Knapsacks or backpacks have been an important part of a soldier’s equipment for centuries, used to carry clothing and supplies while on the march. Before waterproof fabric was invented, knapsacks were often made of heavy canvas that was painted to protect the contents from water.
In the early 19th century, knapsacks could be highly decorated to identify the unit. The photograph of the Oxford Light Infantry reenactment unit at a special event at Old Sturbridge Village shows what this knapsack would have looked like with the uniform of the 1820s-1840s.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service