did they dye easter eggs with walnuts or indigo? do you care?

"X" patch made of leather

x patch of brain tan used to fit a .50 ball to a .62

Some of Mr. Payne's books...I'd have more but I lent them out

MY new ohio country "native hunter" kit....yeah there are native longhunters and french longhunters in the records....I gotta get my new fort clothes dirty

I’ve been keeping up on my shooting a few times a week and I gotta say I’m loving the blue gun. I’ve been shooting it with an un patched 60 cal ball on top of 60 grains and I’ve been hitting at 50-75 yards 9 out of 10 times. While going thru some of my grandfathers muzzleloader stuff I came across a lot of .50 round ball and for some reason I started thinking about an image I had posted on FF awhile ago.
At the Fort Freeland site there were a number of leather patches shaped like x’s. The idea was to be able to shoot an undersized ball in your gun. SO I figured I’d give it a go. I cut 10 patches out of some brain tan I had and just to give it a shot 10 patches out of some wool scraps I had laying around. I was pretty happy with the results. I figured this was a siege “fix” for someone in a blockhouse/fort trying to simply take a shot at an attacker. SO I used a “torso” sized target since the idea was to only see if I could hit someone with this type of load.
I set the target at 75 yards and fired a few shots with an unpatched .50 ball. Well I’m not ashamed to admit I didn’t hit the thing once. So I swabbed the barrel and tried using the leather patches. I was surprised at how easily the round went down the barrel (no grease just spit). I was also surprised to see that out of the 10 shots with this set up 6 shots placed in the “vitals” section of the torso and the rest placed in areas that well….I wouldn’t want to get shot.
The problem for me was that I couldn’t keep a consistent grouping with this load. Also I wouldn’t want to hunt with it as like most hunters I don’t like wounding animals. However in a blockhouse shooting at attackers this would really help solve a lack of ammo problem.

Speaking of consistent….One item I have consistently pushed since seeing it/them for the first time is the books of Dale Payne. Dale is a former police officer and he has compiled a number of books on the 18th century backcountry using 19th century interviews/period journals and the draper manuscripts. His books in my opinion are required reading for anyone that is interested in the backcountry. Longhunter, Native, French Canadian (they are in there a little) are all mentioned in these books. I was able to do a brief interview with Dale, this is the boring stuff after we talked about f troop and the Davey crocket films….

SO how long have you been involved with Living history? What got you started?
I have always been an avid student of 18th century history, ever since I was a child. I guess the Davy Crockett rage in the 50's contributed to it.

What got you interested in the Draper stuff?
As far as I am concerned the Draper manuscripts are the bible for 18th century re-enacters. It holds such a vast amount of information. It would take a lifetime to view it all. However some of the information should be viewed with caution. I think first hand accounts are the best you can get when looking for information as to what life was really like.

Has any info you’ve dug up changed a previous idea you had about the 18th century backcountry?
It has given me a better understanding of what 18th century life was really like.

Have you found anything in an interview odder then the “easter egg” refrence?
There has been lots of unusual and out of the ordinary things discovered while doing research. This was definently one of them. At the time I was amazed that they would be using eggs and calling them Easter eggs and leaving the eggg shells along the road. I have since discovered they had been doing this for centuries in the celebration of Easter.

Which interview is your favorite?
It would be really hard to pick a favorite, there are so many of them that gives us so much insight into the daily life during that time period. The interviews of the Clinkenbeards, Benj. Allen and Josiah Collins rank at the top

From looking at the interviews what do you think is missing from most folks kits/portrayals?
I really hate to go an event and see folks walking around in clothes they are afraid to get dirty, especilly women. I don't think they have a clue as to what life was like back then. Perhaps if they were portraying some person in Williamsburg it may be okay. I think on the frontier they were a pretty grubby looking bunch of people.


You can find Dale’s book at smoke and fire, wennawood, Longhunter leather (not 100% but pretty sure Bob carries them) They run between $15 and $20 and are well worth the money. Come on folks youll drop a lot of coin on quillwork why not point some of that towards books? If you had to pick between some of my weaving and Dale’s books…buy his books. My weaving rocks but his books educate you.
SO that’s it for today….my family has left for a week leaving me to run amuck in my files as well as the woods of central Pa. Maybe later today I’ll do the unthinkable and post 2 things in a day. Oh well I need to make an ammo run as I’m heading to the woods with a few friends this weekend. On deck is some matchcoat info and native hair stuff…plus a total kit documentation break down…






Some of Dale’s books
Narratives of Pioneer Life and Border Warfare Volume II
by Dale Payne
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF THE PIONEERS. THEIR LIVES AND ADVENTURES by Dale Payne.
FRONTIER MEMORIES II: INTERVIEWS TAKEN FROM THE DRAPER MANUSCRIPTS Compiled by Dale Payne
FRONTIER MEMORIES III: Rev. John Dabney Shane Interviews As Taken From the Draper Manuscripts edited by Dale Payne

Rumors of my Demise...

High top mocs and Striped pack

Finished "mckee" leggings...beading is based off 18th cent image of leggings in french collection

latest sewing projects...death of wolfe matchcoat is on deck..

Yeah..so..I’m back. The last few months have been pretty….lets say hectic. Some health issues sidelined my from the blog but I’ve been staying just as busy with weaving, hunting, shooting and reading. In fact the break gave me a lot of time to dive back into the books. So right now I’m tweaking m kit out a little more for a scout I’m heading on next week. I’m using this scout to break in some new pieces of gear as well as well as get some pics of my gear in use (why is it you never take pix of stuff when your doing it?)
So I’ve been trying to refine my native “pack” based on period descriptions. I’ve been gathering info on this for a few years as well as trying out different techniques. The standard base of the pack is the simple tumpline/blanket roll. The container for the items in the pack is a small striped bag I made from a torn petticoat. This is referenced in the interviews Jeptha Simms did with folks from new York after the Revolutionary war. Alan Gutchess first turned me onto simms books a few years ago and they are a kind of “shane” interviews for Northern folks.
In one of Simms interviews it’s states that natives made packs from striped Petticoats they took from settlers on raids. Since I portray someone who was a captive or operates with natives (rev war ID/trader) I figured this would be a good item for me to test out. The pack I’m using is 14 by 24 and is tied with a piece of blue linen tape from the petticoat.
The items I’ll be carrying in the pack are pretty simple. A small bark container for tinder, spoon, pewter porringer, husk salt bottle, whetstone, moc repair /making kit as well as the usual “pocket trash”. The scenario I’ve set for myself is pretty simple…just being in the field. I’m doing some work on my lean to as well as some work around the camp to help set it up for my tactical in august (i.e clearly mark the camp borders so Capt. Bull’s guys don’t end up in the next county)
Some of the other gear I’ve been working on is my “mckee” leggings which got me on a ribbon sewing fit (anyone need a matchcoat? Or clout?) I’ve also finaly made myself a pair of high top Doddridge mocs. Doddridge mentions that : Flaps were left on each side to reach some distance up the legs.
So while working on some mocs for customers and my step daughter I knocked myself out a pair from some black tanned deerskin . For a GREAT how to on moc making check out Ike Walter’s blog, he did a bang up how to on making puckered mocs.
http://frenchinwisconsin.yolasite.com/my-blog/makazinan-moccasins

Some quotes on stuff in “native packs” to show what I’m basing my gear on.

reccolections of 60 years...
The knapsack is an old blanket, and contains some parched corn, flour, jerked meat, and leather to patch their moccasins with.

Extract of a Letter from Capt. Jonathan Hampton, dated at Cole Fort, on the Frontiers of New Jersey, June 245, 1758.
The Indians afterwards fled, and left 4 good Guns, 4 Tomahawks, 3 Spears, 18 Pair of Mogasons, 16 Pair of Indian Stockings, 5 Shirts, 12 Blankets, 3 Hats, 1 laced Coat, 5 Silver Buckles, 10 Belts, three Strings of Wampum, 5 Scalping Knives, 4 Scalps just taken, with may Trifles more. (*possibly 15 natives in this party)

Letters from fort pitt:
Journal of J Ecuyer
July 25th 1763 four Indians passing up the mon. close by the opposite shore,
contrary to orders, a six pounder with grape was fired on them…they left
four rifles, with eight pairs of new Indian shoes, al their powder horns and
pouches full of powder and ball, and two pairs of leggings for each, with
five blankets a sure sign they were going to war.

Heckwelder pack quote
A blanket, dressed deer skin for Mocksens, a few articles of kitchen furniture as a kettle, bowl or dish with some spoons and some bread, corn, salt,

Don’t forget a dead goose in your pack:
At an interview with Jacob Enders, previously mentioned, he related the following incident: After the enemy began to move down the valley, he left the fort to hang upon his rear. Discovering an Indian, he followed him along the creek toward the river, until he got a shot at him. He had on a large pack, and over one shoulder hung a goose, he had recently killed. When Enders fired, the Indian fell upon his knees, and dropped his pack and goose ; then springing upon his feet, he set off on a moderate trot toward the river. Enders pursued until the Indian turned and raised his rifle on him, when he halted to load, and the Indian, without firing, again ran off. After pursuing until he was exposed to the fire of others of the enemy, Enders gave over the chase. On arriving where he had left the pack and goose, he found that John Rickard, a fellow soldier, who had seen the spoils abandoned from his position in the block-house, had been there and taken them to the fort. Enders claimed them, but Rickard would not give them up, or any part of them. The pack contained eight pairs of new mocasins.


So just in these few refrences you can see how simple these guys traveled as well as the number one Item needed to travel was….Moccasins (go figure). Well I should get back to sewing/weaving Now that my little break is over I should be posting a lot more esp. in the next few days. I’ve had a chance to get some more images of original common native items as well as a quasi interview with Dale Payne (did you read his books yet? I gave you some time….there will be a test) as well as stuff on shoe packs…shot pouches…native hair stuff just because I wasn’t on the net doesn’t mean I was doing research lol.

Jeptha simms online
http://www.fortklock.com/Simms.htm
http://www.fortklock.com/simmsch1.htm

rained all day stayed in camp....

New knife I traded from Joseph Privott of Toqua trading....nice thin sharp blade...the boy can smith.....Yes I like knives not made in shefield as well.

Pocket compass and other pocket "trash" traders lisc., Pocket book, misers purse (travis crowder) Lead pencil and notebook. Compass, Pencil and notebook I use to map out game trails

First stage of my half faced camp....

So spring is here…I love spring. The actual reason I love spring is the grayness and constant rain. Wow I guess my blackness is pretty obvious in this picture. If you look at period narratives this is also one of the times of year you see my favorite period quotes “rained all day stayed in camp”. To me this is the idea we should really focus on. Any hunter knows the majority of the time you hunt you’re simply watching around you and a big part of that is based on the weather. I think the “long” hunter idea is based just as much on the amount of time you spent in the woods as much as how far you rode to hunt.
The idea of hunting is romantic but the idea of hanging out at the camp near the bateau isn’t. This was the place ypu find people fleshing hides, dressing them for mocs, pressing hides into bales. All the things that would have been your usual day.
Another aspect of your social day would have been gambling. Betting on who could flesh the most hides, dog fights, fist fights, cards and shooting matches. This was all part of your normal worldview. So one thing I have been trying to get into my skull has been the rules to the card game whist. Gerry Barker first turned me onto this game a number of years ago and the social aspects of gaming in the period (check out Gerry’s articles in muzzleloader and his small book on spies…..I’ve known Gerry for years now and he is a great source of information and an awesome guy) Whist was a common Card game and one the majority of us would have known. So here is a link to site that can help you learn this game as well as sources for period cards.
http://www.pagat.com/whist/whist.html

period cards (as well as nice nice tools and other items)
http://www.avalonforge.com/


Part of staying in camp is also…well having a camp. A few years ago The folks from the ACM spent a few days working on a cabin crib at my hunting camp. The idea was to build a “hogpen” cabin to hang out in. I have to admit I was against the idea of the cabin from the get go. All I simply wanted was a substantial half faced shelter. Sorry but I try to be nothing more than the idle hunter. I hate farm work, I have no trade but I can hunt. So after doing some work off and on I decided to simply turn the crib into a half faced shelter. So over the past few weeks I notched out logs (yes Chris it will stay up and the logs are notched) used a buck saw to cut out an opening (not gonna lie I also brought out a chainsaw for some tweaking)
So I’m now at the point I need to gather some bark to cover it while I get all the stuff together to rive out some clapboards to cover it. I plan on finishing it with a bench/bunk inside as well as a table. I’ve already made a fleshing beam and a small shelter to smoke hind quarters in. I’ll post pics aas I progress on the project. The other “rainy day” projects I’ve started has been gathering some “burl” to make myself a “canoe cup”. I figured with friends like Mike Galban and Ward Oles who really have nailed down burl work I should pick their brains to try and make myself a backcountry cup as nicely as possible.
SO as not to make this a simple “I did this” blog I’d post some info on a piece of gear I carry. A year ago I picked up a nice Repro compass from Jim Mullins. Since the purpose of this blog is to document all the gear I carry I figured this would be a perfect time to..well get back on track.
Below are 2 “hunters” working for BW&M in the late 1760’s. Both men pick up pocket compasses. I find it really interesting that they buy them so close together. I wonder if a hunting partner came in with a story of being lost. I also find it interesting that Dunnan buys 2 butcher knives at once. Anyone who has skinned out a number of deer at once knows how nice it is to have a back up knife. SO I can imagine guys hunting deer and Buffalo would find this just as useful.

To throw a little gas on the proverbial fire to me this is also a point for the non giant file knife crowd. If your job is skinning animals wouldn’t you go for the right tool for the job? I still need to find a way to skin a buffalo with a thin blade trade knife and a large file knife….god do I have weird daydreams.

Simon McCormack June 5 1768
To 1 small pocket compass 5 “_

Jacob Dunnan June 6 1768
To 2 butcher knives @ 3.10….7”_
1 pocket compass 7.10…7”10

Here is a 1770’s Virginia runaway carrying a compass with well a pretty nice sounding kit to head west:
FINCASTLE, May 21, 1775. RUN away from the subscriber, living on Neck creek, near Mr.Thopson's mill, an Irish servant man named THOMAS BENSON, about 5 feet 9 inches high, wears his own long black hair tied, and has lost the half of his left hand little finger; had on a home made flax linen shirt, a pair of tow linen trousers, and carried with him a blue home made cloth coat, a red and yellow silk and cotton waistcoat, buckskin breeches, a rackoon hat, a brass mounted long smooth-bore gun, marked on the side-plate MM 1769, and on the barrel W. MORGAN, a shot-bag and powder-horn, a canister with 2 lbs. of powder, a falling axe, a pocket compass, &c. &c. He likewise stole his indentures, and, being a very good scholar, it is probable he may make an assignment on them. He is supposed to be with Samuel Ingram's servant man, as they both went off about the same time. Whoever secures the said servant, so that I get him again, shall have 5 l. reward, and, if out of the county, reasonable charges, paid by
NATHANIEL MORGAN.

I’d love to know what that “rackoon” hat looked like. Also Pay attention to the use of breeches and trousers together. Trousers are the 18th century coveralls guys and honestly they are way nicer to wear in the summer then leggings (and documented all over the backcountry).

Well I should be weaving and sewing for the long hunter school next weekend. It looks like the Traders crew will have a nice showing and I’m looking forward to seeing a few of the guys from the 2nd Company . What happens when brown and stroud hang out? Bad things man ,bad things. Or..horror...We'll all get along and talk history from different points of view.

Fort Pitt likes Purple....

I've seen Mike Burke do this same thing...

Mckee's leggings....

This weekend was a pretty nice change up before the “season” starts for me. The Honorable Guild of Horner’s had their meeting just over the hill from my place at Fort Roberdeau outside of Altoona, Pa. Mike Burke and Joseph Privott came up and we made the trek over to the fort for the weekend. Besides being overwhelmed by powder horns the biggest thing I noticed about the guild meeting was the attitude….an overwhelming positive attitude and a desire to share info you rarely see among craftspeople in this little world (thought I was going to go negative there didnt ya).
I am neither a powder horn maker nor maker of well anything except horn shavings and destroyed cow horns. However after hanging out at the meeting for the weekend I have to say I’m a little more inclined to pick up a cow horn or two and get to a lathe. Demonstrations on horn pressing, turning, carving…you name it you could get tips on how to do it as well as get hands on time with some skilled folks. I can’t say enough good things about the people I met and the overall attitude of this organization.
So for most folks the winter season is fading and the spring season is starting to kick off. Did you get all your new projects finished? Well I didn’t either. One project I started this past winter was knocking out leggings, matchcoats, and breechclouts based off period descriptions or in Images. The idea was to both have some of these items for sale and to have some premade items for my ever growing trade goods display.
I’ve found a number of examples of wool/ribbon color combinations in the Bayton, Wharton and Morgan Fort Pitt Day book. I’ve found ribbon/leggings being purchased by traders, natives, hunters and soldiers. Some items with ribbon were sold premade by many trading posts. In the 1750’s this practiced was noted quite humorously by a native complaining about trade goods. He commented that his ribbon clout he had purchased from a trader “barley covered his c*ck” and he but a small one (I’ll provide the whole citation later sorry to toss out an unbacked quote like that)
However Nicholas cresswell talks in his journal of having leggings made for him by a native woman outside Fort Pitt in the 1770’s. Does this mean she put on the ribbon and beads or just beaded a pair of premade leggings is open to debate? Also if you look at Jacob Stevens comments on the battle of Blue licks:
“on the top of the hill, I fell in with a man who had red leggings on, and I was told only the company from Lexington had on such leggings.”
To me this supports the purchase of premade leggings in the Kentucky region during the 1770’s. This isn’t to say ALL leggings were premade/stroe bought items but I feel that this was such a common item in the trade purchasing new leggings was as common as purchasing powder and lead. Also I’ve said it a million times (everyone repeat this with me) There was no White section and Native section of the trading post. Phillip the Indian hunter bought the same type of Leggings you would have seen on John Jameson.


Premade leggings also pop up in French sources. Ike Walters sent me this info from the Montreal Traders records:
Montreal Merchants Records regarding leggings sent to Green Bay Post (LaBaie)

1743

30 ells of violet and blue molton employed to make 30 pairs leggings, garnished
29 ¾ ells of red molton (unused)
32 1/3 ells of violet molton (unused)
52 ells of white molton 20 ells of which employed to make 20 pairs of leggings
Employed to trim and braid the above… [this included “fancy Capots”]
2- 7/8 marcs of piping
1 – ½ marc wide galon
4 pieces silk edging (partly employed)
also mentioned is gartering
Sewing cost for leggings on this list is about 2s 6d /pr
a 1741 list to LaBaie mentions the trimmings as well with the silk edging being the only one specific to leggings
a 1747 LaBaie shipment from Montreal included “212 pairs of large leggings made of molton”
(Thanx Ike )

So for one pair of my “trade leggings” I opted to go with a pair purchased by Alexander Mckee at fort Pitt in the 1760’s:
1 pair Purple half thick leggings
6 yards green & yellow ribbon @ 2 ..12..
2 skeins green silk @ 1/6

And yes the color combination is one reason I really wanted to make these. Purple Leggings turn up all over the place in period documents. At Fort Pitt I have found Red, white, green, blue and Purple turning up as colors for leggings. From experience I can tell ya…white leggings don’t stay white for very long especially in the spring. However I’m not gonna lie…..these things hurt my eyes
So after mapping out the amount of ribbon per legging to my mind the best bet was go with a documented ribbon scheme. If you look at the few original ribbon covered leggings in existence (The messiter example, the Russian pair pictured in the “clash of empires” catalog, the New Brunswick pair) you see that the ribbon was done with two rows of ribbon running the length of the front and rear flaps. I’ve found that on many period accounts of natives buying/receiving ribbon with leggings the math works out to this same 2 row configuration.
If you’re looking for a source for Silk ribbon for leggings or any project check out the folks at The Brandenburg store house. They carry a wide selection of colors and are great to deal with. http://www.brandenburgstorehouse.com/

Well I should be weaving and working on like a million other projects. On a side note I was able to get out again yesterday in between rain storms and shoot the G and get some practice moving and loading. I also spent a few hours working on my half faced shelter and collecting Burl and tinder fungus. It was a nice break from the usual modern world weirdness. So to get into my first self help column on here Try it yourself folks…walk away from the msg boards few a few hours … it’s spring , read a new book, take a walk in the woods, work on that project covered with dust in your basement. The boards will still be there when ya get back.
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day….mmmm guiness ...I've posted some of my favorite 18th century "irish" images enjoy.

"chewed bullets flying" and otter skin bags

Von reck image with otter skin bag
File and "chewed" musket ball

Otter skin pouch and some contents

Otter turban...not southeastern but i had to make it

"The leader, on each side, immediately blows the small whistle he carries for the occasion, in imitation of the ancient trumpet, as the last signal of engagement. Now hot work begins -- The guns are firing; the chewed bullets flying; the strong hiccory bows a twanging; the dangerous barbed arrows whizzing as they fly" James Adair



The snow really took a beating here this week. It’s starting to look a lot like spring and that means turkeys and events. Thank god if I heard about one more flame war on a msg board I think I was going to start collecting star wars figures. So one flame war I touched off a few weeks ago (my bad) was about the patching of smooth bore rounds.
I spent a lot of mornings this past week digging thru narratives and Thanx to a tip by Mike Galban this has now become a full bore research topic for me. The ultimate “doer vs. Librarian” Smack down. I’ve been looking over narratives/pension applications/journals/newspaper accounts for any references to natives shooting a gun (rifle or smoothbore) or any references to loading practices/mention of gun equipment for ANYONE. I have to say it’s been enlightening to just how much shooting lore in the hobbie is probably myth.
SO one thing I’ve heard mentioned a number of time was the practice of natives shooting “chewed balls” in fact the title of this blog (which would be an awesome title for an article or book) is from a mention from James Adair of south eastern natives at war. The physics behind this is that the dimples in the ball help it act like a golf ball and fly straighter. Get rid of the “knuckle ball” effect you see in a smooth ball.
So Last Wednesday I was able to head to my camp and spend a few hours shooting. I prepared 15 “chewed” rounds ahead of time by rolling the ball on a rasp to get the dimple effect (I chewed one and I like my teeth too much to do all 15. You can call farb if ya want) My plan was to take 15 shots with an unpatched round ball (14 from the bench one off hand) and the same with the “chewed” rounds. I was also going to clean my barrel in between the two groups to avoid any help the extra fouling may help the second group.
I was shooting 50 yards with 65 grains and a .60 ball in my .62 type G So the first 14 were s off the bench and they shot 3 inches low and slightly to the right off dead center (I kept a pretty nice grouping) and the off hand shot was 3 inches low from dead center. The chewed rounds really did surprise me. The 14 were an inch higher and dead center low. My off hand shot was like 5 inches low and to the left ( I don’t know what happened there I was a little mad at myself).
SO there was an improvement in the chewed ball. I think the dimples had an effect and the ball seemed tighter in the barrel due to the small raises. I spoke with John Getz for a few minutes this week and mentioned this to him and he mentioned that he would often rough up a round ball when shooting in smoothbore matches because of this reason. SO for me this is pretty kewl here we have the accounts and the actual practice lining up (crazy how that works).
A few other accounts I came across also pointed towards native shooting practices and gun equipment carried by natives. Heres is a few quick accounts:
William Clinkenbeard “you could always tell an Indian gun. Never were so heavily loaded, nor sounded so loud, cracked flatter.”
To me this one is something that makes a lot of sense. If you’re constantly looking to resupply your powder from a foreign resource you’re going to be a little stingy with your shooting. Also this could also account for why you also see natives being mentioned chewing their musket balls and using buck and ball loads. Anything you can do to raise your level of kill efficiency. This is also something to think about for those that like to burn powder in public battles. Maybe you should tune the level of powder you put in your cartridges back a little. Do ya really need 100 grains in your tulle?
Another quote that may support the use of half loads:
James Wade “The Bullet passed through 9 folds of the blanket he had rolled up and strapped on his shoulders, and then stopped made flat as a 9d. The force of the blow knocked him down again, but did not get through the blanket to the skin”

So here is some neat info I gleamed from a quick look for Gun equipment being carried by natives:
“ A very Nice Indian cap and a gun stick were found where they camped. The cap was made of two pieces of white colored cloth with two red tassles hanging down, one on each side of the head, at the corners that stuck up” June 1790’s in Kentucky James Wade

To me this cool on two fronts this is possibly a mention of a “wiping stick” or separate stick from a ramrod. I’ve seen these turn up a lot in info on later fur trade folks in the west but never on a native in the east. And second the use of a eared cap (happy birthday crowder now start sewing your cap…when my jacket is finished) in the south.

John Rankins “The Indian came down to the lick; seen where our horses had been along, raised his charger and gave a whistle,4 other Indians immediately came up. “

I’ve seen this practice a few times in narratives. If you blow across the top of a measure you can use it like a whistle. Guys in my crew have used this as a signal quite a few times and you’d be surprised at how far that sound carries in the woods.

“we take sight and have them at a shot and so do the French they do not only shoot with a bullet but with big swan shot. They say the French load with a bullet and six swan shot” Christian Frederick Post page 169 Causes of the alienation of the [Delaware and Shawanese Indians], from the British interest
This shows once again the use of buck and ball by the french and natives. having shot quite a few buck and ball loads as of late I gotta tell ya it tears the hell out of a target backstop (gotta replace one at my camp now…too much fun shooting)



And here is some info I dug up on white guys shooting equipment. This info is mostly from Dale Payne’s book Frontier Memories 3 (buy his BOOKS!!!!! …I get nothing from Dale for plugging his books every blog but I swear to you if you buy his books and take a week off the message boards reading about boxwood, antler knives, 27 inch straps and blind elephants you will thank me.)

William Moseby (talking about a man shooting a bear) “…He then took his gun wiper and shot him in the side…” Page 127 FM3
James Wade (point Pleasant campaign) “ Many had to draw their guns because they were so out of order and several came to our camp to get the bullet screws for that purpose.”
“Bullet Drawers was a piece stuck on like they did to make a wiping stick, only the screw closer and much stronger. Sometimes broke them or if the powder was wet, it was very tedious getting a bullet out. We had several drawers in our camp, don’t know whose they were.”
“Esq George crooks tells of one Abraham Hornback that covered his bullets very neatly with buckskin in starting to go out in the late war & and that he killed an Indian with one of them. He only went out for 5 or 6 weeks to be in one battle”
Ben Guthri “He had shot a buffalo and had put in powder and ball without wadding to finish the killing”

Leather patched ball, unwadded shot, shooting wipers…great info from the folks there. Something’s I’ve noticed from looking for specific gun equipment these folks carry Less then you’d think….I’m really surprised at how little these guys carry (or mention they have) on them for their seemingly most important tool. Wipers, gun worms, bullet puller, shot, ball a few extra flints maybe a bullet mold seem to really be it. Which if you look at the size of the few documented shot pouches out there seems to work out.
So onto the stuff I’ve been working on….Well my fingers are bleeding from making stroud cloth (a mixture of tiger blood and blue dye…winning!) and I’ve been weaving like a mad man but I did take some time to knock out a few pieces of gear for myself. I’ve had a great otter hide since 2000 and have been kicking around the idea of making a quilled pouch out of it but….I’ve also wanted an otter turban since…well the first time I saw the Demming painting of Braddock’s defeat when I was in 2nd grade. SO thanx to a lead by Mike Galban and some info from Ike Walters I was able to knock out my latest fur cap.
Well since the otter hide was pretty big I also had to jump on the latest trend and make myself a south eastern otter skin shot pouch. These pouches were described by James Adair:
"On a Christmas-day, at the trading house of that harmless, brave, but unfortunate man, I took the foot of a guinea-deer out of his shotpouch -- and another from my own partner, which they had very safely sewed in the corner of each of their otter-skin-pouches, to enable them, according to the Indian creed, to kill deer, bear, buffaloe, beaver, and other wild beasts, in plenty..."
"As on a level place, all the savages sit cross-legged, so my visitors did, and held their guns on their knee, or kept them very near, with their otter-skin shot pouch over one of their shoulders, as is usual in time of danger. "
After looking at Takes on this by Jim Apple (canebreak mafia!) and Jason Melius I opted to go for the flap pouch over an open top bag. I also opted for a plain leather strap rather than weaving one (I wish I knew someone that fingerwove….for himself). You can see southern native shot bags in the Von reck image of native hunters and in the Commission given to Ostenaco by the French. So I tried and shoot for the middle of these two images.
The bag measures 6 by 6 and I took out shooting the other day and it worked out pretty well. I have it set up with loose shot and ball in the bottom, a French folding knife (back of blade acts as a turnscrew for the gun) made by Ken Hamilton, a small bag with flints in it and a cane whistle (made by Joseph privott) The horn I carried is a “millice” horn made for me by Mike Burke. Its based off some extant Canadian horns and scaled to hold one French pound of powder. Attached to the horn I carried a tin charger and brass pick (joseph privott) I recently picked up a pair of chargers made by hot dip tin but I haven’t had a chance to put those on a shooting rig yet. BUT they look pretty good and are based off an original example.
For the folks I promised info to this week here ya go a few examples of Tin Kettles at Fort Pitt

Fort Pitt Aug 7th 1765
John Cambell For 1 large tin kettle “7”6

Fort Pitt may 1767
James Kelly Batteauman
2 ½ yds Russia duck…@ 3/6…8..9
2 coarse shirts 20/ 2 skeins thread 6….1..0..6
1 small tin kettle .3..6
3 quarts of rum at diff times….9…
To Hutchinson Taylor……..3
(sounds like he’s getting trousers made to me)

Well I should be sewing but on the self promotion front Myself and few friends (Mike Burke and Joeseph privott) will be at the Horner’s Guild meeting at Fort Roberdeau this coming weekend. So stop by and say hi. Also I’ve been asked to do another talk at the Longhunter school on period shooting equipment (this is what happens when ya open your big mouth) so if you’re coming bring your shooting rig and We’ll be talking about what we carry, why we carry it and if THEY would have carried it.

Product review...Alec Foreman Fingerweaving

Horn strap by ALec
The "Murse" This bag is huge! 10 inches deep by 16 inches wide woven in the round. Original is in Denver Art museum
Sash now owned by Crowder. He called to apologize for buying finger weaving from someone else. It's ok I would have bought it too
ALec doing a tanning demo

There was some talk about shot pouch strap lengths on the FF board (this is just for you Gus) so here is a quick quote from a mention in William Bigg’s narrative: http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/26799/pg26799.txt

William Biggs Narrative mention of shot pouch strap length:
I thought perhaps the Indians would give me a
long chase, and probably that they would hold out better than I could;
although at that time I did not feel the least tired or out of breath. I
concluded to throw off my two coats and shoes, as I would then be better
prepared for a long race. I had my great coat tied around me with a silk
handkerchief pretty much worn--I recollect tying it with a slip knot,
but being in a hurry, it was drawn into a double hard knot; I tried some
little time to get it loose--the longer I tried the harder the knot
seemed to get, that stopped my running considerably; at length I broke
it by some means, I do not know how. In the morning I forgot to put on
my shot pouch before I put on my great coat, and then put it on over it.
I pulled off the sleeves of my great coat, not thinking of my shot-pouch
being over my coat, it having a very short strap, the coat got so tight
in the strap that I could not get it loose for a considerable time.
Still trying, it hung down and trailed on the ground, and every two or
three steps it would wrap around my legs and throw me down, and I would
catch on my hands and knees, it served me so several times, so that I
could make no headway at running. After some considerable time, I broke
the strap and my great coat dropped from me--I had no knife with me.


Guy sporting multiple coats and no knife…..scandalous. I’ve been spending the past few mornings looking pretty closely at A LOT of sources for shooting equipment/Practices information from period sources (thanx Galban This project could easily turn into a book after you got me started) SO Friday I’m hoping to put up some solid references to pour a little gas on the to patch or not to patch message board wars. I would like to point one thing out however....I'm finding ALOT of crazy info and equipment refrences but I'm finding NOTHING that points to bullet boards being used. It doesnt look good folks...

So one of the reasons I started doing this blog was to do product reviews so I thought tonight would be a good time to post a new one. More of a craftsmen review then anything and it’ll probably startle a few folks. I’d like to spotlight the Finger weaving/brain tanning of Alec Foreman. (I was going to talk about the OG Tom Conde’s stuff first but he still needs to email me back the questionare hint hint Tom ;))Yes I know I’m a weaver and no I’m not getting out of the game. As someone who looks at weaving A LOT I have to say that Alec’s stuff is top notch.

Alec does a great job at beading and his tension is really even and not too tight. This means when you lay a sash out for example its straight as opposed to the “snake” look you get from a piece that has mixed tension woven in thru the piece. He also uses the correct Yarn which makes a big difference in the look of each piece as well as the feel.

In talking to Alec over the past few months His drive to make the right stuff has knocked me out of a few year slump (complacency will kill ya) and pushed me to step up my game. He’s also been a fresh eye in relooking at a lot of pieces I personally had been looking at for a long time and he brought some new details to light. My advice is to keep this guy in mind if you’re looking at getting a fingerwoven article before his prices go up or he stops weaving. If ya see something he’s made for sale on CLA it’s going to be worth the $ (I’m still on the fence about ordering a sash from the guy and I make them)

As well as weaving Alec does a great job at brain tanning. I picked up 2 hides from him at Martin’s station last summer and have made a number of projects with the hides (summer moccasins and winter mocs) And his hides are really well done. The first thing I noticed was the uniformity in the hides. You don’t see a lot of scaring and holes you get when someone doesn’t know how to flesh a hide. The hides are smoked to the point they keep their pliability after they get wet. I wore a pair of mocs from one of his hides everyday this summer at the site I worked at and even after the usual soaking you get from the morning dew (day after day) the hides held up. SO he’s a great source for quality hides (he’d be my first choice for hides and second choice for weaving after this other guy I know…;))

Here is a Q&A I did with ALec
When I met you were doing a longhunter impression why the switch?
When we met I had just started weaving and producing leather, so I wasn't completely ready to make a full blown switch into the Native side of reenacting. It was because of the request of friends and realizing that if I am making the material goods for natives that i should attempt to do a native impression and do it justice, not just a half attempt.

SO what got you into finger weaving?
I first got into weaving when I was in high school. I had the desire to twine and weave a tumpline for myself and called a good friend Maria Fried- Jackson, For instructions on how to twine and weave. Never to finish the Tumpline i started i left it at that. I joined the army and was stationed in Germany and when i met my wife and was explaining the arts and the hobby in general, I started to reteach myself to weave. I only had a basic idea of how oblique weaving was done so there was a great deal of trial and error. During one of these trial periods my wife figured out how to do selvedge edges and she actually taught me that method.
Did you learn from specific book/person?
Maria fried- jackson, over the phone for basic left over right; left over right instructions and Gerald Finley's fingerweaving book as a quick reference. The rest has been self taught.


How do you pick a project?
Currently I pick a lot of my projects based off of original examples and also my own interpretation of original paintings/ sketches. Also what I feel like trying. There is still a huge trial and error factor that plays into every piece.

What is the favorite piece you’ve made so far?
My favorite piece I have made would have to be the resist dyed sash I recently finished. In that project there was numerous things to complete and attempt and I was very pleased with the outcome.

Your quite an accomplished brain tanner is it something you picked up on your own?
Brain tanning was something I had heard of when I first started reenacting, and I had to try it. I had only heard of how the method was done but had never seen anyone actually do it. When i was sixteen I went to all the local butchers and rounded up a dozen hides to attempt this experiment. The experiment failed miserably and I had to re-try numerous times. I achieved my first quality tanned hide about five years ago.

Which do you like better tanning or weaving?
I would have to say it depends on the weather.. I really like them both the same, as long as things are going the way they are supposed to. When they don't thats when I despise tanning or weaving. They really jump back and forth depending on the mood i'm in.

You already wove the “murse” what’s the next big weaving project? (the “murse” was a large bag in the denver art museum collection)
The next big weaving projects I have lined up to do are some of the woven bags from the British Museum Collections.

What piece of gear do you think more folks should be carrying doing a native impression?
In my opinion I think the piece of gear that native impressions are lacking is woven objects. Ie. sashes, garters, and even bags. I feel that this material object is underrepresented among native reenactors and we know that they had them.


SO if your looking for Alec’s contact info OR have any questions/hatemail/ ideas for a blog post I opened an email address for the Blog (Nospam)Thebuffalotrace1765@gmail.com

Some More information on Native headgear...or Shave your head then cover it up

Image showing man wearing an uncocked hat decorated with ribbon.
....Also check out the use of 2 rows of ribbon on his leggings and hangin out Paint scheme

My take on the Above hat. Simply tacked down some left over 2 inch yellow ribbob onto another piece of ribbon. Now to get it rained on and beaten up

Our Spokesmodel CIndy Wearing My take on the hat from the above image

Hendrick wearing Hat, coat and waistcoat

Jackets and Hats on natives. I love this image

So I think I’ll jump back into my Native centric gear for a second here and post some more on native trekking gear. Or really a piece of native gear that comes in pretty handy when hanging out in the treeless landscape that often makes up our event landscape…hats. A lot of the guys I run around with have been taking to wearing hats over the past few years. They are easy to document but also they keep your lilly white head from getting burnt (lets face it 9 out of 10 of you that are reading this that do portray a “native” have skin pigment somewhere between a ginger kid and an albino cave fish)

I thought I’d throw some references together that show a variety of headgear. The Silk scarf is a super documented item but I feel that it tends to be overdone at events. SO I’ll break the hats down into standard men’s hats (laced or unlaced) and caps. I’d also like to point out that while putting these lists together I noticed that on many of the same lists both laced hats and worsted caps could be found.

Standard hats were an item that was destined for Indian trade. In his memoir Pierre Pouchot mentions them as a standard item of trade from the French sector: The goods for Indian trade are….hats trimmed in fine and imitation, with variegated plumes in red, yellow, blue and green
The use of this type of Hat can also be seen in a number of images from Canada.. My personal favorite image of a distinctly native “slouch” hat is an anonymous water color of a native couple done in the 1770’s. The man has what appears to be a loop of ribbon draped off the crown of his hat next to his wife who appears to be carrying some sashes for sale and wearing a peaked hood.
Similar style hats can be seen in the images of Peachey and Davies from the same area. These hats to make even more sense when you see them worn in images of folks traveling by canoe.. Anyone who has spent any time on the water with a shaved head can vouch for the fun one can have with the heat beating on your bare head. The hats shown in these images are often a standard “tricorn” that has been uncocked and wore in a “slouch hat” fashion.
The Laced traditional tricorn hat can be seen in a number of images such as the oft reproduced image of King Hendrick. The outfit he is sporting in this image actually matches up to the standard headman’s gift of a coat, tricorn and waistcoat seen being handed out A LOT in the period. For example here is an example of such a set purchased at Fort Pitt:

Fort Pitt March 4th 1765
George Croghan
Merch sold him for the use of the crown at Carlisle Feb 15th
10 fine broad laced coats @ 165
10 laced hats@ 37/6
10 gay embroidered vests 67 ..10..

A list of goods going to the “Shawnee town” From Fort Pitt

The Shawnee towne
Aug 14 1766 3 doz 10 large silk handk
13 groce bed lace
6 groce red twilled gartering*
6 bolts broad tape
1 dozen gold laced hats
132 (?) lead
2 black leather saddles
4 horse bells

A neat side note there is a moccasin in the Bata shoe museum that has some red striped gartering sewn to it to secure it to the wearer’s foot. This stuff was traded a lot to native folks and is something that is way underrepresented by well….everyone.

The Next couple lists cross into the idea on Natives wearing both Knit/cotton caps and regular “tricorns” I’ve also left some other items in the lists that I thought needed reexamined. SO to start on the Knit caps you can see from these lists that they….well show up going to native heads. The Knit caps in the Cumberland and rockcreek inventories are kewl to me for another reason as well.

If you look at western Maryland/Pennsylvania/Virginia in the early part of the French and Indian war you see action by men like the famed Thomas Cresap. One action cresap’s men took part was written about and sent to the Pennsylvania Gazette:

Old Town, at Colonel CresapFort, May 7, 1756.
"On the 23d of last Month Thomas Cresap, junior, marched out of Fort Cumberland with about Forty Voluntiers, all dressed in Indian Apparel, and red Caps; intending to go towards Ford DuQuesne, and having advanced about ten Miles, they discovered fresh Tracks of Indians, who appeared to have gone along about an Hour before; upon which it was agreed by the whole Party to pursue them with all Speed, and accordingly they pushed on, and having got as far as Savage River, about 15 Miles from Fort Cumberland, they heard the Death Hollow at a small Distance behind them, and in a short Time after saw a Party of Indians advancing boldly up towards them, when our People disappeared by the Bent of the Road, and put themselves in a Posture to attack them, with Orders not to fire, until they came to a certain Place in the Road, where they might have a fair Prospect of them, as the Trees and Bushes, which stood very thick, would have obstructed their Firing. When the Indians came within about a Rod of the Place appointed to fire at, one of the Party discharged his Piece, and missed them; and immediately after several others fired, and wounded one of the Indians, who was seen to fall and recover three times, but made his Escape in a thick Lawrel Swamp, which was within two Rods of the Road. The said Indian had a Looking glass on his Back, which was shot all to Pieces. They then saw another Party coming up on Horseback, whom they got ready to attack; but a Dog, which our Men had with them, ran off to meet the Indians, which made them stop, and get off their Horses, before they were near enough to be fired at by those of the Party appointed to fire. Upon this one of the Advance Parties, who were posted a Look outs, fired, which caused the Enemy immediately to break off and run. Out People pursued them directly different Ways; and Mr. Cresap, who was at a considerable Distance when the Indians went off, ran to the Place where the Firing was, and being informed of the Course they had taken, followed them. Our Men kept hollowing the Indian Hollow incessantly as they ran along; and Cresap, after running above a Mile, came in Sight of some of his Party, who were pursuing one of the Indians, and coming up gave his Pistol to one of them, and passed on till he saw the Indian, and getting with 20 Yards of him, the Indian got behind a Tree, and fired at him; Cresap also stopped and fired, but had not Time to take to a Tree. They fired at one another so close together, that it seemlike one Gun. *The Indian, with a fine French Gun, mortally wounded Cresap with a Bullet and seven Swan shot in the Breast. Cresap, with a Rifle, mortally wounded the Indian through the Right breast, being the only Part to be seen of him. The Indian had gone but a few Steps further, when tow of CresapMen came up to him, knocked him on the Head with one of their Guns, and scalped him. Cresap had not fallen when the two Men passed him, but told them he was a dead Man, and desired them to pursue, which were his last Words. They returned to him in about four Minutes after, found him dead, and buried him. On their Return to their Baggage they discovered a great Number of Indian Tracks, who had gone off the Road, and passed by between them and the Road; they also saw an Indian running after the Party that had passed. It appears, by all Circumstances, the Enemy took our Men to be Catawba; and it is thought they killed two or three more of the Indians, but that they got into the Swamp, which was just by, where they could not be seen. One they shot in the Belly, as appeared by his matchcoat taking Fire, and his clapping his Hand to it; but he likewise got into the Swamp. Our Party got all their Baggage, with six Horses, and a white ManScalp. It was the Party that attacked Captain Mercer, and killed him the Sunday before. It appears by their Tracks, and by the Account of those that saw them, that there could not be less than 100 of them. Captain Ashby, on PattersonCreek, says, that when they demanded a Surrender of his Fort, he thought there were as many, if not more, than ever he saw at a General Muster in Virginia; and the Indian Embassador told him, he had 400 Men with him, paraded on a Hill just by, three Men deep."

The next two lists are from the Washington Papers:
List of Indian goods at Fort Cumberland sept 17, 1755
6 laced hats
14 mens worsted caps

December 1756, Lists of Indian Goods at Rock Creek
strip'd & scarlet worsted Caps from 5\--to 12--per dozn.
Silk Han kers: from 28\--to 33\
Silk Caps--@ 40\ --
Mens worsted Hose from 24\ to 45\--per dozn.
grey, green & red yarn Do.--from 10\6--to 15\--not many left
Mens beavr: Carolina Hats from 4\6--to 6\--not many left

abt. 2 dozn. fusee Guns proved Barrells @ 14\--very good at the price but rather larger Bows than those commonly used in the Indian Trade ; they wou'd answer very well for a Bullet & Shot & believe wou'd suit the Southern Indians ; as I have been told they do not use a single Bullett so much as the Northern Indians* (someone should have told the native that shot cresap this fact… but inspite of this here we have two period refs to the use of buck and ball by natives more on this in a blog to follow on loading your gun like a native)

So here in the same region and time period we have a few items that point to the commonality of Natives having access to and wearing knit caps and Hats. In fact the use of them seems to be a normal look for the English natives as the one comment was that Cresap’s men may have been mistaken for Catawba’s. The Silk Caps on the list may be the same style that we refer to as workman’s caps. In the Bayton Wharton and Morgan papers I have found cotton and silk caps also being purchased by by natives. SO again we have yet another type of euro headgear on a native.
The final list I’ll post for today is part of the massive list of goods that goes to the lenapes during the rev war:

Estimates of Goods to be sent for the Delawares-May 10,1779
From the Continentals, intended for the Lenape at Coshockton

4 doz black silk handkerchiefs
3 doz black silk cravats
80 pieces of taffata ribbons, yellow,blue,green red & purple
30 regimental coats. good
30 do hats half silver laced good
50 worsted caps
2 lb cruels or other worsteds*
"Frontier Advance on the
Upper Ohio 1778-1779" Pages 413-415

Once again we can see laced hats as well as worsted caps. I’m also a big fan when lists mention specifics like the color of ribbon. These seem to be the standard for the color of ribbons pout of fort pitt from the 1760’s period as well. Also the “cruels “and worsteds are yarns that would probably be used for finger weaving so I’m always pumped by those being mentioned as many people still have an idea that only unraveled blankets were used for finger weaving.

So Now what? Well this isn’t the only type of headware worn by natives there are hoods/peaked caps, ear caps, turbans, etc but I think this shows some info on the use of euro style hats and their commonality. SO shave your head and then cover it with a hat you’ll be glad ya did. Also if your looking for some Good knit caps Ike walters posted some great images on his blog of period knit caps and His wife also makes some nice repros. As far as Good sources for standard hats There are a number of resources out there for them depending on how much you want to spend but that’s a whole blog onto itself….wow 2 blogs in a week Looks like my winter blahs are over .