The Truth About Kits And Togs II
. . . For A Few Togs More
by John Lander, UK
Photo: Lander's Charge. © Dick Clarke
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Let's start with the accoutrements you will find on your average nag, on campaign. A bridle, with built-in head collar, a saddle, with two folded blankets under it and, fixed to the front of this, a leather breastplate, which is attached to both front rings of the saddle, joined by means of a regimental 'KLD' motif; then a single strap passes between the horse's front legs to secure to the girth strap. A pair of pistols in brass-capped leather holsters sits under the cape which is rolled and secured to the front arch. On the nearside is a hanging strap to attach the leather carbine cup. A red-vandyked sheepskin covers the whole assembly, and behind this is the cavalryman's valise. Turning first to the bridle, double rein and bits, with curb chain (equestrian handbrake!), based, like most things Hussar, on the Austrian pattern. The bridle has leather 'rose' ornaments, a cross-shaped face-piece decorated with a 'KLD' badge and a built-in lead rope twisted around the left side of the throat lash. It is, like all other things that come within spitting distance of a horse, a sweat-soaked nightmare to clean, it's best to just get the dirt and sweat out of it of an evening, a ten-minute job, than leave it for a six-monthly, two-hour marathon. Until we can get 1802 copies made, we use 1902-pattern military saddles, which turn up at auction from time to time. These are useful as the arch resembles the shape of the 1802 pattern, and they have a multitude of 'D' rings to hang assorted kit on. Between this and the equine, there are two folded grey blankets, one of these is stitched to form a 2ft x 8ft bag, open at one end. This is folded, with the other blanket, to form a 4ft x 2ft 'pad' to cushion the horse's back from the saddle. The centre-line of the blankets push up into the arch of the saddle to keep a ready supply of air along the horse's spine. Now comes the clever bit, after a day's riding, the saddle is removed when the horse has cooled down a touch, the 'bagged' blanket is stuffed with straw to form a palliasse and placed, with the other blanket, in your section's bell-tent. The heat from the bag warms the straw, which warms the other blanket, which warms the straw, and so on. Come stand-down, with six palliasses in each, the tents are still warm — they stink to buggery of course, but they are very warm! Pistols The books say that the pistols issued were of little use except to dispatch a wounded horse, and I have to say I agree. The twin holsters were strapped to the front arch of the saddle, with the cape strapped over them, and the sheepskin cover over the top of that. Ease of drawing pistols not seriously considered, I feel! With the gun laws in Britain being as tight as they are (which I have to say I applaud — sorry!) most cavalry re-enactors tend to dispense with these rarely seen, rarely used items. Whilst on the subject of 'shooters', I laugh in the face of those paintings that show men galloping at 'max chat' with their carbine seated in the carbine boot, attached to the swivel on their cartouche belts and laying, ready for use, gently along their thigh, HA! HA! HA! It does not happen like that . . . oh no sir, the thing bounces, flails, tries to escape, or just assaults the Dragoon to your right at any speed greater than a trot. The only solution is to lower the carbine boot 6—8 inches and strap the butt to the front of the saddle, releasing the thing only when ready to use. Incidentally, the only realistic representation of these I have seen is the oil painting by J P Beadle of the 15th Hussars' action at Sahagun 1808, the carbines can clearly be seen all over the place! Knapsack The subject of myths leads me to the last item of kit and, arguably, the most important: the cavalryman's 'knapsack' — his valise. Cylindrical, 7 inches in diameter and about 24 inches long. Into this, the books would have you believe, you can fit: one pair of white cotton-canvas 'duck' breeches; two spare pairs of socks; two spare shirts; one (!?) spare pair of underpants; one towel; personal cleaning/shaving kit; one flannel vest; mug, knife, fork, spoon; pipeclay; clothes brush and shoe brush. In the small flap of the valise, a packet of 24 cartridges and your plume were to be kept! To quote the late, great Frankie Howerd, 'Nay, nay and thrice nay'. To be blunt it is a physical impossibility to cram this into a valise . . . there, I've said it! If we are doing a march (whereby I mean a march not returning to a fixed camp) a lot of this kit gets wedged into the forage bag or wrapped in the cape on the front of the saddle and some, invariably gets discarded. The stable jacket can be kept between the blankets under the saddle but, like the tents, it don't half whiff! But, then, if you all smell the same, there is no smell! BibliographyFinally, if anyone is interested, here's a brief bibliography of what I consider to be some of the great cavalry books. Anglesey, the Marquess of: A History of the British Cavalry. Any of them really but Vols I and II are the best for our interest.
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After looking at the uniform and personal kit of a British 15th Hussar circa 1812, we turn to horse tack and furniture, its use as described in historical volumes, compared to its actual, practical use.