1760's 42nd kit

**Sir William** · 2nd July 11, 08:23 AM

Originally Posted by clan campbell

i do french and indian war reenactments, i was wondering if anybody knew of a place i could get my hands on the back pack that they would have been issued, my unit wants to march into events with all of out gear like they would have then,

thanks

Donald Campbell

I recently did some research into packs, both military and civilian, carried during the F&I War for a School of the Ranger presentation.

Packs were not a "regulation" item, but purchased by the commanding officer. The predominant military-style pack of this time was a single-strap bag (think of an envelope). The bag was commonly made of cowhide, but some were made of hemp canvas. The soldier's personal effects were carried inside the bag, while the blanket was folded under the flap.

There are vendors who make these types of bags, but they can also easily be made.

The two-strap style bags (worn over both shoulders) was coming into fashion late in the war, initially being little more than a converted haversack. These seem to have been popular with the provincials but the British Army didn't seem to start adopting them until 1760.

**longhuntr74** · 2nd July 11, 09:33 AM

Originally Posted by Sir William

I recently did some research into packs, both military and civilian, carried during the F&I War for a School of the Ranger presentation.

Packs were not a "regulation" item, but purchased by the commanding officer. The predominant military-style pack of this time was a single-strap bag (think of an envelope). The bag was commonly made of cowhide, but some were made of hemp canvas. The soldier's personal effects were carried inside the bag, while the blanket was folded under the flap.

There are vendors who make these types of bags, but they can also easily be made.

The two-strap style bags (worn over both shoulders) was coming into fashion late in the war, initially being little more than a converted haversack. These seem to have been popular with the provincials but the British Army didn't seem to start adopting them until 1760.

Sir William,
Interesting. My research into the subject gave me the opposite understanding (though I admit it is not extensive). Do you have references regarding the envelope style of pack in use prior to the 1760s? If so, can you share it?

I have read in at least two places (pretty sure that Mark Baker was one of them) that the envelope type of bag can only be dated back to the 1760s and that the knapsack was "de-rigeur" during the F&I period. I know that there are multiple extant examples of American units using the envelope style of bag with painted and stenciled flaps during the American Revolution (ref. Illustrated Encyclopedia of the American Revolution)...but, as you have stated, I believe the British Army did use knapsacks rather than the envelope style during the American Revolution. I thought they used the same style during the F&I period as well, however?

To the OP...Another early style of bag that was in use was the "snap sack" which is basically a tube of fabric that is stuffed with your belongings and tied to the strap at both ends. The blanket would then be wrapped around the outside of the tube and buckled or tied. I don't believe that this would have been an "issued" style of pack either...but if Sir William is correct, this style may have been in use by military troops.

**Woodsheal** · 2nd July 11, 02:59 PM

Here is one of the Penicuik drawings showing British regulars on the march, 1745. Four have snapsacks, and one (2nd from left) seems to have the envelope style:

And here's one of the Morier paintings fromthe 1750s showing grenadiers in field kit. Note the linen haversack worn on the right side, and the dark-colored snapsack (probably leather) worn on the left:

I'd go with a cowhide snapsack...!