Military Material Culture


John U. Rees

Blankets, vol. 1, 77–78 (250 words);
Cartridge boxes, pouches, canisters, vol. 1, 173–174 (250 words);
Knapsacks and the soldiers’ burden, vol. 1, 591 (300 words);
Entries in, Mark M. Boatner, Encyclopedia of the American Revolution: Library of Military History, Harold E. Selesky, ed. (2nd Edition, Charles Scribner’s Sons, 2006)

"'That damned blue Regiment ...": Continental Army Clothing during the Monmouth Campaign," Appendix M of, "'What is this you have been about to day?': The New Jersey Brigade at the Battle of Monmouth," Article

"'The great distress of the Army for want of Blankets ...': Supply Shortages, Suffering Soldiers, and a Secret Mission During the Hard Winter of 1780": "Our condition for want of ... Blankets is quite painful ...": Shortages in the Continental Army, 1776–1779 "Without even a shadow of a blanket ...": Desperate Measures to Procure Covering for the Army, 1780
Military Collector & Historian, vol. 52, no. 3 (Fall 2000), 98–110.

"'White Wollen,' 'Striped Indian Blankets,' 'Rugs and Coverlids': The Variety of Continental Army Blankets," The Brigade Dispatch, vol. XXVI, no. 4 (Winter 2000), 11–14. Article

"Continental Soldiers' Milled Wool Caps, 1778," The Brigade Dispatch, vol. XXX, no. 2 (Summer 2000), 16–17.

"On the Use of Tin Cartridge Boxes in the Continental Army," Military Collector & Historian, vol. XLII, no. 4 (Winter 1990), 150–51. Illustration by Ross Hamel.

"The Care and Cleaning of Firelocks in the 18th Century: A Discussion of Period Methods and Their Present Day Applications," published in The Brigade Dispatch, vol. XXII, no. 2 (Summer 1991), 2–11, and Muzzleloader, vol. XXI, no. 4, (September/October 1994), 62–66.

"'The Taylors of the Regiment': Insights on Continental Soldiers Making and Mending Clothing,” The Brigade Dispatch, vol. XXIX, no. 4 (Winter 2001), 4.

"The Use of Tumplines or Blanket Slings by Light Troops," The Continental Soldier, vol. VIII, no. 2 (Summer 1995), 27–29.

"'That the Soldiers may Know... Respect': Military Courtesies Shown to Officers by Enlisted Men in the Continental Army," The Brigade Dispatch, vol. XXIII, no. 3 (Summer 1992), 11–13, 19.

"Shoulder Arms of the Officers of the Continental Army (With some mention of bayonets and the lack thereof)," The Brigade Dispatch, vol. XXIII, no. 1 (Winter 1992), 12–14.

"Firelocks in the Continental Army: Their Supply, Care and Condition," The Continental Soldier, two parts: vol. 4, no. 1 (Winter, 1991), 19–26; vol. 4, no. 2 (Spring 1992), 20–25.

"'The great Consumption of Cannon Ammunition ...': Continental Artillery at Monmouth, 28 June 1778," Military Collector & Historian, vol. 60, no. 1 (Spring 2008), 38–39.

"'The first object ... should be to clean your Arms ...': The Care and Cleaning of Firelocks in the 18th Century” (updated article, work in progress)

"'The Necessaries of a Soldier ...': The Common Soldier's Burden During the War for Independence" (work in progress): Tentative headings/contents:

1. "Complement of necessaries ... for the soldier."
2. "The load a soldier generally carries during a campaign ..."
Weapons
Ammunition and Cartridge Containers
Knapsacks, Blanket Rolls, etc.
Knapsack contents
Food Carriage and Cooking and Eating Utensils
Miscellaneous Gear

"'Taking to the field only what is essential for decency and comfort ...': Officers’ Food, Mess, and Campaign Equipage during the American War, 1775–-1783” (work in progress)

Part 1. "'Those necessaries only which cannot be dispensed with ...': Revolutionary Officers' Campaign Experience and Equipage”
1. "Things necessary for a Gentleman to be furnished with ...": Officers’ Kit for Regimental Service
2. "Divers officers are intitled to two horse wagons ...": Equipment Carriage
3. "The Absurdity of heavy Baggage ...": American and British Attempts to Reduce Excess Baggage
4. "The officers must be satisfied walking ...": Allotment of Horses
5. British Officers’ Campaign Equipage and Living Conditions.
6. American Campaign Gear and Conditions
Part 2. "'A better repast ...': Continental Army Field and Company Officers’ Fare"
Part 3. "'The repast was in the English fashion’: Revolutionary General Officers’Culinary Equipage in Camp and on Campaign"
1. "Plates, once tin but now Iron ...": General Washington’s Mess Equipment
2. "40 Dozens Lemons, in a Box": British Generals’ Provisions and Mess Equipage
3. "My poor cook is almost always sick ...": General Riedesel Goes to America
4. "A Major General & family": Nathanael Greene’s Food Ware

"'For the purpose of carrying Ammunition’: American Cartouche Pouch Quality, Cartridges, and Tin and Iron Ammunition Canisters, 1775-1780" (updated article, work in progress)

"'Think of me kindly for my spirit may want help ere this terrible work is done': Commemorating Solebury’s Soldiers," Solebury Chronicle (Newsletter of the Solebury Township Historical Society), vol. 12, no. 2 (Spring 2010), 4–5.


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