Grenadier 33rd foot 1776

[Tecumsea]

I'm currently working on this 75mm Seil model which is based on an illustration in Don Troiani's Soldiers in the American Revolution. His backpack is covered in Goatskin any idea what the pack was made of? Wood? Leather? what colour would it be,?

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks......Keith

 

[Helm]

I believe and Lord knows I am no expert Keith I read somewhere it was a wood and canvas frame. While not specific this bears it out http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...=british army 1776 knapsack materials&f=false
Steve

 

[billyturnip]

I think Steve's correct but I can't find anything in my references to back up that claim.

Roger.

 

[Tony Barton]

I think the goatskin ones had a canvas lining, rectangular and about 18" wide, but that would be invisible : all you would see was the goatskin and the buff straps. There was no stiffening in them beyond that.
Goatskins mostly white but sometimes white and brown in patches .Three short buff straps-and-buckles on the backto close the flap , two buff shoulder straps with a connecting buckled breast strap.
There were all-canvas knapsacks in use at that period as well, painted with oil paint, mostly red ochre coloured , made in the " envelope" style , which lasted well into the Napoleonic Wars..

 

[Tecumsea]

The way Seil have modelled it, it looks like quite a solid frame covered in goatskin. I've painted it Burnt Umber so it will pass as wood-I just couldn't find any definite references to this.

Thanks for your suggestions guys,

Keith

 

[Tony Barton]

There's one illustrated in Turner's " Soldier's Accoutrements etc " which has become the bible on equipment since it was published in 2006. No frame . The flap at the back might also be closed with buttons instead of straps.
Sorry you are stuck with the wrong item : would it be huge job to correct it ?
If you go here :

http://www.243regiment.com/uniforms_43.html

You will see some admirable reconstructions made by some US re-enactors.
Since Turner's book appeared , there have been some very interesting researches on knapsacks by re-enactors, particularly of the Napoleonic period, and it's now pretty certain that previous reference books have got it wrong.
Wooden frames didn't appear until 1823, so all reconstructions showing the infamous ( and completely bogus ! )" Trotter" knapsack need to be binned.
I only mention it here, because I see so many figures on this forum which really need to catch up with research.

 

[Tecumsea]

Thanks Tony, I have that book went through it and missed that page...Doh............The casting is obviously wrong and the figure nearly complete, it won't be going out of the cabinet!

Thanks gain for clarifying.......Keith