Civil War Maj. General shabraque

[CesarD]

Hello Everyone,

I wasn't sure where to post my question so I came here. I'm looking for the eagle image with 2 stars which would've appeared on a Civil War Generals shabraque. I've seen photos of some examples but its not clear enough to copy the details. It has to be clear to be embroidered. I'm looking for the eagle with the wings down. Maybe someones seen it at a museum or has a new clear photo of it. This is for my next miniature CW saddle. Thanks.

S/F

Cesar Dubon

[hbtcoveralls]

I've seen and really love the photos of your model saddles, they're outstanding! I imagine that you have the book "The American Militay Saddle" by R Steven Dorsey and Kenneth L McPheeters? There is a great image on the cover of a brigadier general's Shabraque as worn under the officer's saddle in the Civil War. The Major General I think should jus have 2 stars instead of the single star. The cover photo is in color as well. There is also one illustrated in black and white in the chapter on saddle cloths. I can't wait to see your next project!

Tom Bowers

[GIl Sanow]

What is the origin of the word "Shabraque"? I thought the word was "chevrac". It sounds like the two might have a similar phonetic origin but different spelling.

 

G

[CesarD]

I've seen and really love the photos of your model saddles, they're outstanding! I imagine that you have the book "The American Militay Saddle" by R Steven Dorsey and Kenneth L McPheeters? There is a great image on the cover of a brigadier general's Shabraque as worn under the officer's saddle in the Civil War. The Major General I think should jus have 2 stars instead of the single star. The cover photo is in color as well. There is also one illustrated in black and white in the chapter on saddle cloths. I can't wait to see your next project!

Tom Bowers

Thanks Tom. Its been a while since I've made an American saddle. I've since made 2 Napoleonic saddles but this isn't the place for that. I've seen that photo but all the orignal CW photos I've seen with Generals, the eagle has his wings down. So I was looking for that particular eagle. Besides, its still hard to make out all the detail on the McPheeters book. I'm thinking the eagle is clutching something with its claws but I can't tell.

[CesarD]

What is the origin of the word "Shabraque"? I thought the word was "chevrac". It sounds like the two might have a similar phonetic origin but different spelling.

 

G

First time I've seen the word chevrac. I looked it up but I had no luck.

[GIl Sanow]

Actually, after I wrote the above, I Googled both terms. It appears that they mean the same thing. I still wonder about the national origin of each.

 

G

[Shenkursk]

Actually, after I wrote the above, I Googled both terms. It appears that they mean the same thing. I still wonder about the national origin of each.

 

G

 

Gil:

 

The Shabraque is only 1/3 of the system. Together with the Meshach and Abednego, they prevent the officer's mount from accidentally kneeling in front of statues that they might happen to pass along their route, and provide a measure of fire protection as well. The complete set is rare because of their inherent defect of becoming loose on the booty of the horse, but a few examples are still to be found at Paul's Boutique.

[GIl Sanow]

Huh?

 

G

[CesarD]

Gil:

 

The Shabraque is only 1/3 of the system. Together with the Meshach and Abednego, they prevent the officer's mount from accidentally kneeling in front of statues that they might happen to pass along their route, and provide a measure of fire protection as well. The complete set is rare because of their inherent defect of becoming loose on the booty of the horse, but a few examples are still to be found at Paul's Boutique.

What are you talking about?

[Manchu Warrior]

Gil:

 

The Shabraque is only 1/3 of the system. Together with the Meshach and Abednego, they prevent the officer's mount from accidentally kneeling in front of statues that they might happen to pass along their route, and provide a measure of fire protection as well. The complete set is rare because of their inherent defect of becoming loose on the booty of the horse, but a few examples are still to be found at Paul's Boutique.

I don't understand the reasoning but I believe you are referring to a Beastie Boys LP. Am I correct?

[DwightPruitt]

Gil:

 

The Shabraque is only 1/3 of the system. Together with the Meshach and Abednego, they prevent the officer's mount from accidentally kneeling in front of statues that they might happen to pass along their route, and provide a measure of fire protection as well. The complete set is rare because of their inherent defect of becoming loose on the booty of the horse, but a few examples are still to be found at Paul's Boutique.

 

Hey Ladies!

[Shenkursk]

I don't understand the reasoning but I believe you are referring to a Beastie Boys LP. Am I correct?

 

Correct. As with most things, it seemed far more humorous in my head. Sorry to have confounded Gil, who appears not to be a 1970's - 1980's music aficionado.

 

Whenever I hear the term, for some reason I am compelled to think of Shadrach, though the spelling is not the same. This then leads to the modern musical refrain, which is stuck in my cranium for an average of 20 minutes to an hour, until cleansed by something good, or replaced by something significantly more annoying like, for example, Melanie's "Brand New Key".

 

From Wikipedia:

"In the story (of the firey furnace), Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abednego), defy King Nebuchadnezzar's order that they bow down and worship a golden idol, a cult image of Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar, in a rage, orders the boys thrown into a furnace, but they are miraculously unharmed by the flames and survive the experience unscathed. Nebuchadnezzar sees them walking around in the furnace along with an unnamed angel. After the three youths emerge, Nebuchadnezzar gives a command that anyone who speaks against the God of Shadrach, Mesahach, and Abednego will be torn apart and have his house turned into a pile of stones."

 

The trio appears consistently throughout cultural references over the ages, most recently in the 1989 Beastie Boys album, in which they were adapting a refrain from Sly & the Family Stone's 1970's classic "Loose Booty". All available on iTunes should you care to investigate further.

 

And that boys and girls is just about as off-topic as you can possibly go on a thread about Civil War horse equipment. (Apologies to Cesar, whose thread was hijacked by this stream of consciousness rambling.)