Tincross Militaria - Special Features and Articles

These photos were taken Jan 19th at the battlefield. It was a very cold day and we still had snow on the ground from an earlier snowstorm. These gentlemen are the 1st platoon from a company of 1st Maryland Volunteer Infantry. They are all very skilled living history volunteers who do programs at various civil war sites up and down the east coast. The first set is "ration issue". These pictures show the issue of 2 day rations to the individual soldiers. The rations are broken down in piles of coffee beans, soft bread ration, hard bread ration (hardtack) and fresh beef.. The corporal has the muster book and calls each soldier forward to collect his 2 day ration and must store the items in his haversack. He would have small cloth bags in which he would store the rations. The fresh beef would be cut up in frying sizes and cooked over the fire. Extra cooked meat could be wrapped and eaten later. Coffee could be ground by any field expedient method by placing beans in a cloth sack and then "crushed" with a rifle butt or any other hard tool or a rock. The ground beans would be placed in a coffee cup with water and boiled until ready. The haversack is like a "bread bag" and used to carry personal items, cooking and eating utensils a plate or canteen half as well as his "rations". A coffee cup that can double as a cooking pot is attached to the outside of the haversack. A preferred method of carrying extra clothing and a blanket would be rolled up in the "rubber blanket", tied off and worn bandoleer style across the chest and back. Hard packs were also issued, but they were heavy and cumbersome. The waist belt carried equipment such as the cap pouch and bayonet/scabbard. Some would carry a sheath knife as well. A cartridge box containing 40 rounds of ammo and a 1 quart canteen rounded out the equipment. The rifle musket was usually of .58 or .577 cal. (British Enfield) Some carried smooth bores of larger calibers and used a "buck and ball" combination. You will notice that a couple of the soldiers are dressed a bit different. One is representing a 1st Minnesota volunteer wearing the red woodsman shirt they were initially issued. The soldier in brown represents a Pennsylvania volunteer reserve private.