The 1861 Springfield musket fired a .58 cal conical bullet, nicknamed the “mini-ball”. These rounds were packaged in paper tubes with 65 grains of black powder. All the tubes were then packaged in paper wrappers, 10 rounds to a package with an eleventh tube holding 12 percussion caps.

In the picture on the left are cast mini-balls wrapped in paper tubes, with the black powder, and packaged the same way they were during the War. On the right are paper tubes filled with black powder only. These rounds are made for reenacting and demonstrations.

Percussion caps can be seen below the rounds. There were used on the musket to set off the black powder.

Rolling Rounds Instruction

The haversack was the soldier’s lunch box. In it he carried 3 days rations as well as any food he could forage along the march.

The canteen was used to carry water, not only for drinking, but also for cleaning out a musket after it had fired off many rounds.

A knapsack was the backpack for the soldier of the time. Many of the U.S. Regular soldiers were issued these packs to carry their personal equipment. A blanket or greatcoat was rolled and strapped to the top while all the soldier’s personal effects were stored in the pouches on the inside.

Union soldiers carried a Army  issued wool blankets of several sizes and colors. It was not uncommon, though, to find a soldier wrapped up in a blanket brought or received from home.

Some soldiers would carry a ticking bag. This was a long bag made out of ticking which would be filled with straw or leaves and used as a mattress.

To stay dry, soldiers carried a poncho or ground cloth. Both were made of rubber coated canvas. The difference was the poncho had a split made into the middle of it to put your head through; the ground cloth did not.

Different kinds of lighting were used in the field during the Civil War. The common soldier may just carry a candle that would be propped up on the ground or stuck in the end of a bayonet. Sometimes he would be able to get a hold of a candle box, as seen in the upper left. NCOs and officers may have carried better candle holders or lanterns, as seen above.

This non-period cleaning kit is carried by the men of the 19th U.S. Even when just doing demonstrations, a clean musket is important. This canvas kit has all the tools needed to keep a musket serviceable in the field.

Union soldiers were always looking for news on the War and from home. Soldiers would write and received letters on a regular basis. Many hours were spent in camp passing around the latest copy of any newspaper they could lay their hands on. Also shown above are the drill manuals that were studied by the NCOs and officers of the company.

Throughout the Civil War, food played an important part in the ability of the Army to fight. A soldier carried very basic eating gear. He carried a cup, a plate, and a knife, fork, and spoon. While in garrison, the Union soldier ate fairly well. But on the march it was hardtack and coffee, as shown above. He may also have been issued some salt pork, salt, flour, or dried vegetables.

Make Hardtack