General Patton's Rig Mystery?

[tpelle]

Here is a picture of General George Patton wearing his famous ivory-stocked Colt SAA:



And here is a pic of entire rig as it is displayed in a museum:



Note that in the color photo the belt itself is an old-fashioned Army leather belt with a spoon and wreath buckle. Odd that it's in brown, but maybe that was issue during Pershing's Mexican punitive expedition. But in the b/w photo it appears that he switched the belt for a canvas Army-issue web pistol belt.

My question has to do with the item threaded on to the belt next to the buckle. In both pictures you can make out that it appears to be a percussion cap pouch. It appears particularly clear on the b/w pic of the General himself, although it's on the opposite side of the buckle than in the color photo.

Now when the U.S. Army first began to issue the 1873 Colt revolver, they re-tasked Civil War era percussion pouches to carry loose ammunition for the revolver. They simply removed the sheep's wool lining from the pouch.

But it appears that Patton didn't use it for that. Notice that there are two rectangular objects threaded on to the belt. One of them, on the SAA side, is a set of cartridge loops for the .45 Colt rounds. I've seen it in other photos. I believe that the rectangular item on the other side might be a similar set of cartridge loops for .357 Magnum for the S&W. So that leaves the cap pouch.

What in the world do you guys think he carried in there? (Maybe a tin of Copenhagen?)

 

[OldCavSoldier]

Lensatic compass.

 

[waidmann]

+1.........

 

[Ultravox]

Light meter for his camera perhaps? Most cameras of the day would not have a good light meter in them. The pouch is about the right size for one...

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Compass

 

[CapnMac]

Dunno, Patton was old-school Cavalry, a compass would be on a lanyard (aka "dummy cord"). Maybe.
Could have just been a "possibles" pouch, too; a place to carry a pen knife, some change, what have you, and not 'spoil' the 'cut' of the uniform by actually filling pockets.
Maybe.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

The guys that said compass aren't guessing............

 

[Cosmoline]

That's where he kept his fourth star.. just in case.

 

[Strykervet]

That's where he kept his fourth star.. just in case.

His fourth star... Just in case... That's funny!

 

[Rembrandt]

Patton was a 4 star.....maybe it was the 5th star he kept handy just in case?

 

[tpelle]

Ahhh, a compass! That would be just about right, wouldn't it.

So how did you guys know? And was it a cap pouch?

 

[waidmann]

The rig is at the Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor at Fort Knox, Ky. The rig was built by Myers Saddlery. It was the influence for the Army General Officer's rig later issued.

 

[Rexster]

Yep, compass, and those who said it before me were, indeed, NOT guessing.

As for the rig being changed from time to time, well, of course; a guy can change his rig, especially when he owns it, as opposed to a mandated, issued rig.

 

[thunder173]

+1 compass,..that he used with his Michelin road map...........really.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

I understand Patton went to N. Africa first, and took a bunch of guns on his "tour". He has been photographed wearing a Colt .22 Woodsman in Africa, and apparently also had his Colt .380 in Europe, as he took to wearing that on the Gen. Officers belt when the two big revolvers got to be a bit of a burden. He was also known to conceal a Remington .380 under his jacket when wearing one or more of the other guns on the belt. He didn't always wear the two big revolvers at the same time, and apparently had holsters for each gun that he'd wear on the same General Officer's belt.

 

[Walking Dead]

iPhone?

 

[rcmodel]

Odd that it's in brown, but maybe that was issue during Pershing's Mexican punitive expedition.

The Army used brown combat boots, brown holsters, etc. until the switch to Black leather in 1956. It was some time later until a complete change was accomplished in all units.


Patten's brown leather in WWII would be perfectly correct.
If it was black, it would have been a General's uniform prerogative he made himself.
Like Ike's shorty jacket.


rc

 

[Ron James]

Even in 1959 the Army was issuing Brown boots that the recruits had to dye black. I knew he carried a Remington 51 when in civilian clothes, but I have never read that he carried it while in uniform? Patton stated several times he hated carrying those big heavy guns , but did so for the troops. They expected it of him, no it wasn't a percussion cap case, it was a compass case.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Note that in the color photo the belt itself is an old-fashioned Army leather belt with a spoon and wreath buckle. Odd that it's in brown, but maybe that was issue during Pershing's Mexican punitive expedition. But in the b/w photo it appears that he switched the belt for a canvas Army-issue web pistol belt.

Army leather was brown right into the 1950s. So brown holsters, boots, belts and so on were quite in keeping.

My question has to do with the item threaded on to the belt next to the buckle. In both pictures you can make out that it appears to be a percussion cap pouch. It appears particularly clear on the b/w pic of the General himself, although it's on the opposite side of the buckle than in the color photo.

Now when the U.S. Army first began to issue the 1873 Colt revolver, they re-tasked Civil War era percussion pouches to carry loose ammunition for the revolver. They simply removed the sheep's wool lining from the pouch.

But it appears that Patton didn't use it for that. Notice that there are two rectangular objects threaded on to the belt. One of them, on the SAA side, is a set of cartridge loops for the .45 Colt rounds. I've seen it in other photos. I believe that the rectangular item on the other side might be a similar set of cartridge loops for .357 Magnum for the S&W. So that leaves the cap pouch.

What in the world do you guys think he carried in there? (Maybe a tin of Copenhagen?)

He may well have carried a compass in there, but that case was made to carry a battle dressing -- a compress bandage. Patton was rather seriously wounded in WWI, and I would be willing to bet he carried his battle dressing.

The cap box was for ammunition.

 

[Ron James]

OK to refresh my memory I did a little more research, along with his firearms ( which he normally wore only one at a time, usually the .45) he had a hand cuff case which housed his compass and a small leather first aid box ( which also contained a field dressing ) Oh yes, he also had a belt slide for ammo.

 

[waidmann]

Even if its not a .45 its a compass

!!!

 

[Old Fuff]

As an aside:

It's sort of interesting that the pistol he is wearing is a pre-war Colt Match Target Woodsman .22 pistol. Not exactly what you'd expect.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

That picture is of Patton in N Africa. I believe he liked to pack the .22 to get some plinking in while kicking around the desert. Generals can play because no one higher rank will yell at them.

 

[Black Knight]

I believe El Paso Saddelry makes that rig now in case anyone wants a copy.

 

[wadcutter45]

The picture with the Woodsman was taken in 1939, between the wars, at Yuma Arizona during training maneuvers. Patton enjoyed the opportunity to take target practice at the abundance of jackrabbits in the Mojave desert that year.