What are the deminsions of a sergeant's tent?

[bnail]

After a recent thread on tents, I started looking up sgt's tents. I see that Panther and tentsmiths do not sell these by name, but they do have wall tents that come close. I noticed, however, that the dimensions and wall height varies from 15", 24", and 30" depending on style and vendor. Do any of these come close?
does anyone know the regulation dimensions for F&I, and AWI sergeants' tents?

did these tents really exist? In truth, the last I saw one used was in the 70's when I trooped with the Penna Line at NWTA events.
It almost seems as if a simple wedge would suffice for a sergeant since it would be almost palatial if he were the only occupant.

 

[flintlock75]

Most of the references to serjents tents from the F&I period call for the use of a standard bell back tent. Size 8'w x 8'-6"l x 7'h with a 42" or 48" bell. the 42" bell was for infantry and the 48" bell was for mounted troops.I have been useing the 48" bell model for 15 years, I like the extra room in the back and unless you set-up next to a smaller tent you can't tell the difference. The new book "In a soldier like way" that is sold by Track of the wolf is a very good reference to British military life during the F & I Period.

 

[ameling]

A friend of mine with the NWTA uses a sargent's tent for his Rev War impression. It is 8x10 with 24" side walls. And the height was pretty tall. I can't remember exactly how high it was, but at least 7 foot, possibly 8. When compared to paintings of military camps and the wedge tents next to it, the size is pretty close.

I heard one vendor was calling it their "servant's quarters" tent. But I haven't done any search for them.

Here's a 1748 drawing of a sargent's tent.

And more pics can be seen here.
http://www.najecki.com/repro/Special-Images.html

Hope this helps.

Mikey - that grumpy ol' blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[bnail]

Thanks Mike. your post on that last thread really got me thinking about those tents. It really wouldn't be much of a chore to stitch one up either, just time consuming.
I think Panther's tent is 10' long, but it has 30" walls. Regardless, I have the canvas just sitting around so I was "entertaining" that notion of making one anyway.
now if I can only find a pattern. . . :wink:

 

[ameling]

Yes, I also have the canvas lying about, and am going to sew one up.

Pattern? The simplest way to explain them is to take a common soldier's wedge tent, and then add a 2 foot side wall all the way around it - non bell-back of course.

I'm just going to use some of that geometry I thought I learned back in school, and draw out and cut out a scale model.

A key point to remember is that tall/steep roof. So many of the modern interpretations of a "wall tent" have a low pitch - like on those western hunter/packer tents. And the side walls need to be short - as in 2 foot or less.

Hope my humble ramblings help.

Mikey - that grumpy ol' blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

p.s. You can set them up like a regular wall tent, but the side ropes need to extend out to be staked down at least in line with the roof pitch - if not a little wider. And several people put a 2 foot tall pole/post at the 4 corners to help "stiffen" it up. Some even use a short pole/post by each rope. If you do that you can stake the ropes in a little closer to the tent since those side poles are then holding the "eaves" of the tent up and out.