As usual, the surviving examples of the soldier’s humble knapsack are mainly Union ones. But Confederate knapsacks were similar in design and appearance and, late in the war, were Union as well—confiscated from the battlefield.

Interestingly, the soldier’s knapsack had not changed much from the Revolutionary war. It was still designed to be slung over both shoulders with an adjoining chest strap to help it ride high up on the back.

And, as with all the other historical accouterments of the Civil War soldier, the reenacting hobby has stimulated  a selection of reproductions to purchase.