Civil War Pipe Smokers
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Very nice, I’ve never seen this colorized. I’ve seen the photo credited as being both General George McClellan’s as well as General Fitz-John Porter’s staff of officers. The only name I’ve seen credited though is George Armstrong Custer in the right foreground reclining with the dog. From the way they’re lollygagging about though I’d have guessed they were McClellan’s men awaiting a decision. Ha
Am I the only one who notices that all of the pipes of antiquity are way smaller than today's pipes?
BTW, many Southerners made their own pipes from Mt Laurel and fruit trees, whittled on a porch somewhere. It was only the vagabonds and homeless that would have used cobs, and this is from a guy who comes from a long line of Pipe smoking Southern farmers. But, corncobs really weren't large enough to make a decent pipe out of back then, and besides cobs were what you wiped your rear end with. It would have been like walking around with toilet paper hanging out of your mouth.
BTW, many Southerners made their own pipes from Mt Laurel and fruit trees, whittled on a porch somewhere. It was only the vagabonds and homeless that would have used cobs, and this is from a guy who comes from a long line of Pipe smoking Southern farmers. But, corncobs really weren't large enough to make a decent pipe out of back then, and besides cobs were what you wiped your rear end with. It would have been like walking around with toilet paper hanging out of your mouth.
Interesting that many of the pipes don't look that much different than pipes we smoke today. Briar pipes started gaining traction in the 1850s but would have been rather expensive for the common soldier. The same with meerschaum pipes which would have been more commonly seen among the upper class in the 1860s. It's worth noting that the Federals in the picture are commissioned officers and therefore would have had the means to purchase briar and meerschaum pipes of the day and would most likely have smoked these in lieu to the more common clay and reed stem pipes that would have been associated with and smoked by the enlisted men.
Corn cob pipes were also used during the war, but would have been made by the enlisted men themselves. I came across this diary reference from a soldier in the 37th Indiana on a Civil War Reenactor's forum posted by Ross L. Lamoreaux of the Tampa Bay History Center. In the soldier's September 9, 1863, entry he writes: "Some of the Tipton County boys were quite happy to come across a nice big corn field, and even if the corn was a little green, it made for some pipes to replace the clays that keep breaking..."
I came across this Civil War reenactor pipemaker's site a while back and was impressed with his craftsmanship and historical detail: Rubben Pipes. If you look at the page with some of the past pipes that he's made, his pipes look very similar to the pipes you see that the Federal officers are smoking in the photograph. The site looks a little dated so I don't know if he's still actively making pipes or not.
Corn cob pipes were also used during the war, but would have been made by the enlisted men themselves. I came across this diary reference from a soldier in the 37th Indiana on a Civil War Reenactor's forum posted by Ross L. Lamoreaux of the Tampa Bay History Center. In the soldier's September 9, 1863, entry he writes: "Some of the Tipton County boys were quite happy to come across a nice big corn field, and even if the corn was a little green, it made for some pipes to replace the clays that keep breaking..."
I came across this Civil War reenactor pipemaker's site a while back and was impressed with his craftsmanship and historical detail: Rubben Pipes. If you look at the page with some of the past pipes that he's made, his pipes look very similar to the pipes you see that the Federal officers are smoking in the photograph. The site looks a little dated so I don't know if he's still actively making pipes or not.
Great photo. I've seen it before but not to this detail. Colorizing it really brings out the tiny tidbits here and there. What first struck me was that all their uniforms are different, with regular shirts underneath. The soldiers of the 1860's didn't get G.I. (government issued) clothing. They each had uniforms tailored by some civilian suit maker. Interesting that their boots look the same though. Of course a daily shave was most likely out of the question. I shave with a straight razor, but have hard enough time keeping a good sharp, stropped razor and can't imagine doing it in the bush! One soldier is sitting on what looks like a suitcase. Of course offices didn't carry a pack on his back, to demeaning. The tent behind them probably leaked like a sieve. No water proof materials like we have today.
What I really find interesting about the day was how they kept their pipes lit. I doubt there were any Zippo's about and matches were at a premium. When I'm out on the lake or in the woods, I go through enough matches to make a small tree! When I was a kid and camping with my grandfather, he used to take a hot ember from the fire and put it atop his tobacco. It not only kept his pipe lit for a while, it added it's own flavor. I've tried it myself... Try it sometime, it's very pleasing. (with a hard wood fire, not pine)...
What I really find interesting about the day was how they kept their pipes lit. I doubt there were any Zippo's about and matches were at a premium. When I'm out on the lake or in the woods, I go through enough matches to make a small tree! When I was a kid and camping with my grandfather, he used to take a hot ember from the fire and put it atop his tobacco. It not only kept his pipe lit for a while, it added it's own flavor. I've tried it myself... Try it sometime, it's very pleasing. (with a hard wood fire, not pine)...
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