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| A cornucopia of supplies for living in the field. Typical officer's field pack contents, including "hard tack" biscuits (usually 18 per day were issued), Army issue hunting knife, "mucket," and a cone of cane sugar, weighed 76 pounds when full. Other items include blanket, canteen, compass, binoculars, small telescope, personal items (comb, shaving kit with mirror), Cavalry Tactics manual, picket pin to tether a horse, saddle repair kit, rations (such as grain) for the horse, horse tack, picket pin to thether horse, gloves, pistol, ammunition, belt, canned goods, beans in a sack, tobacco products, salted vinegar, and various other cooking condiments. Many items served dual purposes: the mucket, a large tin mug, was also used to cook in, the wide-bladed knife doubled as a shovel. The vinegar served to cover the foul taste of non-refrigerated meat that might have spoiled. While picket pins served the critical purpose of securing horses in treeless areas, they could also be extremely hazardous. The heavy iron pin flying through the air after horse was spooked resulted in a great many deaths for soldiers on the frontier. All items from the John Cobb Collection, typically on display at Fort McKavett during special events. Descriptive information, courtesy John Cobb. |