1840-60 period ignored

[Einsiedler]

Survey contractors staying over at Ft. McKavett Texas, circa 1855. Apparently they like the army’s protection. What would you expect from a pair of geezers???

 

[FishDFly]

Survey contractors staying over at Ft. McKavett Texas, circa 1855. Apparently they like the army’s protection. What would you expect from a pair of geezers???View attachment 112531

Is that electric poles or telegraph poles in the background?

They are antiques by today's standards.

 

[Einsiedler]

Telegraph! They have an excellent working demonstration of period correct telegraph equipment! Really impressive!

i believe they have some good pics on their Facebook page. May have to search back a bit

 

[Einsiedler]

I am working on a secondary impression. That of a civilian contractor, "mechanic" or carpenter. I am too old for a military impression and there were an abundance of contractors employed at this post. (Lets not forget the frivolities of "Scabtown" just off post).

 

[FishDFly]

Nice tools. In the second picture, what is the tool at the top with a mallet wood head and square handle?

 

[Einsiedler]

Nice tools. In the second picture, what is the tool at the top with a mallet wood head and square handle?

Those are wooden marking gauges. Later I will try to lay out some items for a better view. Some may not actually be 1850 vintage, but they are just like what would have been available. Just manufactured a bit later.

 

[Hayes]

Hi there! The 1840s-50s are a period I've recently taken a big interest in, and yes it's a shame it doesn't get more attention either in reenacment or popular media like film. I only know of one film that's actually set during the Mexican-American War, "One Man's Hero", about the Irish soldiers of the St. Patrick's Battaltion who fought for Mexico. And then there's "The Alamo" with Dennis Quaid and Billy Bob Thornton, but that's 1830s.

If anyone knows of any good films set during the 1840s-50s, I'd love to hear recommendations. Doesn't even have to be set in America, I'd welcome a look into life in places like Britain/Europe during the same period.

Similarly, are there any good books folks could recommend on firearms of that era? In particular I'd be interested in single-shot and pepperbox handguns of the 1840s-50s.

 

[sheriff john]

"Tom Sawyer" and "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" - also many of Twain's writings were set within that time period. Lots of Steamboat -era books, magazines etc. Trains & steamboats changed everything. So did epidemics. Something I enjoy are the now-available newspaper archives online. Takes a bit of searching, but they're out there. Newspapers were the TV of that time and printing presses much improved. Add in the telegraph in the later days, news travelled faster with improvements in just a relatively few years. Good golly, this is an OLD thread!

 

[chorizo]

Part of the difficulty in creating a personna for this period is that so many things happened during the period from 1830 on that it is difficult to avoid being greedy and creating a superman insofar as experience.

It's possible for the same man to have participated in the Rocky Mountain fur trade, then the Santa Fe trade, followed by the Texas revolt, a stint as a Texas Ranger, service in the Mexican-American war, the gold boom in California, the building of the first cross-country freight and mail lines, and on and on. Take your pick. There was hyper-activity at all levels.

Well, this guy did just that! James Hobbs. Take a read, it is a great book.

Amazon.com: Wild life in the Far West: Personal Adventures of a Border Mountain Man eBook : James Hobbs: Kindle Store

Buy Wild life in the Far West: Personal Adventures of a Border Mountain Man: Read Kindle Store Reviews - Amazon.com

smile.amazon.com

 

[AtlatlMan]

I agree in the regret this period, the era in which the United States was consildated from an experiment into a nation, is vastly unaderappreciated. As others have said, it was very much not a boring period, and we largely have a lack of Hollywood attention to blame for that perception (which given Hollywood's track record may be a good thing).

As someone who has long wanted to do impressions from the Texian Revolution/Republic and the Mexican War, group options are sadly limited, and here on the East coast, practically non existent.

 

[BillinOregon]

Just glanced at this thread and can't believe it has been nearly 12 YEARS since I started it!
A heads up: If you find yourself anywhere near San Antonio, be sure to visit the new Alamo Collections Center, which opened March 3. The bulk of the artifacts on display were the gift of Phil Collins, the musician, who has had a lifelong interest in the Texas Revolution and donated his outstanding and extensive collection to The Alamo.

 

[gidaddy]

Few folks also do 1812 in the states. At an office in DC I once saw a fancy brass plaque that said, " On this site on November 23, 1872, absolutely nothing of importance occurred."

For many history buffs, that same "nothing of importance occurred" is true for that time period.

Hollywood and the media have so romanticized some parts of our history and ignored others.

A few movies about the original cattle drives, very few about the Mexican War era or 1812.

One movie about Fremont that I recall. Any about Kit Carson? Not many superheros from that era. Davy Crockett was gone in 1836. A few minor Indian uprisings.

1940 movie kit Carson with Jon hall.

 

[Troopertree]

I find it really odd that the fertile historical period from about 1840 to 1860 is virtually ignored in the re-enacting/living history community. Pre-1840 you have the fur trade/mountain man camp; post-1860 you have the Civil War re-enactors followed by all the cowboy action shooters taking things up to about 1900.
But the 1840-60 period lies virtually fallow. This is the period that nursed Sam Colt's revolvers to perfection. This is the period in which Texas struggled with nationhood and Comanches. This is the period that inaugurated the great migration west across the Plains along the Oregon Trail. This is the period of the Gold Rush. This is the period when Jayhawkers, pro-slavers and John Brown spread terror on the Kansas/Missouri border. And almost no one re-enacts it. At least there are no mainline organizations that do that I know of.
Don't y'all find it ironic?

Billin Oregon you might also like the book Empire of the Summer Moon and look into the life of Col. Randle MacKenzie in Texas post 1960's but the 1st book is about the Comanches and more specific Quanah Parker. I have seen some of your previous post.

 

[BillinOregon]

Trooper, read "Empire of the Summer Moon." It's a wonderful book.

 

[gidaddy]

1840-1860 such a treasure trove of excitement and history in my opinion. Diaries of wagon train immigrants, A vast photographic history and artifacts from that period! All in all American history in its entirety is the most interesting to me!!!

 

[Absaroka]

This might be a little off topic, but it occurred in the time frame being discussed, and if you wear buckskin you'll be interested. I just finished a book "My Sixty Years On The Plains, Trapping, Trading, And Indian Fighting, by W.T. Hamilton. It starts in 1841, men were still trapping, hunting, and trading furs with the Indians. Hamilton spoke of buckskin as their "coat of mail".

He stated "all the men wore heavy blacktail skins, which they wore over their shirts or coats, tied or buttoned up to the chin and reaching down to the thighs. Just prior to an engagement these were all soaked in water and wrung out. It is impossible for any arrow, whether iron or flint pointed to penetrate buckskin so prepared. I have heard many people express doubts as to this, and I have always advised them to wet a piece of buckskin and try to penetrate it with a needle".

I've been braintanning several years and sew with an awl and thong, and know it can take a lot of pressure to penetrate when sewing two hides together. I had a piece of heavy brain tanned buckskin on hand and soaked it for about an hour. I took one of my sharper hunting knives and tried to penetrate it. I put a lot of pressure on it and gave up, fearing as clumsy as I am, the knife might slip and come back into me. I bow hunted most of my life and know the force from an arrow is a lot more than I could muster pushing that knife into that piece of buckskin. I know there are a lot of brain tanners out there, what are your thoughts?

 

[Juice Jaws]

You nailed it. What's missing is the excitement of the other periods.

French and Indian period = War
Revolutionary Period = War
Mountain Man Period = Well, "Mountain Men" (not your ordinary citizen)
Civil War Period = War

Nobody wants to reenact Moguls, Business, Technological Improvements, Steamboats or Telegraph.

IMHO, it's obvious what the other periods have.

You hit the nail on the head, give me War over Boredom