Greg Crockett
12-05-2002, 03:49 AM
In the Civil War Collector's Encyclopedia, it is stated that watch trading was popular with the troops at that time.
After a battle, some men always appeared to have new watches to trade. So, there must have been men who carried a number of them at once. With no other place to safely stash their valuables, I would imagin men kept their watches with them in battle.
Photographs taken by Brady and others of the dead after battle appear to show pockets were searched.
Examining period photographs, I have not yet seen more than one watch chain on any given subject; but then, not everyone had photographs taken at that time.
One other note is that money was not always available. At times, postage stamps were used to buy and trade things. I suppose watches would have been another handy replacement for cash.
After a battle, some men always appeared to have new watches to trade. So, there must have been men who carried a number of them at once. With no other place to safely stash their valuables, I would imagin men kept their watches with them in battle.
Photographs taken by Brady and others of the dead after battle appear to show pockets were searched.
Examining period photographs, I have not yet seen more than one watch chain on any given subject; but then, not everyone had photographs taken at that time.
One other note is that money was not always available. At times, postage stamps were used to buy and trade things. I suppose watches would have been another handy replacement for cash.