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So I got a tent.....

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Joined
Feb 3, 2011
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Ohio, the land of the Shawnee
I recently purchased a nice wedge tent from a fella I have known for years. He purchased the tent from Fall Creek for civil war re enactments. The tent is about 7ft tall to the ridge and about 9 ft long. I can't see why it wouldn't fit into my Revolutionary war and AWI personas ..... The tent has a ridge pole and two riser poles in the middle. Also has two entry/exit doors. Also with the deal I got a dog/pup tent....
What do you guys think? What defines this as a civil war tent vs a AWI or Rev. War tent?
 
When it comes to wedge tents the differences are not too obvious. The bell back tent was very popular for troops up until after Napoleon. But it seems that not all AWI tents were bell backed. The height on yours is a bit high when it comes to what one sees customarily at events, but there is artwork that shows wedge tents in the AWI taller than the men by a good bit. So yes it's large, but shouldn't stick out so bad you'll get complaints.

In a non-military setting like a Market Fair or a Rifle Frolic the front/back door style tent may be opened on one side to form a nice awning, and thus doesn't trap the heat (as long as you cover any modern stuff inside from sight)

LD
 
Yes that was my research as well... very little differences between civil war wedge and AWI wedge tents. I also have seen them tall.. short.. bell backed... etc. Now for the next question,does the way we hold the doors closed in a CW tent differ from an AWI tent? Or should i say, how many differ they door/flap closure methods were there? I know I’m splitting hairs, but I’m a little curious about that. Thanks
 
As long as the tent doors close with ties your fine. Unless your going to some sort of juried military event I can't picture you having any problems.
 
S.kenton said:
Awesome! So do you guys think this would be ok for a Longhunter persona as well?

"Longhunter" was a very specific term for only those men from SW Virginia who went out on long hunts for deer hides in the years before the AWI. So, if you have one woman or small children in your camp, you don't have a "Longhunter" Camp. Chances are pretty darn sure there would not be any wedge tents, either, though pieces of tarp/canvas may have been carried for use for overhead shelter.

However, the very same period clothing, accessories, weapons, etc. were used by Frontier Families/Settlers going West. Like as not most of them did not have Wedge Tents, but rather canvas that could be made into a fly tent on the edge of their cart or wagon. Some folks may have had a wedge tent, though.

Of course it is rather difficult to have horses or oxen and period wagons or carts at our events. Some Juried events may require diamond canvas tents, but most places will allow a Wedge Tent for a Frontier/Settlers' Camp.

Gus
 
S.kenton said:
Awesome! So do you guys think this would be ok for a Longhunter persona as well?
Longhunter describes an occupation, but the clothing and gear would not be different from others alive at the time. When people hear Longhunter, they likely envision braintan leggings, moccasins and a split-front shirt rather than some guy wearing the every-day clothes he owned.
 
Actually, I don't think there is any artwork that shows the military wedge tents of the 18th century with door ties. Though you will find it drier especially when there is wind with the rain.

Most hunters probably fashioned their own shelter out of natural materials, which these days the Park and Forest Rangers frown upon, so we make allowances and use tents, if you're not trekking where there are rock castles.

LD
 
We live today, not then. In a camp activities that today are private were then out in the open. A trench served as the bathroom. Since the tent was cover for several men things like clothing changes were done outside.
Men could pack a tent into the tall timber but back then if clear you slept out, if raining you made a shelter as you went.
But... today we carry some sort of water purification, canteens, first aid kits, ect.
If you plan to trek with a wedge you may find it a bit of a load. In an extended event or camp it will be pretty handy.
 
I posted before but it disappeared into the interwebs somewhere. You're welcome to try that spiffy new tent at an Ohio rendezvous this spring with us. :thumbsup:
 
I don’t know of any directly. Half faced shelters are mentioned. Tents are know for the time frame and long hunters had pack horses. Today we may not be able to build a new brush shelter every night.
Canoe traffic had canvas to spread off the canoe making a half faced camp also at night. Three or four men working together could throw up a brush shelter pretty quick.
Wedges are shown used by mountain men a life time later. My gut feeling is if canvas was carried it was used as a square not directly as a wedge fired with doors.
 
I agree, off hand it seems the deal at the time was to sleep on open ground around a campfire. The tents are more for us modern types. If it looked like rain you might take a saddle blanket, etc and set up some type of cover or look for a rock house, or browse shelter.
 
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