IT IS OFTEN forgotten that for every battle a soldier is engaged in, he usually lives in camp peacefully for many months in between. Old soldiers on campaign would therefore use their experience to refine their kit, removing absolutely everything that was unnecessary and keeping as much room as possible for the essentials in their packs.
Officers of all nations demanded a higher level of comfort on campaign. Often they were given an allowance for a pack horse which could carry more luxurious camp equipment, but the essential needs were still the same: food, protection from the weather and clean clothing. Tents, shaving equipment, crockery, cutlery and cooking implements were therefore specially designed to be compact and to fit into special containers which could be carried in pack saddles.
Date of manufacture:
c. 1815
Location:
Musée de l’Armée, Paris, France
It was quite normal for officers to acquire a servant or two, either privately or supplied from within the regiment. The servant could draw rations, cook and clean for his master. Some officers indeed even had a cart, allowing them to take more equipment with them, including libraries to while away the long tedious hours when nothing happened. However, such luxury on campaign was often a cause of congestion on the roads following an army, severely hampering the free flow of supplies and reinforcements. It was therefore often necessary to order officers to leave such carts behind or threaten to have them burned if discovered. It has to be said, however, that many appear to have contrived to retain their luxuries.
French néccessaire – a case containing all the essentials of camp life.
