THE STRANGE HISTORY OF BUFF LEATHER- ITS ORIGINS AND MILITARY APPLICATIONS By David Jarnagin & Ken R Knopp Published in several periodicals, this article was the Journal of Military Collector’s […]
19th Century Leather Definitions
By David Jarnagin Vegetable Tannage: “A generic term to cover the process of making leather by the use of tannins obtained from barks, woods or other parts of plants and trees, as distinguished from “mineral tannages”. Belt –Vegetable tanned leather used in making drive belts for machinery. Bridle – vegetable tanned leather finished on the […]
A Shortage of Haversacks & Canteens Among Western CS Cavalry?
WAS THERE A CHRONIC SHORTAGE OF HAVERSACKS & CANTEENS AMONG WESTERN CS CAVALRY? OR WAS IT A SHORTAGE BY “CHOICE”? By Ken R. Knopp (Second in a series of articles on Confederate Cavalry arms and equipment exclusively for the Camp Chase) Official inspections taken of Confederate cavalry during the war are incredibly […]
American Curry Combs: History & Identification
This was initially published in the 2011 Jan/Feb issue of North South Trader’s Civil War Magazine. The culmination of a fifteen year passion and effort, I was significantly assisted by resarch materials provided by my old Yankee friend Ralph Emerson Jr. – I consider it one of my best works and humbly dedicate it to him. Ken […]
British Saddlery and Horse Equipments Imported by the Confederacy
It is well known that the Southern Confederacy relied on foreign imports for a significant amount of its arms and material needs during the War between the States. Much less renown is the fact that foreign supply was also an important source of saddlery and horse equipments intended for the Confederate Army’s Officer Corps.
Civil War Federal Contractors of Saddlery, Horse Equipment & Hardware
By Ken R Knopp Author’s Note: The following information has been compiled over many years of my research in Confederate saddlery and documents. It sources are that of several readily available books, articles and artifacts. Since my main area of research has not focused on Federal equipment or manufacturing, I must admit it may contain […]
Civilian Bridles of Antebellum America
CIVILIAN BRIDLES OF ANTEBELLUM AMERICA By Ken R Knopp As artifacts, 19th century civilian (non-military) bridles are very difficult to identify. Their common appearance and similarities in pattern and materials throughout the late 18th, the 19th and early 20th centuries often render […]
Commercial and Catalog Saddles of 19th & Early 20th Century America
COMMERCIAL & CATALOG SADDLES OF 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY AMERICA By Ken R Knopp (originally published NORTH SOUTH TRADER’s CIVIL WAR, Dec. 2008) CRITICAL NOTE: The information contained in this article is very dated! I have purposely left out some photos and updates due to the fact my newest book AMERICAN RIDING & […]
Confederate Cavalry Halters
This article originally published in the North South Trader’s Civil War, Sep.-Oct., 1996. For the collector, reenactor, and researcher, the “Confederate-made” halter has been one of the more obscure and elusive, items of cavalry horse equipments. Many tens of thousands were manufactured by the Southern government during the war, yet few, if any, documented Confederate […]
Confederate Drill Manuals
CAVALRY/ARTILLERY MANUALS USED BY MOUNTED FORCES OF THE CONFEDERACY Compiled by Ken R Knopp The eleven manuals listed below are some of the known tactical manuals employed by the cavalry, artillery and mounted infantry of the Confederate Army during the War Between the States. Each is listed by its author’s name. […]
Confederate Horse in Camp & Field
THE CONFEDERATE HORSE IN CAMP AND FIELD By Ken R Knopp This article was published in several periodicals over the years and has been the basis for a similar “talk” I often give to historical groups. The legendary and often over-romanticized image of the […]
Confederate Leather: Black or Brown? How and Where?
By David Jarnagin and Ken R Knopp (originally published in NORTH SOUTH TRADER’S CIVIL WAR Aug. 2007 and Camp Chase Gazette 2009) As any artifact collector or reenactor knows there are two primary colors when it comes to Civil War era leather- black and brown (“russet”). It was thought for many years that Confederate […]
Confederate Saddle Stirrups and Other Common War Time Patterns
CONFEDERATE SADDLE STIRRUPS AND OTHER COMMON WAR TIME PATTERNS By Ken R Knopp I wrote this article sometime about 2005. This article ran in the North South Trader (I cant remember when?) as well as Camp Chase Gazette. I have learned a lot more and accumulated many more photos since it was wrote. […]
Hemlock Leather, The Federal Ordnance Department’s “Other” War
HEMLOCK LEATHER: THE FEDERAL ORDNANCE DEPARTMENT’S “OTHER” WAR By David Jarnagin & Ken R Knopp (Originally published in the Company Journal of Military Historians in 2005. The by line went to David but it was a collaborative effort with David’s research and my writing) Most of us know that the use of leather in […]
Military Leather in the 19th Century – Its Methods & Secrets
By David Jarnagin and Ken R Knopp (originally published in the Journal of Military Historians) Historians, collectors and reenactors are well aware that mid-19th century Federal military regulations required most leather equipment and accouterments to be dyed black in color. But why? And, just how was it done? Moreover, if black was the finish […]
Overview: Horse Equipment in the Civil War
Just how important was horse equipment in the scheme of battlefield victories? Arguably, just as important as were arms, ammunition or any other article of military necessity. Despite the evolving tactics of mid-19th Century warfare, the cavalry and field artillery’s role nevertheless remained central to an army’s effectiveness. […]
Reenactor: Ten Ways to Find the Authentic Experience
TEN WAYS TO FIND THE AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCE By Ken R Knopp Originally published in the Camp Chase Gazette (July 2010 Issue) Do you want to get more enjoyment from your reenacting experience? Well, first humble yourself! Keep an open mind. No one alive today knows what […]
Specs of a Richmond Arsenal Officer’s Saddle
CONFEDERATE OFFICER’S JENIFER SADDLE Richmond Arsenal, c. Spring 1862-Dec.1863 Authenticity/Provenance Appraisal by Ken R. Knopp Surviving Confederate Ordnance Department documentation and the saddle’s physical evidence indicates that this saddle is a Confederate Richmond Arsenal officer’s pattern saddle finished at the Clarksville Virginia Ordnance Harness Shops sometime between the Spring of 1862 and […]
The Confederate Issue Cavalry Carbine Sling
Among the many pieces of infantry, cavalry and artillery accoutrements manufactured by the Confederacy during the war, the evolution of the cavalry carbine sling seems to exemplify the Confederate Ordnance Department’s overall equipment supply challenges and their reactions, in what became their herculean and largely successful effort to field an army from scratch.
The Confederate Spanish Moss Blanket
This article originally published in the North South Trader’s Civil War, Jan.-Feb., 1996. The of the most obscure items ever issued by the Confederate Ordnance Department was certainly the Spanish moss saddle blanket. Nearly every arsenal’s records feature references to this cavalry item, some of them quite prominently, yet saddle historians have long been baffled […]
The Reenactor’s Guide to Leather Care in the 19th Century
By David Jarnagin & Ken R Knopp (Published in CIVIL WAR HISTORIAN (November 2008); SMOKE & FIRE NEWS, CIVIL WAR HISTORIAN (Dec. 2008); CAMP CHASE GAZETTE and others) How did the “Boy’s of 61″ care for their leather equipment? What did they use? Was there common knowledge about leather care in the mid-19th century? Is […]
The Richmond Arsenal “Troopers” Skeleton Saddles…
SUMMARY OF THE RICHMOND ARSENAL PRODUCTION OF “SKELETON” SADDLES FOR C.S. TROOPERS By KEN R. KNOPPThe descriptions below represent the most commonly manufactured “Skeleton” saddles for trooper’s use as prescribed by Richmond Arsenal authorities. Officer’s saddles differed greatly. NOTE: Wide variations of leather, hardware and even tree configurations used in Jenifer and McClellen trooper’s skeleton […]
The Richmond Arsenal Officer’s Bridle Bit
Richmond Arsenal Confederate Officer’s bit. Cast brass cheek pieces with iron curb mouthpiece. Very few of these are found completely intact. Surviving primary evidence suggests it was made by the Raleigh North Carolina firm of Shay, Williamson & Company. Riding bits used by the mounted arm of the Confederate cavalry and artillery have long been […]