| The cowboy's bedroll, unlike bedrolls or sleeping | | | | cover. The same term is sometimes used for a |
| bags used by modern-day campers, was much, | | | | small tarp or canvas that could be drapped over a |
| much more than a sleeping bag. The bedroll | | | | tree branch or propped up with sticks to form a |
| served as his "mini-home" on the range. | | | | rudimentary one-man tent. So a sugan might be a |
| In its most elaborate form, a bedroll contained a | | | | tent, or you might think of it as a sleeping bag. |
| whole host of personal possessions wrapped in | | | | The important thing in winters on the range in |
| canvas (when canvas could be found) or | | | | Texas or across the Great Plains was that sugans |
| sometimes just in make-shift heavy grain sack | | | | should provide both shelter and warmth as much |
| cloth. Tied up or strapped within such a bedroll | | | | as possible. |
| might be a "sugan" (also spelled "sougan" or | | | | War Bags or Possible Sacks -- If you think about |
| "suggan" and several other very creative ways) | | | | those terms, you may figure this one out. These |
| or two and the cowboy's "war bag" or "possibles | | | | were canvas bags or often just old grain or |
| sack." In fact, a well-planned and well-stocked | | | | flower sacks in which the cowboy kept prized |
| bedroll carefully wrapped and tied might be slung | | | | possessions. They could be grabbed up and taken |
| across a horse's back behind the saddle, or if it | | | | along in a hurry. Quoting from Winfred Blevins' |
| was too large and burdensome and the cowboy | | | | "Dictionary of the American West": |
| was a working cowboy, his bedroll might be slung | | | | "In the days of the open range, a snoop probably |
| off the side of a chuck wagon or tucked down in | | | | would have found some town clothing, the |
| the bed of the chuck wagon along with all the | | | | makings (for cigarettes), cartridges and maybe |
| crew's cooking utensils. | | | | some letters from home in it [the war bag]." |
| Smaller bedrolls for "portability" may have been | | | | A modern-day bedroll is much less colorful and |
| mounted on the cowboy's horse, but not the | | | | exciting. In cowboy terms, "bedroll" was equivalent |
| true, masterpieces of portable homes like a | | | | to an entire one-person camping setup. In modern |
| serious, full-grown bedroll. Which means we should | | | | terms a "bedroll" really just refers to a good |
| ask -- what were these mysterious "sugans" or | | | | sleeping bag. |
| "war bags," and how did they work for the | | | | The old "cowboy ways" of using bedroll appeals |
| average cowboy? | | | | to me the most. It makes a bedroll into a |
| Sugans -- These were heavy blankets, or more | | | | portable campsite, a portable home away from |
| often quilts, that contained some substance and if | | | | home. |
| possible some padding that made them warm for | | | | |