This article was no written for this forum, but it should fit in okay. I have always thought on the same lines as BCpete, my usual gear that I carry in the woods is my survival kit.
© Le Loup, Wychwood Forest, MSF 2007, Armidale 2350.
18th Century Historical Trekking-How Little Should We Carry?
What sort of scenario do you construct for 18th century Historical Trekking? A Peter Kalm scenario where you are simply travelling the countryside, or perhaps as a scout or part of a militia, a trained band. How much do we know about what these people carried ? Diaries rarely tell us anything about clothing, equipment or foods taken on the journey. Although I think some people in the 18th century thought much the same as some of us in this century, I think the early woodsmen in the colonial New World thought differently when it comes to survival.
When I think of wilderness survival I think of the barest equipment I can get away with, making a compromise between minimum weight and maximum self-reliance, but does this still means that I end up carrying more items than a woodsman in the 18th century would have? Let us examine an average militia list in the 18th century and see how we compare.
1. "Each soldier to provide himself with a good fire arm, a steel or iron ram rod and a spring for same, a worm, a priming wire and brush, a bayonet fitted to his gun, a scabbard and belt thereof, a cutting sword or tomahawk or hatchet, a . . .cartridge box holding fifteen rounds . . . at least, a hundred buckshot, six flints, one pound of powder, forty leaden balls fitted to the gun, a knapsack and blanket, [and] a canteen or wooden bottle to hold one quart [of water]" (Journal of Arthur Harris of the Bridgewater Coy of Militia.)
1) Fusil or musket.
2) Worm, priming wire and pan brush.
3) Tomahawk or hatchet.
4) Belly-box holding 15 rounds in paper cartridges.
5) 100 buckshot.
6) 6 gun flints.
7) One pound of gunpowder in a powder horn.
8) 40 round ball in a shot pouch.
9) A knapsack.
10) Blanket roll.
11) Water bottle or leather Costrel.
If I am a woodsman not doing duty in the militia, I would substitute the 15 cartridges and belly-box for a pouch of bird-shot. Now obviously by looking at this list we must assume that other personal items were probably carried beside what is on this list, lets look at some of those items.
1) A belt knife or butcher knife (Mentioned as a requirement in some militia lists).
2) A clasp knife (Some militia requirements include a jackknife).
3) A tinderbox, flint and steel.
4) A turn screw and pin punch (Required to remove gun lock and barrel).
5) A greased leather lock cover.
6) A cup and perhaps a spirit flask.
7) Spare tinder in a gunpowder wallet.
8) Needle and linen thread and sinew for moccasin repairs.
9) An awl
10) Soap and comb (Record of purchases in Baynton & Wharton trade papers).
11) A haversack or food bag (Mentioned in some lists of militia requirements).
12) Provisions (food).
The above must surely be basic needs, but what of the other items that I would naturally think of taking into a wilderness situation? Can I justify these other items, or did the 18th century woodsman or militia man go without, just assume that if something went wrong he would be able to survive anyway. What do you think?
1) A small brass trade kettle. Some one in the militia, possibly one in every four men, would probably carry a kettle for cooking food and perhaps brewing tea. But would a woodsman carry a kettle?
2) Spare gun lock parts, springs and a main spring vice.
3) Ball and shot moulds and lead.
4) Spare pair of moccasins.
I carry these items also, but can I justify carrying them?
Militia food supplies.
George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, Winchester, November 9, 1756.
"Allowance for each man, as other soldiers do, they look upon as the highest indignity, and would sooner starve, than carry a few days' provision on their backs for conveniency".
The men were issued salt pork, biscuit, and West India Rum, or were given the cash equivalent if they chose to procure their own food. Various journals kept by the men make constant references to hunting and fishing, so the option of keeping the cash and eating fresh food instead of salt pork was apparently exercised often.
http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Rapids/5776/goffe.htm
I gave orders to them to go home and fetch their arms whether guns, swords, pitchforks, axes or whatsoever might be of use against the enemy and for three days provision in their knapsacks. (Early 18th century).
) so my needs are covered really with a good knife and a good saw and the possibles pouch.
My urban mini survival kit includes antacids, needle and thread, spare buttons, a whistle, money, chapstick, duct tape, mini flashlight, mini bic lighter, safety pins, a small epoxy packet, a small stick of hot glue, wire, razor blade, pencil, paper, and safety pins.
