What's in Those Sailor Seabags?

By Steve Hesson om the Civil War Navy and Marine Forum on Yahoo Groups.

Sailors packed their belongings into a seabag. The average sailor had four or five sets of blue uniforms and a set of whites for mustering.

There was also about the same number of underclothes and socks; a good hat and a couple working hats; a jacket and a pair or two of shoes.

Personal items like a shaving kit, sewing kit and mess gear were stored in the mess kit when the sailor arrived on the ship.

Always Wondered What Went in Those Bags. --B-R'er