Bedrolls

[James Hall]

Hey all! Did cowboys pack their bedrolls on the backs of their horses? Seems like I read somewhere that they didn't because they were to big or something.

[Major 2]

The answer lies in yes and no.... if you mean the canvas roll similar to a number available today then no.

I have spent many a night camping & campaigning (reenacting on horse back)

I had a gum poncho and Blanket which roll nicely and are strapped to the cantle...a second poncho ( a luxury) might be strapped
to my pommel...In inclimate weather thrown over a low Tree bow made roof of sorts.
In colder weather the horse blanket served as an extra layer.

Poncho on the ground ( Rubber side down) Folded blanket as a envelope, my McCLellan as a head prop, and the horse blanket
(basicly the same thing as my sleeping blanket) over the works ....

[Texas Lawdog]

On cattle drives, the bedrolls were kept in the back of the chuck wagon during the day.

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[Tascosa Joe]

Some Cattle drives had two wagons, one was for bedrolls.  The Texas Rangers used packhorses to move their equipment from camp to camp particularly in the indian fighting days.  A good reference is a book called "Winchester Warriors".

T-Joe

[St. George]

St. George's Notes XXII - The Soogan...
« on: September 06, 2005, 11:42:24 pm »     

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We've all seen it on the Silver Screen - the hero rides off in a cloud of dust and there - at the cantle - bounces the smallest bedroll known to mankind.

Not so - in actuality - not unless he plans to head to the line shack or over to the corral to bed down his cayuse.
If he plans on sleeping at all comfortably - especially in High Country - he'll bed down in a Soogan.

In essence - a Soogan is a quilt wrapped in a tarp.
Think of it as a sort of rectangular sleeping bag - but most likely far heavier than any sleeping bag you've ever used.

On "The Old-Fashioned Way" - Delmonico is offering up the methods of constructing a good one, and I recommend his work wholeheartedly.
If you take the time - and follow his instructions - you'll have a very handy, period-correct Soogan for your use and your Impression will also benefit.
It'll look right at home in the bunkhouse or by the fire.

This 'Note' will add to the overall historical context of these useful and valuable pieces of essential equipment for any riding man.

Rather than overload their horse while working - a working cowboy on a cattle drive would have his soogan carried along with the Cook's wagon, but a cowboy riding the Grub Line - or on a Posse or any other activity that'd take him over some country would tie his on to the cantle and head off to see what was on the far side of the mountain.

Barbara Brackman is a well known quilt historian from Kansas - having written "Kansas Quilts and Quilters", as well as "Nebraska Quilts and Quiltmakers".

Her 'Kansas' book features a picture on page 28 of a cowboy under a tied patchwork soogan - taken about 1900 at the W.D. Boyce Cattle Company in either Kansas or Colorado.
This picture indicates that they were not necessarily plain but probably made out of available materials; often old blankets and feedsacks and anything that came to hand - as cloth scraps were saved for later use. 
 
The following sites give overall quilt history and perusing them'll keep you occupied.

http://www.quilthistory.com/dating_quilts.htm
http://www.reddawn.net/quilt/timeline.htm
http://www.kateryndedevelyn.org/quilting.htm
http://www.kateryndedevelyn.org/quilting.htm
http://www.womenfolk.com/quilting_history/pioneer.htm
http://www.historyofquilts.com/
 
But your best resource will be the University of Nebraska - they have the largest collection of
quilts and are the true authorities on pioneer/western quilts.
http://www.quiltstudy.org/

Scouts Out!

[litl rooster]

I have a more modern style bedroll canvas cover pad wool blanket and -10 sleeping bag rolled and tied. It'll top pack on a decker or sawbuck just fine but, would be a nusiance on a riding saddle of any kind

[James Hall]

Any old time pics? I was thinking about gettin me a cowboy bedroll and just putting a blanket in it. Would that be to big to put on the back of a horse?

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Howdy Pards
Hamilton Dry Goods sells bedrolls  . He has 2 different types . Might be a good idea to check with them . What ever you decide send a picture and tell us about it .

[Trinity]

I have never taken a picture of mine rolled up and realize that I need to.  It's definitely something which wouldn't be carried behind the rider.

My requirements for my roll change throughout the year.  At times it is something I sleep in, but mostly something I sleep on, just to keep ground moisture away.  Also, I usually have the luxury of access to straw to make a softer bed and also to keep above the moisture, because moisture will come up through the night.  This is something which won't have been an option out on the open range.

The covers also change throughout the year, but for Independence Day weekend, when most would suspect that no covers are needed, Friday night was rather chilly and I needed blankets, while Saturday and Sunday nights were warm.  You can never tell.

I built my bedroll with the Cowboy era in mind, but since there are no camping groups around here, I use it for my regular camping and Revolutionary War camping, I just make sure to tuck the incorrect stuff out of sight before the crowds come.

Here's a little progression I made a couple years ago of preparing my tent (in the time, five men would share the tent!).  I usually sleep outside and only ever sleep in a tent when there is a threat of rain, or if it is darned cold out.

The roll consists of a treated tarp from Tractor Supply (longer than I am tall and wide enough to wrap around me and my blankets) and three surplus Italian army blankets which were at one time super cheap, but now scarce (I've seen these used as movie props in modern westerns, and they "look" good, but anyone who has cracked open a Sportsman's Guide knows what it is, so I still cover them up).  As the seasons change, I add more blankets as needed, but always have those with me, usually for use as additional padding.

Click images to enlarge

[Delmonico]

Mine varies as to where I'm going, or rather when and where I'm going, this is pretty much the normal for all but real cold weather, more of it goes under than over, but when it gets chilly I toss more on top, the tarp has kept out rain and snow many times:





The whole array spread out on a fence and the tarps covering some coolers:



The one with the blue denium is the newest, getting old, the denium is pieced on heavy canvas and the back is woll pieced on the same, three layers of old surplus army wool blackets pieced for batting.  a good bit of kush for a man who will never see 50 again and that will keep the cold from creeping in down as cold as I want to camp any more.  I'd guess this would be comfortable to about )F and would keep you warm enough to sleep below that.

[Major 2]

As I mentioned the Vulcanized or  Federal Civil War gum rubber poncho..... these are way handy as a ground cloth ( combat moisture seeping up ) or as rigged tarp ( keeping rain off ) or rain poncho ( keeping rain off while riding & or ? )
Andy Fulks has these @ Fall Creek Suttlery for $59
It's made of very good quality light canvas fabric with a very supple matte gum rubber finish. It measures 71 inches by 48 inches and has 16 small grommets.
It weights about 2 lbs and folds flat to 2" X  6" X 18" lay this over your rolled issue ( Andy has these too ) Blanket
which will tightly roll to about 6 " X 20" and it will strap to your Saddle.
Packed thus an it will keep you blanket dry in light rains on rides, or pull out for you to wear and still lay over and keep the blanket dry.

This is the lightest and most portable way I've found in 30+ years

[Delmonico]

My bedroll is a bit large, but some you see in photo's waiting to be loaded in  the wagon are as big and I've read where a lot of them weighed 50 pounds.  That bedroll was a man's suitcase as well as his house, any extra clothes and other gear was most often in it. 

As for the second wagon for the bedrolls that is called a hoodlum wagon.  I'm open to some documentation but I've never heard of one on a trail drive.  I have seen pictures and read stories about them on spring and fall round-ups though which took place often when the weather was colder, hence the need for heavier bedrolls. 

The trail drives or at least the long ones from Texas to Kansas or other markets further north  took place in the warmer weather of late spring to early summer when the grass was at it's best.  This also kept the herd from being hit hopefully by a late or early snowstorm which could be a disaster on the open prairie.  Also it kept you out of the extreme heat of summer hopefully.  A longer drive to Wyoming or Montana would allow you to reach the cooler high plains and the foothills of the Rockies before what can be extreme heat of the open plains hits. 

[Major 2]

Del

What in the world are you doing up so late or is it early ? ...Me I had to drain the dog , me too and can't get back to sleep  
side I'm on vacation tomorrow ...no wait that's today already !  

"As for the second wagon for the bedrolls that is called a hoodlum wagon."  
I did not know that one !

[Delmonico]

Just like the night I took my sig picture with the timers, I'm up late, but tommorow is a 5 pm start time at work and I ain't going anywhere till then, temp was 87 an hour or so ago and the heat index was still 104, it's going to get hot tommorow  so I'm going to sleep as late as the dog allows and get back to work on my book on 19th century cooking.  Tommorow's project might interest you since your area is involved, the types of citrus fruits one could get in the markets of the period, where they came from and when you could get them. 

The young green hand who drove the wagon, helped the cosie and the horse wrangler and did what ever other dirty jobs no one else wanted to do was often called the hoodlum so the wagon he drove would be a hoodlum wagon.  Not sure the origions, maybe a project for tommorow after I pull my hair out over the differance between a shaddock and a forbidden fruit.   (Yes they are citrus and still seen, I've seen them up here but not under those names.

[James Hall]

So, no one carried bedrolls on their horses? Even lawmen?

[olpete]

howdy  theres a great looseleaf book by the rocky mountain outfit of the american mountain men on "how to camp" with period horse gear     $30  and you can check it out online ....americanmountain.org.   also in the tomahawk and long rifle magazine of the amm   and  check out   MMMuseum.com  in pinedale,wy.    those folks ride out a bunch in period gear and kin tell ya what"ll work    ol pete

[Delmonico]

So, no one carried bedrolls on their horses? Even lawmen?

I think you kind of missed it since litl rooster gave a good hint if not the answer  in terms evryone could understand.

I have a more modern style bedroll canvas cover pad wool blanket and -10 sleeping bag rolled and tied. It'll top pack on a decker or sawbuck just fine but, would be a nusiance on a riding saddle of any kind

I've been wanting this picture in my collection so I took some time to find it today and load it, Charley Siringo when he was after the Wild Bunch in the employ of The Pinkerton Detective Agency or since they stopped him from using their name in his book "Cowboy Detective: The Dickeson Detective Agency.  Here we have Charley and his bedroll/campgear carry:



Few men on horseback traveled far with out a pack horse or mule.  Could be very important, if you had something happen to your riding horse you could stash the gear and ride the pack horse out.  Out in some of that country a lone man a foot might not survive.  Besides that even a light load of camp gear and a rider is way to much of a load for a horse.