtnibv7mgromK9O4EZMzKYcV10xcWNXfaCBhQK239DJ4EKN_DgaG85IYxqDxp-Syn-YajqTaOLZhYYTFgY1BR-3QUJtdssCPTuym-CrFNqStx4HJZ_HxpreSJtRmmB7OgUf/s320/18447417_10155330003499487_8729268965472645047_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All kinds of hats </td></tr>
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Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-67774625577701531082017-08-07T04:15:00.000-07:002017-08-07T04:15:33.484-07:00"to ape the manner of savages . . ." or if James Bond was 18th century frontier what he might of looked like<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCCScbUX8bfIi7vwDzXhuIZQxadPZQRUFRDwi5KKE-EobjAMxQ3tWIsKKaBpcLtI5mYniqDKEDE6Vz_bwihySXv9t1xJQyxoUXbdhIxR-tR_8CIHoFxlRkGiQpx7crpAJSFhswEgMYTIav/s1600/20684344_1404694049607786_802963874_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCCScbUX8bfIi7vwDzXhuIZQxadPZQRUFRDwi5KKE-EobjAMxQ3tWIsKKaBpcLtI5mYniqDKEDE6Vz_bwihySXv9t1xJQyxoUXbdhIxR-tR_8CIHoFxlRkGiQpx7crpAJSFhswEgMYTIav/s320/20684344_1404694049607786_802963874_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>"Declarant states that he was then stationed at Fort Pitt, the place aforesaid. Declarant states that in obedience to the order of his said Captain Brady, he poceeded to tan his thighs and legs with wild cherry and white oak bark and to equip himself after the following manner, to wit, a breechcloth, leather leggins, moccasins and a cap made out of a racoon skin, with the feathers of a hawk, painted after the manner of an Indian warrior. His face was painted red, with three black stripes across his cheeks, which was a signification of war. Declarant states that Captain Brady's company was about sixty four in number, all painted after the manner aforesaid." George Roush pension papers. Early 19th century, describing 1777 campaign</i><br />
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<i>"As we enlisted our men, we dressed them uniformly in the Indian manner, with breech-clouts, leggins, mockesons and green shrouds, which we wore in the same manner that the Indians do, and nearly as the Highlanders wear their plaids. In place of hats we wore red handerchiefs, and painted our faces red and black, like Indian warriors. I taught them the Indian discipline, . . . " James Smith, LIfe and Travels of Colonel James Smith. 1799 describing the "black boys" of the 1760's</i><br />
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<i>"It was the silly fashion of those times for the riflemen to ape the manner of savages . ." John Henry, An Accurate and Interesting Account of the Hardships and Suffering of that Band of Heroes, Who Traversed Thru The Wilderness in the Campaign Against Quebec in 1775. 1812</i><br />
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<i>" April 10th. 1758 SIR Yesterday in the afternoon as Mr. Miller & 2 or 3 Countrymen more was riding from here to Jenkins's about 4 miles from this, they were fired at by Cocks & Lane who was lying under the fence, the Countrymen came in on a full gallop and inform'd me that they were fired on by some Indians. I immediately sent out Lieut. Weedon with a Command of Men who followed their Tracts till dark, returning home I sent Ensign Chew out again this morning to Reconnoiter on the other side the Mountain where he fell on their Tracts, and after pursuing them about 10 Miles he found a Beef that they had killed and cut out the Toungue and part of the hind quarters, he continued following them about a Mile farther and discovered a smoke in the hollow of a Mountain, Coming nigh perceived them Bacueing their Meet, they being acquipt every way like Indians and as he had followed their Tracts from pretty near the place where Lt. Weedon left them last night had great reason to believe they were Enemy/and immediately fired on them. Lane was killed Dead and Cocks mortally wounded, they brought to Bells Fort where he left him with a Sergt. & [manuscript torn] Men, he confessed it was their own fault & blame know one else but themselves for the Accident.1 I am Sir Your mo obt. Servt. J. BAKER"</i><br />
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<i>“Lane and Cox appeared to have been disguised as Indians, and it was under the impression they were such that Lieutenant Chew shot them.”—Washington to President Blair, April 17, 1758</i><br />
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<i>"400 Virginian Volunteers, all armed with rifles, and excellent marksmen, dressed alamode de sauvages, with painted shirts and fur caps stained with paint" Scots Magazine, Oct of 1764</i><br />
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<i>"…8 blankets, 7 yards of stroud for making britch cloth and leggings, and 4 shirts for the volunteers of Kentucky" Clark Papers, 1992-2-656-658-July 1, 1779</i><br />
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<i>"Capt. Hugh McGarry request to conductor of store for 20 blankets, 20 shirts, and 9 yards of blue stroud for 20 men of his company of Kentucky volunteers." Clark Papers, 1866-2-573-574-July 5, 1779.</i><br />
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<i>"Honble. Sir: An unlucky, but unavoidable accident happened in the neighborhood of Patterson's fort the other day. The proceedings of an examining court of officers on that occasion (which are herewith sent) will bring your Honor acquainted with the circumstances. I caused a very strict enquiry to be made into the conduct of Mr. Chew, that equal justice might be done to the dead and to the living; and it appeared that Mr. Chew had acted with great spirit and activity in pursuing the tracks of those people; and that in shooting them (altho' it was unlucky in the event) he had done nothing that was not strictly warrantable, Lane and Cox appearing both in dress, disguise and behavior, to be no other than Indians." JOHN BLAIR Fort Loudoun, April 17, 1758.</i><br />
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<i>"I have had the happiness of seeing Captain Michael Cresap marching at the head of a formidable company of upward of one hundred and thirty men from the mountains and backwoods, painted like Indians, armed with tomahawks and rifles, dressed in hunting-shirts and moccasins; and though some of them had traveled near eight hundred miles from the banks of the Ohio, they seemed to walk light and easy, and not with less spirit than at the first hour of their march." Anonymous letter to Philadelphia, 1775</i><br />
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<i>"Joseph Neal a soldier in Col' Rawling's Regiment was brought before the Court on suspicion of Deserting. Denies the Charge. No proof appearing against him & the suspicion arising only from Cutting one of his Ears & painting like the savages." General court-martial, Col. Stephen Bayard, President Washington Papers.</i><br />
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<i>"Pryor and Hammond were dressed in the Indian style . . . . . . . They passed the Indians without being recognized" Extract from Hugh Taylor's "Notes". Frontier Advance on the Upper Ohio, 1778-1779</i><br />
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I'm just going to let the quotes speak alone on this post. Basically white dudes aping Indians. Whole companies of them, a pair of buddies, spies . . . As cool of an impression as can be had . . .<br />
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And a huge, huge THANK YOU to Fred Lucas. The man is bottom less pit of awesome resources and research. 99% of this stuff came from him. Thanks a ton!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-QlGNKC6XoskHeZ4sWBysjWAGl2oZZJiRNOg2w36vh_dikSr3_jmMkfzsvkVJ3mnqonZH_1xnxsu7ks2yUEVTENLRcHxceFFxO0laEu7dBLHn5QASTGallHWonzX0Ank89CA45S0jT7J/s1600/20684273_10158834235360538_529290898_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1277" data-original-width="1277" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-QlGNKC6XoskHeZ4sWBysjWAGl2oZZJiRNOg2w36vh_dikSr3_jmMkfzsvkVJ3mnqonZH_1xnxsu7ks2yUEVTENLRcHxceFFxO0laEu7dBLHn5QASTGallHWonzX0Ank89CA45S0jT7J/s320/20684273_10158834235360538_529290898_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fred Lucas, "the Frontier Yoda"</td></tr>
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Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-7848004430849392112017-07-31T04:52:00.000-07:002017-07-31T04:52:50.922-07:00"Much tormented with Ticks" . . and Occam's Razor<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxOSZiMKSI7a4msKyGrV2gfrMOBcwE4FvxNR8K_qDFMREql4z8t7TeWiBcSDVIxz-7QIyO0omNlaWbyVDuXil8-Yg07VMDcs1Z8XCz6cMv9Afrq2_sSYBimI0vJh6BTblVWYU5GSTMytf/s1600/20590673_1398444913566033_1583821956_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxOSZiMKSI7a4msKyGrV2gfrMOBcwE4FvxNR8K_qDFMREql4z8t7TeWiBcSDVIxz-7QIyO0omNlaWbyVDuXil8-Yg07VMDcs1Z8XCz6cMv9Afrq2_sSYBimI0vJh6BTblVWYU5GSTMytf/s320/20590673_1398444913566033_1583821956_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>"Friday, May 26th, 1775. Proceeded up the River. Met 2 Canoes bound to Redstone. Shot an old Buffalo Bull that had his ears marked. Passed a bad rapid which took all our force to tow our Vessel up. Much tormented with Ticks, a small animal like a Sheeplouse, but very tough skin. They get on you by walking in the Woods in great numbers, and if you don't take care to pick them off in time they work their heads through the skin and then you may pull the body away but the head will remain in the skin, which is very disagreeable. If they are not removed in a short time they grow like the Ticks on a Dog. Beechy bottoms. Camped at the mouth of Elk Horn Creek. Our company still continues to be crabbed with one another and I believe will be worse as Bread grows scarce." N. Cresswell journal</i></div>
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When this post was first conceived, I thought I'd do it mostly to the effect of how a day spent in the woods went. Something to the effect of guys that are really interested in research and documentation (call them progressives if you like) can also go out and do stuff, and aren't afraid to get dirty and destroy their gear. Something to convince the masses that research + woods time = sublime. So I went to the woods today, packed my gun and wallet with bare essentials and hoped for something awesome to happen to write about. Nothing awesome commenced. Haha, that's the way it goes when a feller needs an adventure I suppose. I missed two squirrels, both about 35 to 40 yards. I walked and walked, sometimes through some pretty rough and brushy, rocky ground. I sipped some rum and I took a nap. Admired some wild flowers, watched some birds. Sweated my butt off, made a little fire, melted some lead and poured some ball. I cut an X in a tree and shot at it. My camera battery died and I didn't get to take nearly as many pictures as I wanted to. Managed to appropriate 47 ticks, 16 of them on my nether regions. (I counted as I plucked merely for purposes of this write up . . . . ) <br />
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But as I sit and ponder on a pretty uneventful day (granted a ton of fun) it strikes me that all too often in the living history world we want some crazy epic time in the woods - with weather as spiteful as Satan, awesome shots on game, a bunch of cool pictures to show everybody what we did, maybe some huge revelation on a better way to use our gear. I've decided to take a different tone with this post, something simpler. Something more in tune with the principle of Occam's Razor.<br />
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Period journals are rife with pretty boring days. Mundane days. If we as living historians wish to accurately portray these men of long ago, we need to embrace the mundane. It's essential. There is dirt to be found in a boring day, and boring day dirt on gear and clothes adds credibility. The sweat adds honest dark lines along a shirt collar. Fresh dings against the butt of a rifle convey a sense of a guy who does more than mowed lawn events. So my plea is this - Get out, do something. Yes, it's summer and there is ticks and skeeters. But the truthful sense it adds to gear is second to none. That's all it takes, get out and do it.<br />
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<i>-Matthew Fennewald-</i></div>
Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-16714661969450236372017-07-29T15:43:00.000-07:002017-07-30T06:42:09.586-07:00Voices from the Backcountry : Nicholas Cresswell, 1775<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Tuesday, June 27th, 1775. Very stiff current all day, heavy showers and very sultry. It is a custom with </span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">our company, as soon as it begins to rain to strip naked and secure their clothes from the wet. I have </span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">attempted it twice to-day, but the drops of rain are so disagreeable to my skin, that it obliged me to put </span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on my shirt. Killed a Faun. Saw a Bear cross the River, but could not get a shot at her. All hands very </span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">weary and very crabbed. </span></span></i></span></div>
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<br />Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588942969762123267.post-79127125041282256192017-07-23T21:05:00.005-07:002017-07-23T21:19:44.259-07:00Breech-clouts and Leggins...or...Let's Get the Basics Right!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>"On their legs they have Indian boots, or leggings, made of coarse woolen cloth, that either are wrapped around loosely and tied with garters, or are laced upon the outside, and always come better than half way up the thigh . ." -J. Smyth, Tour in the United States of America</i><br />
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<i>"we dressed them uniformly in the Indian manner, with breech-clouts, leggins mockersons and green shrouds . . " -J. Smith, Life and Travels of Colonel James Smith</i></div>
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<i>"The rest wear breechclouts, leggins and hunting shirts . ." -Journal of Nicholas Cressell</i></div>
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<i>"instead of stockings they wear Indian leggings . ." -Travels of Johann David Schoepf</i></div>
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<i>"Deerskin leggings were fastened at the top to a body belt on which the scabbard would also be attached. The leggings were then tied around below the knee." -Nathan Boone interview in the Draper manuscripts</i></div>
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<i>"It was the silly fashion of those times for the riflemen to ape the manner of savages . ."</i></div>
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<i>"By-and-by Morgan came, large, a commanding aspect, and stentorian voice. He wore leggins, and a cloth in the Indian style." -J. Henry, An Accurate and Interesting Account of the Hardships and Sufferings of That Band of Heroes, Who Traversed Thru The Wilderness in the Campaign Against Quebec in 1775</i></div>
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All of the above quotes are in the context of white dudes in the back country wearing leggings, and several include a breech clout as well. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are TONS of quotes describing this, but my favorite thing isn't to sit in front of a computer and type, so I will hope those quotes will be sufficient for the purposes of this post. <br />
The question that naturally follows is, what exactly are "Indian leggings"? And what does a correct breech clout look like?<br />
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<i>"They go without any covering for the thigh, except that before spoken of, round the middle, which reaches down half way the thighs; but they make for their legs a sort of stocking either of skins or cloth; these are sewed as near to the shape of the leg as possible, so as to admit of being drawn on and off. The edges of the stuff of which they are composed are left annexed to the seam, and hang loose for about the breadth of a hand: and this part which is placed on the outside of the leg, is generally ornamented by those who have any communication with Europeans, if of cloth, with ribbons or lace, if of leather with embroidery and porcupine quills curiously colored." -J. Carver, Travels through the Interior Parts of North America in the Years 1766, 1767, and 1768</i></div>
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<i>"Above the moccasin all the Indians wear what are called leggings, which reach from the instep to the middle of the thigh. They are commonly made of blue or scarlet cloth, and are formed so as to sit close to the limbs, like the modern pantaloons; but the edges of the cloth annexed to the seam, instead of being turned in, are left on the outside, and are ornamented with beads, ribands, &C., when the leggings are intended for dress. Many of the young warriors are so desirous that their leggings should fit them neatly, that they make the squaws, who are the tailors, and really very good ones, sow them tight on their limbs, so that they cannot be taken off, and they continue to wear them constantly till they are reduced to rags. The leggings are kept up by means of two strings, one on the outside of each thigh, which are fastened to a third, that is tied around the waist. They also wear round the waist another string, from which are suspended two little aprons, somewhat more than a foot square, one hanging down before and the other behind, and under these a piece of cloth, drawn close up to the body between the legs, forming a sort of truss. The aprons and this piece of cloth, which are all fastened together, are called the breech cloth." -I. Weld, Travels through the States of North America</i></div>
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I'll start with the breech clout. A strip of wool stroud (a decent quality broadcloth is a great choice for the modern living historian), historically about 8 to 12 inches wide and somewhere around 50 ish inches long. Adair says they are " a quarter of an ell wide, with an ell and a half long . ." which comes out to 11" by 68". This is much longer than other descriptions and period images of them, as well as all original examples I am aware of. In period imagery they seem to end around mid thigh on front and back both. Some shorter than that, very few longer. Blue predominates the color choice. Red comes in second. But basically strip of WOOL that goes tucked between the legs, up over a waist tie of some sort, then hangs over like an apron in front and back. <br />
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A quick word about "hourglassed" breech clouts - don't do it! For what ever reason it's become popular in the living history world to cut the middle part of breech clouts into an hour glass shape, tapering in a semi circle shape on either edge. I suppose the idea is to do away with extra material and make them more comfortable. This extra material gets tucked up around your junk though, and keeps everybody from seeing more than they want to. So don't do it! Not cause it's farb (it is) but because I don't want to see that much of any other dude. Also, stick with wool. Broadcloth. Stroud with a list if you can afford it or have the fortitude to make it yourself. Stay away from linen. Good wool. (I've rocked my wool clout more than once in 100 degrees plus and high humidity for days on end and found it rather pleasant. You can too!)<br />
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Leggings. Another piece of clothing, much like a breech clout in that it is incredibly simple - but so much wrong in the world of living history. Imagine a rectangle of wool, once again broadcloth or stroud, or BRAINTAN (german tan doesn't cut it, it looks like german tan, not Indian dressed skin) that will be folded in half hot dog bun style, and the leg of the wearer slipped down it it. It goes from the ankle to anywhere from just above the knee to mid thigh. It is sewn with a running stitch down the outside of the leg. Sewn with a running stitch TIGHTLY to the leg. Baggy leggings scream 1990's bad reenacting. So sew them tightly. A good way to do this is sit on the floor, legs stretched out in front, put the wool around your leg and either staple them down or make a chalk line. Then go back and follow the staples sewing and pulling staples as you go, or follow the chalk line. I leave about a 6 inch section at the ankle not sewn so as to be able to slip them on and off. If sewn tight all the way down, they can be all but impossible to put on and take off. Hooks and eyes down there is a way to close them (and historically correct!) as is wrapping with wool tape or a braintan wang. I wear my moccs flaps up so that takes care of the opening for me. The leggings should retain a flap around 4 ish inches that run down the outside of the leg. They should also be worn with garters. (Garters are a whole other subject, but stick with wool tape, brain tan wang, or correctly done finger woven ones. Thick wool yarn is a huge red flag so don't do it when it comes to garters. I'm unaware of a single pair of quilled garters that are original to the 18th century) Garters should be tied above the calf, below the knee. Not above the knee on the thigh. (Why do I even need to say this? Because I've seen the facebook pictures . . ) Leggings also have a strip or strap (or two in a y shape) that goes up from the top, along the outside of the thigh and ties to a belt or waist thong to help hold them up. Wool colors are once again - blue. red. green. white. And a few other weird ones but not as common as those. <br />
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Last but not least, a smattering of period images of Indian leggings and breech clouts, a long with a few original examples. <br />
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<i>-Matthew Fennewald-</i></div>
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Jake Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834316199665952532noreply@blogger.com10