During the Civil War, the tents of the Federal and Confederate forces came in various sizes, and patterns. It was common for the Union Army to have very large tent cities while the confederate camps were smaller because their shortage of tents. Most of southern tents were acquired from raids on the Union warehouses or supply trains. Tents themselves varied in thickness and color because of the various materials used. From the soldier standpoint, one characteristic they all shared was that they were far from being waterproof and therefore offered poor protection from the elements. The most common material used was a canvass "duck", occasionally sewed into two layers. A thin gum mixture was sometimes applied in attempt to waterproof the tents. The "Pup or Dog" tent was used mostly by the lower ranking enlisted men on both sides. Each man would carry a half of these lightweight tents, and find a buddy so they could be buttoned together to complete the tent cover. Either wooden sticks scavenged around the campsite or metal rods served as outside support posts, while occasionally some soldiers would stick their bayoneted rifle in the ground. The center support was a rope or a thin stick. These small tents provided just enough cover for two soldiers. Despite limited comfort, the reminiscing of "Tenting Tonight" would provide fond memories to veterans in their later years |
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