MtMan-List: Henry Crawford: Ponchos

[Allen Chronister <almont@mt.net>]

Henry:
Like I said in the other message, I do not have
any information on whether rubber ponchos existed
much before the Civil War, or if they did, how
they were configured.  Don't recall info on when
the Army started using them.
I do know, like I said before, that rubberized
fabric was being produced at least in England in
the early 1820s and was being manufactured into
garments--ie rain coats--by Mr. MacIntosh, which
is why the Brits still call raincoats "Macs."  
So, a rubberized fabric poncho for a pre-1840
setting is something that was possible, but I
can't prove or disprove it, much less tell you
what it would look like.  Sorry.  For what its
worth, which may not be much, I don't use one.
Allen Chronister