A Soldier`s Haversack

a soldier’s haversack
life on the battlefield and in camp
what’s inside…
Artifacts in the Tan Soldier’s Haversack
4Civil War stationery and Pen
4Civil War Journal
4Drumsticks
4Playing cards
4Knife/fork/spoon combo
4Bullets
4Housewife (sewing kit)
Warning, scissors are sharp
4Handybook for the U.S. Soldier
Primary Documents in the Tan Soldier’s Haversack
Soldier’s Documents.
Consent forms.
Photograph of Willie Johnston, age 13. FromVermont Historical Society.
Nelson W. Hazelton letter, June 6, 1864. From the collection of Howard Coffin.
Tabor Parcher letter, May 13, 1864. From the collection of Howard Coffin.
Other Materials
Music CD performed by Sparky and Rhonda Rucker. The Blue and the Gray in Black andWhite. Flying Fish Records, 1992.
“Tenting on the Old Camp Ground” is track 7.
Poster: Winter Quarters of theVermont Brigade In Front of Fredericksburg,Virginia,1862-1863.
Related Books
Fighting Men of the CivilWar, Battlefields of the Civil War, Mr. Lincoln’s Drummer, Civil War:Vermont Heroes in Our Midst.
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a soldier’s haversack
life on the battlefield and in camp
Background Information
A soldier’s life during the Civil War was one of extremes: stretches of boredom and restlessness in camp and stints of tiresome long marching contrasted with brief intense periods of terrible fighting. Day-to-day life varied widely. Letters from
and diaries of soldiers are the best evidence we have of Vermont soldiers’ lives.
“Haversack” is a bag carried over one shoulder, used to transport supplies. The word is rooted in old German “haber”
meaning “oats.” A soldier’s haversack was his luggage, it contained all of his essentials–rations and tools, along with things to
help pass the time and to communicate back home. This haversack contains reproduction artifacts and documents that would
likely have been carried by Vermont soldiers. Consider reading Mr. Lincoln’s Drummer in conjunction with this section.
Letters from the Battlefront
Letter writing was the common means of communication between a soldier and home. Soldiers corresponded with loved
ones in Vermont for many different reasons: to share news of illness and injury, to comfort them while homesick, to request
badly needed food or supplies, to reassure them of their health. Some of the surviving letters home are very long and detailed,
reflecting extended periods of empty time at camp, and serve as excellent records of daily life.
“It is my pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you of my present situation.. .”
–Nelson Hazelton, Cold Harbor
Many of the letters convey the fear of the soldiers and
the intensity of the fighting. The two letters in the haversack were written by Vermont soldiers participating in
Grant’s Overland Campaign and are transcribed at the
end of this section. The first was written by Tabor
Parcher of Waterbury to his wife on May 13, 1864. As a
private in the 10th Regiment, Company B, he was serving
under the command of Lt. Col. William W. Henry, also
from Waterbury. The 10th had been under some fire during the Battle of the Wilderness eight days before and then
had moved on to Spotsylvania, where they had been on the
skirmish line just two days before the letter was written.
Parcher survived the Overland Campaign and was promoted to corporal on July 5, 1864. He mustered out on
May 13, 1865. Parcher mentioned two Waterbury boys,
Joe Young and Osman Clark, who were wounded on May
10. Clark died from his wounds two months later. Young
was discharged for disability the next year.
The second letter was written by Nelson W.
Hazelton (spelled “Hesselton” in the roster) from
Townshend, to his mother. Dated June 6, 1864, he was
writing on the fourth day of the Battle of Cold Harbor. A
private in the 6th Vermont, his regiment would remain
engaged for eight more days. The 6th had been fighting
desperately since May 5, at the beginning of the Battle of
the Wilderness, when they lost nearly half of their men to
death and injury. From there, the 6th Vermont marched
on to serve on the front lines in Spotsylvania Court house
(May 10-11) and at the Battle of the Bloody Angle (May
12). Hazelton survived all of the fighting, only to die from
disease a year later, on July 31, 1865.
For more information on Vermont’s Civil War letters, see the bibliography. For more information on the Battle of theWilderness and
the Battle of Cold Harbor,see Howard Coffin’s essay Vermont in
the Civil War, in this kit.
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Young Soldiers
The items in the haversack may be used in conjunction with
Mr. Lincoln’s Drummer, which tells the story of young Willie
Johnston of St. Johnsbury, Vermont. Though fiction, it is
strongly based on fact and includes interesting and detailed
descriptions of daily life for Willie and his comrades. The
demand for soldiers and the eagerness and patriotism of
some young lads, led to the enlistment of many Vermont
boys under 18 years of age. Many, like Willie Johnston
served as musicians. Parents of soldiers under 18 had to sign
consent forms granting them permission to join. Sample
consent forms are in the haversack.
Consent form. From Vermont Historical Society.
Housing
Civil War soldiers, particularly Union soldiers, carried shelter halves in their packs when on the march. The halves
could be tied together to make a pup tent when they went into camp. Often, tired soldiers slept on the ground, rain
or shine, too exhausted to put up a tent at the end of a long day’s march. Many Union soldiers carried rubber blankets
to put beneath them, and a single cloth blanket to put over them. Confederate soldiers had far less equipment, most
likely no rubber blanket, many did not have shelter halves, and so they slept under the stars, often uncovered.
Sometimes they used pine or spruce bows to soften the ground. In winter, soldiers of both armies often built little log
cabin-like structures, with the cracks
filled with mud. A small fireplace,
sometimes a stove, was built or placed
inside, and a chimney, usually a pipe,
extended through the roof. That roof
was often made of shelter halves,
sometimes of boards. It was not
uncommon for these rough structures
to burn to the ground, and soldiers
often plugged the chimneys of neighboring huts to fill them with smoke as
a prank.
Woodstock Light Infantry housing.
From Woodstock Historical Society.
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Food
Letters from Vermont soldiers demonstrate that food was often in the forefront of their mind. Rations for the armies
were delivered by rail, but soldiers often foraged near camp to supplement rations.
With every 100 rations, the
following items would be
distributed:
4 1 peck of beans or peas
10 pounds of rice or hominy
10 pounds of green coffee (it
would be roasted at camp) OR
8 pounds roasted and ground
4 1 pound 8 ounces of tea
4 15 pounds of sugar
4 1 pound 4 ounces of candles
4 4 pounds of soap
4 2 quarts of salt
4 4 quarts of vinegar
4 4 ounces of pepper
4 bushel of potatoes (when available)
4 1 quart of molasses
Marching rations were limited
to what could be prepared and
carried while on the road.
They commonly consisted of:
41 pound hardtack
4 1 pound salt pork OR 1 pound
fresh meat
4 sugar
4 coffee
4 salt
Hard tack (also called “hard bread”) is a plain flour and water biscuit that was very
commonly distributed for soldiers’ rations. It was hard and supposedly traveled
well without spoiling (it was shipped in 60-pound boxes), although soldiers tell
of many shipments of moldy or maggot-infested hardtack. It was so hard and
sturdy that many soldiers kept hardtack as a keepsake from the War. Your local
historical museum may have hardtack on display.
Soldiers were creative in making hardtack more edible. They might crumble it
in coffee or soups or toast it over the fire. Another method, called “skillygalee,”
consisted of soaking it in cold water, then frying in pork fat and salt.
Hardtack Recipe
From www.nps.gov/gett/gettkidz/hardtack.htm
2 cups of flour
1/2 to 3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon of Crisco or vegetable fat
6 pinches of salt
Mix the ingredients together into a stiff batter, knead several times, and spread
the dough out flat to a thickness of 1/2 inch on a non-greased cookie sheet.
Bake for one-half an hour at 400 degrees. Remove from oven, cut dough into
3-inch squares, and punch four rows of holes, four holes per row into the
dough. Turn dough over, return to the oven and bake another one-half hour.
Turn oven off and leave the door closed. Leave the hardtack in the oven until
cool. Remove and enjoy! Watch your teeth.
For more information on living in camp see: 4http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/gettex/getintro.htm
4Battlefields of the Civil War and Fighting Men of the Civil War (included in this kit).
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Music
“a drum is the heartbeat of an army. its tempo lets you know whether to hurry along, steady yourself,
or take to your heels. it tells you when to get up, eat, and go to bed. and the fellow who taps out
the calls is the very heart of every company in every regiment in every army.”
–The opening of Mr. Lincoln’s Drummer
Musicians had important duties in the
Civil War. The sharp sounds of brass
horns, drums, and fifes could be heard
over the commotion of battle or noises of camp and were very important in
communicating commands. On the
field, fifers played shrill tunes accompanied by drummers beating various
beats. Drumbeats originally served
two purposes: to tell soldiers what to
do and to keep them in step. Buglers
were crucial in the war because they
sounded out commands.These included camp commands such as reveille in
the morning and tattoo at night, as
well as field commands such as
advance and retreat.
The Vermont Brigade Band had the
typical duties of playing in dress
parades, guard mounting, morning
colors, regimental and divisional
reviews and funerals. During battle,
musicians often served as stretcherbearers and medical orderlies. They
helped in transporting the wounded
and burying the dead. Two Vermont
drummer boys showed great heroism
at the Battle at Lee’s Mill. Henry
Davenport, an eleven-year-old drum-
mer in the Sixth Vermont, pulled the
wounded Captain Davenport, his
father, from a stream. Julian Scott,
from Johnson, Vermont, was a 16year-old drummer in Company E of
the Third Vermont Regiment. He
received the Medal of Honor for
crossing the Warwick River to rescue
wounded solders. He would later
receive great recognition as an artist
(and painter of The Battle at Cedar Creek
painting in the Vermont State House).
Chapter 7 of Mr. Lincoln’s Drummer features a fictional account of Julian
Scott’s actions.
“Tenting Tonight on the Old Camp
Ground,” written by Walter Kittredge
of Merrimack, New Hampshire, was
among the most popular songs written
during the Civil War. This song of sorrow and homesickness was sung by
both Union and Confederate troops.
The lyrics are provided (right).
Listen to track 7 of the enclosed CD by
Sparky and Rhonda Rucker to hear it.
For more information on Civil War music see:
4www.vermontcivilwar.org, “Virtual Museum Music Room” by David Niles
4www.civilwarmusic.net
Tenting Tonight on the
Old Camp Ground.
by Walter Kittredge
We're tenting tonight on the
old camp ground,
Give us a song to cheer
Our weary hearts,
a song of home,
And friends we love so dear.
Chorus:
Many are the hearts that are
weary tonight,
Wishing for the war to cease;
Many are the hearts looking
for the right
To see the dawn of peace.
Tenting tonight, tenting tonight,
Tenting on the old camp ground.
We are tired of war on the old
camp ground,
Many are dead and gone,
Of the brave and true who've
left their homes,
Others been wounded long.
(Chorus)
We've been fighting today on the
old camp ground,
Many are lying near;
Some are dead and some are dying,
Many are in tears.
(Chorus)
Dying tonight, dying tonight,
Dying on the old camp ground.
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classroom connections
Exploring Primary Sources
Compare the lyrics of Confederate and Union songs from the CD.
Ask students to identify the artifacts in the haversack and create a chart to show what is there and what its purpose was.
Brainstorm what items might be missing from the haversack that you think a soldier would need.
Asking Questions
Have students generate a list of questions based on life on the battlefield and in camp. Resources to help them answer
their questions can be found in this kit’s resource books: Fighting Men of the Civil War, Battlefields of the Civil War, and
online at http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/gettex/getintro.htm as well as other websites listed in the bibliography. Have students write a letter from the perspective of a soldier detailing their findings. Students might also
create sketches of camp life or battle conditions as Julian Scott did in Mr. Lincoln’s Drummer.
Connecting Past to Present
During the Civil War, parents of soldiers under 18 had to sign consent forms granting them permission to join. Indeed,
boys as young as 12 years old went to war. It is estimated that 10-20% of the soldiers were underage. A packet of
sample consent forms is located in the haversack. Look at these forms to generate some ideas about the rules for
consent during the Civil War. What is the required age for joining the military today? How have the enlistment
regulations changed?
Researching Local Civil War Soldiers
Adapted from lessons by Jennifer Boeri-Boyce, Grade 8, Hartford Middle School. See www.flowofhistory.org for her extended lessons.
4Using town histories and documents, cemeteries, the Internet, and the school library, students research individual soldiers
from their town who fought in the Civil War. This enables students to connect national issues with local people, places,
and events.
4Find a list of soldiers who enlisted from your town and select a group for your students to research. Your town history or
records may provide a list. Working with a local historian or visiting the local historical society is very helpful and can save
you a lot of time. You can also go to www.vermontcivilwar.org, click on the cemeteries page and find a list of soldiers
buried in your town.
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Researching Local Civil War Soldiers continued
4Take your students to the cemetery to find their soldiers or
4Have students find a focus for their research and soldier’s
have your students begin at www.vermontcivilwar.org.
- Check the units page for the soldier.
- Check the roster and find out what company he was in.
- Go to the company page and find out as much as possible about when he fought and what happened to him.
- At the unit history page or battles page figure out what
battles he was in.
story. Perhaps their soldier was in a significant battle, was
wounded, or received a medal of honor. Students should
build a historical context around their focused research.
See the bibliography for a list of websites that will help
students to build a context for their soldier’s lives. The
National Park Service and the Library of Congress have
both primary sources and concise background
information.
4For most soldiers, students will only find enlistment data
and will need to read about the regiment’s history. For
every regiment there is a chronology of when, where, and
how each participated in the war.
4Finally, students should think about the significance of their
research. Why did their soldier’s actions matter? What did
they learn from this story? Why is it a story worth telling?
Is it significant to history? Is it significant to us today?
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letter transcriptions
4Tabor Parcher
4Nelson Hazelton
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From the collection of the Vermont Historical Society.
balls are flying over my
head as I write but I have
been lucky so far I am well
& safe we took 8,000 prisoners
yesterday a Major Gen & one
brigadir wall I cant write
eny more be of good cheer
Dear wife & hope for the best
I may be one of the lucky ones
and come out all right doant
get discouraged be sure & send
word to my folks some way
Still I have a chance
& am spared we are
having a hard time & add we have
been under fire for 8 days & am
liable to be as meny more
before we whip Lee's [?] forces but
we are ganing a little the
Dearest Wife
Head Quarters Third Army Corps.
1864
Camp in line of battle in the
woods whare I cant tell May 13
Tabor Parcher Letter, May 13, 1864 page 1
tabor parcher letter, may 13, 1864, page 1
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From the collection of the Vermont Historical Society.
=any
wer wounded in this comp
Joe Young & Osman Clark
husband Tabor
your ever true
all the Waterrbury boys from
Jerome [?] is all right & so are
Good bye dearest good bye
s soon as you get this.
Tabor Parcher Letter, May 13, 1864 page 2
tabor parcher letter, may 13, 1864, page 2
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From the collection of the Vermont Historical Society.
but exspectted when I should
not happen to get a scratch as yet,
me once [?] head and shoulders, but did
on all sides, and came very near to
over our heads in all directions and
since.. the shot and shels came
under fire of the enomy ever
and regement and whitch I have bin
2nd [?] of june, and then I join my Company
road most of the time till the
on the 13th [?] of may, and was on the
past or more, I left brattleboro
preasant situation and for a week
in hand to inform you of my
plasure that I take my pen
around his throne.. it is with
our heavenly father and his angles
hope we shall meat in heaven with
for a while if not forever but
am sepperrated from her now here
grate deal of and do now, but I
bin with a good deal and think a
My Dear mother Whom I wonce have
Cole [sic] Harbor·June 6th, 1864
Nelson W. Hazelton Letter, June 6, 1864 page 1
nelson w. hazelton letter, june 6, 1864, page 1
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From the collection of the Vermont Historical Society.
page 2
is a larg armey here.. and big battle
that are killed and wounded, there
do the best they can with thoes
commenced fireing agin, they
not have time to burry before they
on the battle field.. whitch they did
on the ground that was killed the day before
around and see quite a nomber lay
other regement.. there I could look
my company and a number from
company.. there was two wounded in
the regement but not eny from our
near it.. there was som killed in
I did not get hit but came verry
not meny hundred yards from the enomy.. but
was in front of all of the rest but
hard fireing on both sides, for we
for that, but there was som pretty
relived.. it was rainy but did not care
eving about 8oh clock before we was
and stade there un till Saturday
we had finished we took our arms
front to build brest works, and after
went in
to be fought.. last night there was somlast friday nite my regement
Nelson W. Hazelton Letter,
nelson w. hazelton letter, june 6, 1864, page 2
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From the collection of the Vermont Historical Society.
page 3
last summer, I hope you will be
better where you are then you did
home for I think you will fare
glad that you have change your
out here where I am now. I am
but I thought I did till I came
try it. for I could never reallize it,
care, you cant reallize it till you
mutch a poor soldires nead rest and
sleep, oh mother you cant tell how
that they must have rest and
cause they get so tired and wery
of loosing their lives, but it is be
while they are in so much danger
how enny one can sleep so sound
at last I fel a sleep, it is strange
was to suffer for want of care, and
must be lost, and how menny there
a thinking about how menny lives there
into my tent, I lade there a spell
or a ball would come over and strike
thinking every moment that a shell
flat uppon my back in my tent a
fireing, but I layed on the ground
to be fought.. last night there was som
Nelson W. Hazelton Letter,
nelson w. hazelton letter, june 6, 1864, page 3
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From the collection of the Vermont Historical Society.
page 4
a soldier’s haversack
as you get this
pleas write soon
D..C..
Washington
Company B, 6th Vermont Volenters
Mr. Nelson W. Hazelton
faithfull so good by, the Directtions [?].
on earth we shall in heaven, if we are
get this and if we never should meat agin
this time.. please rite soon as you
So mother I must close for
of that bright hope whitch god gave us.
would break. so I must have hold
it want for the hope the hart
my shoulders.. you know if
my load and wait of sin uppon
and savior I should sink benieath
for my hope and trust in my god
I live in hopes to. for if it want
it looks very gloomy to me now. but
shall both live to meat agin, but
very easy, but mother I hope we
water to drink whitch I cant get
year.. the most I suffer for is good
cared for better then you was last
Nelson W. Hazelton Letter,
nelson w. hazelton letter, june 6, 1864, page 4
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