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MODEL 1879 WHITMAN
SADDLE BAGS – A VERY NICE SELECTION OF A KEY PIECE OF
INDIAN WAR CAVALRY EQUIPMENT:
A necessary piece of horse equipment to complete your
saddle display, these sets of Model 1879 Whitman
Saddlebags have survived in remarkably nice condition.
Introduced with the other Horse Equipments recommended
by the Cavalry Board of 1879, while the saddles
apparently were not made or issued in any great numbers,
these unique saddle bags gained a substantial acceptance
in the field. They were used not only with the Whitman
saddles, but with the McClellan Saddles - Models 1874
and 1885 - available in the field at the same time, as
evidenced by known period photographs.
Any of the Indian War
era saddlebags have become difficult to find,
particularly in the condition of the sets of bags
offered here. Considering the rarity and expense of the
Model 1874 and Model 1885 Saddlebags, these sets of
Model 1879 Saddlebags are priced very reasonably and
will be very appropriate for displaying on your Indian
War McClellan.
I currently have the following sets of saddle bags in
stock and each set is described and priced individually
below with accompanying photographs.
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SET NO. 1 MODEL
1879 WHITMAN SADDLE BAGS COMPLETE WITH LINERS AND BELLY
STRAP:
Both of the bags are
notably in very good condition with full pliable outer
flaps complete with all of the full length closing
billets and buckles, the exterior pouches on the faces
of the bodies are complete and intact, and the gussets,
commonly found split or torn, are fully intact, smooth
and very pliable. All of the brass hardware, to include
the belly strap rings at the bottom of each bag, is
present and intact. The flaps are both embossed with a
legible "US" in the oval.
The interior liners, of
a pattern, and made from a material, unique to these
Model 1879 bags, are present and intact with the proper
full length leather lacing around the opening which
holds them in place. Made of same brown duck material
from which the Indian War haversacks were made, these
liners are specially cut and lock into the bags not only
with the lacing around the opening, but via whip
stitched "button holes" through which the main flap
closing straps are fed before passing through the top
slots of the flap. The near side liner is nicely ink
stamped along the top of the back side with the arsenal
inspector’s initials “WMH”.
An added value to this
set, not only are the original liners present, but the
original belly strap is as well. The strap is full
length in the body, is complete with both brass buckles
and leather keepers, and the billets are present and
intact with no tearing or wear. The tips of the billets
have been shortened - a very common practice by the
Indian War soldiers in order to eliminate any
unnecessary lengths of leather which would snag or
become entangled with other equipment or brush and other
debris while on campaign in the field. These belly
straps are most often missing, having been separated
from the bags years ago, are very difficult to find on
the loose, and certainly add to the value of this set of
saddlebags.
The seat, or yoke
connecting the two bags that passes across the back of
the saddle, is strong and complete with both leather
keys used to secure the saddlebags to the foot loops on
the rear sidebar extensions of the saddle, both brass
footloop reinforcement plates, and the round brass
reinforcement plate in the center of the span. There is
also a neatly executed hole cut in a cloverleaf pattern
above each of the footloop slots and the leather around
each of these holes has been reinforced with stitching.
As the footloop slots on the M1879 Saddlebags were
situated for the foot loops on the Whitman Saddles, when
these bags were used on the McClellan Saddles the
footloop slots did not necessarily match up with the
footloops on the cantle of the McClellans. In order to
secure these bags on a McClellan, either a second set of
footloop slots had to be cut, or as in this case, an
expedient method was used that is known to have been
used as early as the Model 1868 McClellan saddles –
simply punching a set of holes that would correspond to
the spacing of the equipment rings on the rear side bar
extensions of the saddle. The saddlebags were then
placed on the cantle, the saddle bag stud was engaged
and the equipment rings were pulled through the holes in
the saddlebag yoke and the friction of the yoke leather
against the staple holding the ring in the saddle was
sufficient to keep the bags in place. When the leather
was new and still had some give to it, a relatively
small hole was sufficient for the ring to pass through
and still be small enough to be held in place by the
ring.
There is some minor wear
in the upper corners of the bodies of the bags, again
very typical of these bags and certainly those that saw
actual use in the field, but not to the extent that the
integrity of the bags is compromised and not to the
point of being unsightly. There is of a neatly applied
patch to the lower portion of the gusset on the off side
bag, a small wear hole reinforced with stitching on the
back side of the near side bag, and the right hand
buckle billet strap on the near side bag has been
replaced. These are old field repairs, both are very
well executed, and they were definitely done during the
period these bags were used in the field - likely the
work of the company saddler, and certain evidence that
these bags were used in the field. These repairs do not
show any indication of work that was recently done and I
believe they are not only contemporary to the bag’s use,
but also consistent with the kind of work done by
company saddlers.
Overall, this is a very
nice, attractive set of saddlebags that has survived
service in the field in remarkable condition and will
definitely enhance the appearance and value of your
saddle. (1015) $1550
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SET NO. 2 MODEL
1879 WHITMAN SADDLE BAGS:
Both of the bags are
notably in very good condition with full pliable outer
flaps complete with all of the full length closing
billets and buckles, the exterior pouches on the faces
of the bodies are complete and intact, and the gussets,
commonly found split or torn, are fully intact, smooth
and very pliable. All of the brass hardware, to include
the belly strap rings at the bottom of each bag, is
present and intact. The flaps are both embossed with
faint, but legible "US” in the ovals. The original
lacing around the top of the left side bag which secured
the interior liner is full length and present.
The seat, or yoke connecting the two bags that passes
across the back of the saddle, is complete with both
leather keys used to secure the saddlebags to the foot
loops on the rear sidebar extensions of the saddle, both
brass footloop reinforcement plates, and the round brass
reinforcement plate in the center of the span.
There
is also a slot cut above each of the footloop slots – a
commonly seen soldier executed field modification seen
on these bags. As the footloop slots on the Model 1879
Saddlebags were situated for the foot loops on the
Whitman Saddles, when these bags were used on the
McClellan Saddles the footloop slots did not necessarily
match up with the footloops on the cantle of the
McClellan saddles. In order to secure these bags on a
McClellan, a second set of footloop slots had to be cut
that would match those on the saddle. The yoke shows
evidence of wear and age, with the surface crazed with
some flaking, but the leather is supple and intact.
There is a legible early style ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL stamp
in the “rising sun” cartouche outline on the yoke, just
above the left bag.
There is a point of
minor wear in the upper right hand corner of the left
side bag body that has been repaired with a reinforcing
piece of leather applied to the inside of the bag. The
repair is well done and not unsightly. There is some
light worm tracks on the outer surface of the bags and
flaps, but it is very minor, and overall the bags retain
the original pebble grain finish with a nice bright
sheen.
Although showing some
signs of use and age, this set is still very attractive
and in very good condition, and will definitely enhance
your cavalry display. (1049) $850
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