"...A Wallet Well Stored..."

"A heavy blanket, rifle, hatchet, knife, powder horn and powder, bullets, extra gunflint, a picker, a wallet well stored with parched corn, some salt and a tin cup."  

- description of gear used in a 1770 expedition  

- Life and times of Gen. James Robertson

"They take about a gallon of corn and parch it well, then they pound it fine and mix it with as much sugar as would make it sweet enough for coffee, then put it in a buckskin bag and stow it in their knapsack; then take a chunk of raw bacon, wrap it up well and stow this in their knapsack.  A tin cup was tied to the strap of their knapsack.  this store is for a reserve - 

never to be used till there is no other shift; with a tomahawk and a butcher's knife and rifle gun and blanket, this is the equipage of an Indian campaign."   

Reminiscences of a Pioneer, by Thomas Rogers Sr.  

 I try to tailor my gear to each excursion, or event, trek, or activity.   And this tailoring is a constant evolution as my knowledge or what is "right" changes, combined with past experiences of what works for me.  

It is my hope that a quick overview of what I carry, and how, will be useful to some.  This is certainly not a tell all end all, and my gear is bound to change some the next time I go out -  my goal is to be always learning, always evolving.  

My bullet pouch contains just the bare essentials and has no inside pockets.  A turn screw, extra flints, loose round ball, patching,  and a fire kit sit in the bottom.  An antler measure and a pick hang from a wang attached to the strap.  The cows knee is usually tied to the wrist of my gun.  

I carry my bedroll, which always consists of two blankets - both centerseam, handwoven wool, one heavy but smaller, the other thin but large - with a hemp tumpline.  The tumpline is worn across my chest and goes over both shoulders with the bedroll snug against my upper back.  Inside the bedroll is a minimum of 2 extra pairs of moccasins.
  

Over my left shoulder, with a single twist through the middle portion, I carry my wallet.  Inside the wallet is all my food, and just necessary day to day stuff.  Linen sacks contain deer jerky, parched corn flour, coffee, shredded up bark for fire tinder, extra lead and a bullet mold, my toilet supplies, and other random foodstuffs such as nuts or apples (depending on season and my stomachs mood when I'm packing).  Raw meat is wrapped in linen scraps.  A small buckskin bag holds tobacco.  I also carry a small bottle of bear grease and greasy rag for gun maintenance,  a bundle of buckskin and linen scraps with thread, needle, and awl inside for trail repairs.  A brass kettle and hot dipped tin cup round out my cooking gear.  A larger buckskin bag holds a Katadyn water filter.  Extra water is carried in a simple gourd canteen on a cordage strap.  

I make two compromises to history in my gear.  One is in my toilet linen sack.  Inside I carry a small mirror, eye glasses in a buckskin cover, extra contacts, and contact solution covered up with a linen sack.  The justification I use on this is pretty straightforward - I don't believe it would have been historically common for the type of person I usually portray to have worn eye glasses, and thus contacts make more sense.  It stays hidden away till night, at which point if with a group, I discreetly remove my contacts, don my glasses for sleeping in case of a 3 a.m. pee time, and put the contacts back in with the sunrise.  The other obvious compromise is the Katadyn filter.  This probably doesn't even need an explanation.  Most areas I go on, the water is not safe even after boiling, due to high agricultural run off.  I've been water sick before, and hope to never have that experience again.

-Matthew Fennewald-

Ambush at Welbourne Farm : An Account of my First Immersion Event

The Only Picture I was Able to Get

We arrived in the dark and I quickly got out of the vehicle, dressed and threw my gear on and trudged off into the dark to find the camp of the Augusta County Militia that I was told was only just down the hill. It was my first immersion event and I was wide eyed and ready for action. I was met by dark figures huddled around some candle light. I was introduced to Alan Kraus, the ACM's fearless leader and others. After everyone seemed present and accounted for, plans were made to take a hike overland to a creek where we were sure the Crown Forces would cross the next morning. 6 hours in a car and now I was about to take a walk that seemed to last forever. We hiked through the fields and woods as the rumblings of the retired horses that roamed there went barreling past us in the dark. Arriving at the creek we made plans for our ambush of the redcoats the following morning. Four of us would take the bank and fire first. Behind us was a short field and then a wooded hill. The rest of our boys would be on the hill while 3 men would be off on our far left flank and would fire a warning if the British crossed further down the creek. After the plans were made, we made our way back to camp for a restless and cold night of sleep. I only brought a single blanket and suffered for it.

 Before dawn I was awoken by stirring men and we threw on our gear and made the same hike to the creek. We got ourselves in position and began to wait. Myself and 3 others including Alan, hunkered down behind some fallen trees and before I knew it, I had fallen asleep. I awoke to Alan pointing and saying "Psst...Jake. Pssst!" I looked up to see several Tory militia men moving slowly on the other side of creek. Alan said "Take the shot when you can." I leveled my musket as one of them walked right into the open. "BANG!" He fell back with a start and the rest of our boys opened up. They returned fire. We sat tight, exchanging shots for about 15 minutes. Suddenly, on our left flank, we heard our boys fire a shot. As we looked, we could see a line of red streaming into the field and skirting up the bank towards us. That was our signal to get out of there. We fell back to our right and up the far side of the hill. The Redcoats began to engage our men up in the woods. We didn't wait. We ran back to our rally point, an old stone bridge about a half mile from where we laid the ambush. We waited as several men began to trickle in. We were sure that some of them had been captured on the hill. I was sent back to camp to camp in hope that some more reinforcement's had arrived. I will never forget as I ran back, looking across the field and seeing a small company of American Dragoons loping towards me. They looked so impressive. I briefed their Captain on what had happened and they rode towards the fray to get a closer look.

 We all ended up making it safely back to camp and had a little down time.

 Our second engagement was fairly successful. With the help of the Dragoons shielding our movements we were able to move quickly and reposition ourselves. We did this with much success but the numbers were in their favor and we gave ground. They never seemed that interested in attacking us or trying to find us. They kept up their mission of securing an area and holding it.

 Finally that evening we decided to go out one last time before it got dark. Will Gore lead our little column and I was near the front. After some hiking, we came across two Torrie's standing in a field. They didn't see us at first and Will thought we could run them down and capture them. He and I took off running as fast as we could. They saw us, fired and retreated across the field, into the woods and down a hill. We stopped and waited for our boys to catch up. We looked to our right and suddenly saw our Dragoons opening fire on the Kings 8th Regiment. It was such a majestic sight. Spits of fire against the dead foliage of the Virginia countryside in November, with a pink sunset looming over head. We quickly moved down the hill and were suddenly engaged with the 40th of Foot, the 17th and a company of Highlanders. We were able to drive off the 40th and 17th. As we pushed forward, Alan's dog, a terrier, rushed at the 40th barking. One of the men said, "Grab that dog!' Alan replied, "Go ahead, grab him! He'll bight the hell out of you!"

 We looked down below us and the Highlanders were trapped by the creek to their rear as we came rushing down the hill completely enveloping them. They formed a square and as we moved in a Torrie ran up from behind and fired at me. I ducked down and when his firearm discharged, myself and another rushed him and captured him! Unfortunately he was not our prisoner for long as the 40th and 17th had returned and began pushing us out. We were all nearly captured and truly ran for our lives through the thickets back to camp. We kept watch that night, but they never came near our camp.

 It was one of the greatest experiences of my reenacting career and I am very thankful for it.

-Jake-

Photo Dispatches from Martin's Station

After the Raid

Shirttail Mess Members, Charles Winchester & Jake Book

Members of the August Country Militia and our own Terry Perkins

Members of the Carolinas Militia Wrestling

Wrestling continued...

Jake Book watching the Carolina Boys Wrestle

Immersion Guidelines

FLOYD'S MILITIA COMPANY 

Floyd's Defeat, 1781 – 2018 Immersion Event  

All items should be hand stitched. Machine stitched is acceptable with visible stitching being hand 

sewn. 

HATS 

1. Round hat

2. Cocked tricorn hat  
3. Knit caps

  

NECKWEAR

1. Silk handkerchief or linen neck stock

SHIRTS  

1. White or checked linen shirt 

JACKETS and WAISTCOATS 

1. Hunting shirt of linen or osneberg, split up the middle, caped and

fringed. Pleated sleeves optional. 

2. Jackets and Waist coats of wool broadcloth, solid colors, linen, fit

well.  

BREACHES and TROUSERS 

1. Breechclout 

2. Breaches of Wool broadcloth, linen or brain tanned leather, fit well.

SOCKS 

1. Wool socks black, gray, white, blue.  

SHOES 

1. Brain tanned moccasins, flaps worn up. 

2. Black shoes buckle or tied 

LEGGINGS 

1. Red or Blue wool, well fit (no baggy leggings) 

2. Brain tan

ACCOUTREMENTS 

ARMS 

1. Kentucky, Virginia style rifle

2. Smoothbore fowler in period style

BAG and HORN 

1. small leather shot pouch, horn (plain or screw tip)  

2. Buffalo Horn

SIDE ARMS 

1. Hatchet hung or tucked into belt 

2. Knife (sheathed) 

CANTEENS 

    1. Staved canteens of documented period pattern with narrow 

leather or linen webbing strap. Cheese box canteens should have narrow leather keepers 

or narrow iron staples to retain the strap.    
2. Tin Canteen
3. Gourd Cantee

KNAPSACKS and BLANKET ROLLS 

1. Market Wallet, blanket roll carried on a tumpline.
2. Knapsack (Uhl)

BLANKETS 

1. Home spun, center seam blanket, white or off white with blue or red stripes 

2. Plain white

UNACCEPTABLE  

Modern eye wear, modern shoes, BEARDS, bad attitudes. 

Excessive Walnut Dye, Wearing just a waistcoat, 

canvas or heavy cotton hunting shirts and anything else 

the event coordinators deem inappropriate 

Locust Grove, Spring Encampment Gear List

 My gear for the weekend consisted of : 

Round Hat - Tim Bender 

Shirt - Michael Ramsay

Round jacket - Andrea Logsdon

Breeches - Old Pair of Jas. Townsend (Wouldn't usually recommend but I'm

still in the process of getting a hand-sewn pair)

Leggins - Matthew Fennewald 

Blanket - Amana Colonies 

Wallet - Michael Ramsay 

Bag - David Book

Horn - Lee Larkin 

Inside the Wallet: 

Sack of Cornmeal 

Parch'd Corn

Bread

 Still so much I want to perfect for Martin's Station here in a few weeks. Will make a post about that soon. 

-Jake

Backcountry Boys Drill and Fight

Don't believe the myth that everyone in the backcountry were some kind of "Hawkeye" from Last of the Mohicans.  Men served in Militias in the backcountry and they drilled.

"And for the better protection and defence of the inhabitants on the frontiers of this colony, Be it farther ordained, by the authority, aforesaid, That there shall be appointed and raised, exclusive of the regiments before mentioned, two companies, consisting each of one captain, three lieutenants, one ensign, four sergeants, two drummers, and two fifers, and one hundred men rank and file, to be stationed at Pittsburg; of which the company ordered by this convention to garrison fort Pitt, under the command of captain John Neavill, shall be one; also one other company, consisting of a lieutenant, and twenty five privates, to be stationed at fort Fincastle, at the mouth of Weeling; the other company, of one hundred men, and the twenty five men to be raised in West Augusta, also one other company, consisting of one captain, three lieutenants, one ensign, four serjeants, two drummers, and two fifers, and one hundred privates, to be raised in the county of Botetourt, and stationed at Point Pleasant, at the mouth of the great Kanawah; and one other company, consisting of the same number of officers and men as the last, to be raised in the county of Fincastle, and stationed at such posts as may, from time to time, be ordered and directed by the committee of that county.

And be it farther ordained, That the committees of the district of West Augusta, and of the counties of Botetourt and Fincastle, shall appoint the officers to the men in each to be raised; and the several companies last mentioned shall be enlisted in the same manner, and under the same regulations, as are before prescribed for the regiments, except that such companies are not to march to the general rendezvous which may be appointed for the said regiments.

And be it farther ordained, That the commanding-officers to be stationed at Point Pleasant, and Fort Fincastle, shall be under the direction of, and subject to, such orders as they may from time to time receive from the commanding officer at Fort Pitt.

And for settling the pay of the officers and soldiers to be appointed and levied as before directed, the same is declared to be as followeth, to wit: To a colonel, twenty five shillings per day; lieutenant colonels, twelve shillings and sixpence; to a major, ten shillings; a captain, six shillings; a lieutenant, four shillings; an ensign, three shillings; chaplain, ten shillings, an adjutant, holding no other office, six shillings; if in other office, three shillings; to a quarter-master, holding, or not holding, any other office, the same as to an adjutant; to a serjeant-major, to be appointed from amongst the most expert serjeants, by the commanding-officer of the regiment, two shillings and sixpence; to a serjeant, two shillings; a corporal, drummer, and fifer, each one shilling and eightpence; to each private soldier, one shilling and four pence;, to a surgeon, ten shillings; and to a surgeon's mate, five shillings per day."

- JULY 1775

 Read the full text here

Backcountry Impressions

"my dogs chased one and had him (a buffalo) flat upon his side. instead of shooting the buffaol, i took my knife and went to stab it, but the knife struck a rib, and being thin, the blade bent at the handle. When the buffalo regained his feet and loosened himself from the dogs, he turned his attention before me."