Thoughts on Civil War "Dog Tents?"
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2024 8:44 pm
I'm a US Civil War reenactor, and wanted to get y'alls opinion on how fitting Civil War era "dog tents" would be for ranging.
Dog tents were white canvas shelter halves that each soldier carried. When it came time to set up camp, two soldiers would pair up and combine their halves two form a single tent, making posts and stakes from branches. The resulting tent would be just long and wide enough for both soldiers and their equipment to lay in, and be about belly-button to chest high.
In reenacting, we almost always have front and back flaps as well, but I haven't actually found any historical mention of this.
In the case of odd number soldiers, or in our case of solo-ranging, one shelter half can still be used to form lean-tos or other partial shelters.
Less relevant to ranging, but still of possible interest, during longer encampments, soldiers would often build small, simple log cabins (often partially dug into the earth,) and use their dog tents as roofs. While building a whole log cabin while ranging might be a little TOO permanent and intensive, it does make me think that the shelter halves could be augmented in various ways to make more comfortable and warm shelters if you're staying in one place for at least a few days.
To me, this seems like an ideal ranger-shelter. While this specific setup isn't quite medieval, larger white canvas tents did exist, so there's no reason this COULDN'T have existed with middle ages or Middle Earth technology. It's not as warm as modern tents, but in most climates will work well enough and keep you dry, especially when combined with a fire and/or bedroll. If you do go out with a group, it lets you split up the weight of the tent to ensure everyone carries their fair share.
One thing I might edit is the color. If I'm getting a dog tent dedicated for ranging, I would probably get one some shade of brown or green, to help blend into my environment and hide from orcs and what-not.
Dog tents were white canvas shelter halves that each soldier carried. When it came time to set up camp, two soldiers would pair up and combine their halves two form a single tent, making posts and stakes from branches. The resulting tent would be just long and wide enough for both soldiers and their equipment to lay in, and be about belly-button to chest high.
In reenacting, we almost always have front and back flaps as well, but I haven't actually found any historical mention of this.
In the case of odd number soldiers, or in our case of solo-ranging, one shelter half can still be used to form lean-tos or other partial shelters.
Less relevant to ranging, but still of possible interest, during longer encampments, soldiers would often build small, simple log cabins (often partially dug into the earth,) and use their dog tents as roofs. While building a whole log cabin while ranging might be a little TOO permanent and intensive, it does make me think that the shelter halves could be augmented in various ways to make more comfortable and warm shelters if you're staying in one place for at least a few days.
To me, this seems like an ideal ranger-shelter. While this specific setup isn't quite medieval, larger white canvas tents did exist, so there's no reason this COULDN'T have existed with middle ages or Middle Earth technology. It's not as warm as modern tents, but in most climates will work well enough and keep you dry, especially when combined with a fire and/or bedroll. If you do go out with a group, it lets you split up the weight of the tent to ensure everyone carries their fair share.
One thing I might edit is the color. If I'm getting a dog tent dedicated for ranging, I would probably get one some shade of brown or green, to help blend into my environment and hide from orcs and what-not.