French Knapsack

[Chad Wrinn]

I asked this on another forum but they talked around it and did not give me an answer so I'll see what I can get here,

How would you go about packing a French Knapsack? What is the pocket on the flap used for? For all I can tell it is an 1854 model.
Thanks,

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

Chad, I've yet to find any definitive source that describes how "they" packed them, so I revert to the common sense of someone who's had to carry a knapsack for some miles. Pack the softest stuff next to your pack in the main bag, like shirts, drawers, etc, followed by the other odds and ends that you may need out quicker over them in the main bag. In the flap part in the envelope with the small leather bound opening, I've always placed a flat shirt, a notebook or stationary, or larger flat items that I may need to pull out quick, like at a rest stop. Most of the time though, I never had enough to completely fill it, so I left the flap empty and placed a tent fly or blanket between the flap and the main body like I do with the Fed double bag. This is of course opinion and conjecture and I by no means claim to have any period reference describing this method. As with most CS packs, particularly the imported ones like the I&C or the 1854 French pack, I'm unaware of a "regulation" method of packing.

[packrat]

Once again Ross comes through, The outer flap compartment was a feature on the French Knapsack that never seemed to change even when the pack changed from hair-on calfskin to oilcloth in 1879 . The staff at the Musse De L'Armee could shed little light on the specified items placed there but stated "the passage" was on all examples in there collection as far as they knew. And suggested that item such as the Kepi cover and waist sash as well as extra shirt could have been stored for parade purposes. Also stated that the overpacking by the french troops (documented up to 80 pounds) was the cause of many ailments with there troops. Thats our two cents. YMHS Paul Lopes acwknapsacks

[packrat]

further research shows I was a bit off, the purpose of the front flap compartment was for the soldiers papers, but they did sore other items as we have summized, post CW french regs called for packing to be shirt, hankerchief, gun cleaning tools then xtra ammo, foodstuffs, hardtack in cotton bags, topped off by the folded inside out short mess jacket which the soldiers didn't seem to care for much. YHS Paul Lopes

[Pvt Schnapps]

The McClellan report on the Armies of Europe, published in 1861 and available on Google Books, makes for some interesting reading, especially if you want to compare the load of European soldiers to what became the norm for US and CS armies.

Unfortunately, it gives no details for the French knapsack other than saying that the greatcoat and shelter half are strapped on the outside and rations are carried, among other things, on the inside.

However, for the Prussian knapsack, which looks similar, the contents are given as: "1 pair of cloth pants, 1 overcoat, 1 forage cap, 1 pair of shoes, 1 pair of extra soles, 1 shirt, 1 pair of drawers, brushes, shaving-materials, and 20 rounds of cartridges." The report includes a diagram. The overcoat was either strapped around the knapsack or carried like a blanket roll.

Interestingly, the Prussian troops carried no canteen, only a small flask of brandy in the haversack.

Anyway, I suppose you could leave out the extra soles. :)

[Chad Wrinn]

thanks for the information