Canteen Half

[Moonshine]

Re: Canteen Half

Robert,

I had a few things lost that someone may have found. I figured someone would find them be it Federals, ranchers, farmers or red ants. Somewhere out there is a Jarnagin "nesting" tin can too along with a shirt, pair of socks, (that's all I can remember for now)... it's been so long - coming up on 10 years ago already!!!

Jim Ross

[Company Tailor]

Re: Canteen Half

Regarding Jonah Steele's comments;

My point was not that canteen halves should or should not be used in our hobby or whether they were accessable. My point was that the practice of strapping the thing to your canteen as opposed to just sticking the thing in your haversack is questionable at best.

Regarding:

"If it was tied to a canteen hanging from a mans shoulder and noone was missing canteens; well then, what would an officer have to complain about?"

The fact of the matter is, any martinent officer (and there are still plenty of those around just like in days of yore) would have a ready made excuse to give you a rash of crap for it. Yes, we used "spare" canteens from supply and caught hell for it. Whether it's a battlefield pickup, or whatever, Captain Ironroduphisbutt will get you if he can.

Cheers!

[Bill]

Re: Canteen Half

This might have already been mentioned, but I must've missed it. If you want to protect the other stuff in your haversack, just store your canteen half, or small skillet in a bag. I was able to find the sleeve lining from a greatcoat at a sutler's shop. I just cut the sleeve in half, sewed up the bottom, and turned it inside out. It is the perfect size for my canteen half, and keeps grease and soot off the inside of the haversack. Just for interest sake, the size markings for the greatcoat are still visible on my bag.

[Mofedshirker]

Re: Canteen Half

I think the real question is, why do you carry it on your canteen? There is just no practical reason. If you want it, you have to unstrap it and get it untangled where if it is in its CORRECT position, in the haversack, you just pull it out. I just cannot wrap my mind around around the concept of carrying it on your canteen. There is NO reason. Read a few books and look at some pictures. They didn't carry them on their canteens (at least not in significant numbers.) Speaking of pictures I would like to see this purported 1st MN photo.

[Johan Steele]

Re: Canteen Half

"The fact of the matter is, any martinent officer (and there are still plenty of those around just like in days of yore) would have a ready made excuse to give you a rash of crap for it. Yes, we used "spare" canteens from supply and caught hell for it. Whether it's a battlefield pickup, or whatever, Captain Ironroduphisbutt will get you if he can."

Company Tailor; you bring up an excellent point. A martinnet officer will cause trouble anytime... However, those are usually the same officers that find an excuse to go to the rear for ammunition or help the wounded to rear and during route marches are often noticebly abscent from the dust of a march. Keep in mind that these were the same enlisted men (particularly the western troops) that commonly "lost" the eagle on their breast, the nice shiny US box plate for the cartridge box and frequently wore non regulation headgear. While relatively well equiped the men of the Union army were not as uniformly equiped as we were in the modern US military. The difference between a combat soldier and an asphalt soldier is often how clean and uniform he might look. Perhaps the Civil War put forward the maxim that "No combat ready unit is ready for inspection and no Inspection ready unit is ready for combat."

When doing a garrison role as the 3rd I polish my brass, blacken my brogans and clean the heck out of my leathers. If I'm doing a campaign persona... well lets just say the brass either leaves my hat along w/ the breatplate and anything even remotely shiny and I attach that nice and fire blackened canteen half to my canteen. I've also been accused of rolling in the dust a time or two... I won't admit to that though.

Mofedshirker, I can actually pull that canteen half from my canteen considerably faster than from my haversack. I've tried it both ways as the thing is a very convenient plate as well as a pretty decent skillet.

As to the photo of the 1st MN man wearing a canteen half on his canteen... I described it as best as I could from memory, even if I had it I've never been able to post a picture here before. Though w/ the new forum I've not tried. I can't vouch for it's authenticity any more than to say that I trust the man who showed it to me and his reputation is unimpeachable in my eyes. Could it be a fake? I don't know, it sure wasn't him in the photo. I doubt it's fake but I don't honestly know.

As I said only two in my unit carry such a thing at all; a distinct minority. It just seems like a logical inference that if a canteen half was around why not carry it on your canteen instead of in your haversack?

The question is if you're going to carry it, how do you secure it? A bit of wire, some rawhide or twine... As I've experimented several different ways out of curiosity. It isn't difficult to secure the thing so it won't go anywhere and it's as accesible as your canteen

On this thread I've seen people state all but authoritatively that they were never even used... and that obviously they shouldn't even be in camp... despite the finding of them in places like Petersburg, Vicksburg etc and the mention of their use in several books by men who were there. I admit I've not seen any references of them attached to their canteen in print reference. In the same vein I've also never seen reference to a particular style of canteen that was carried; yet I know beyond a shadow of doubt that it was.

It just seems perfectly reasonable to me to carry it tied to the canteen. At the same time I don't see every man in a company w/ one either for the same reasons that Company Tailor mentioned.

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Canteen Half

I think the real question is, why do you carry it on your canteen? There is just no practical reason. If you want it, you have to unstrap it and get it untangled where if it is in its CORRECT position, in the haversack, you just pull it out. I just cannot wrap my mind around around the concept of carrying it on your canteen. There is NO reason. Read a few books and look at some pictures. They didn't carry them on their canteens (at least not in significant numbers.) Speaking of pictures I would like to see this purported 1st MN photo.

When I made my canteen half on the Red River campaign, I carried it on my canteen. I dont know why I did this, I did not have documentaion for this at the time, I wasnt trying to look different or cool, I just did it. Nobody said anything pro or con about it, and I found it to be a practical place to put it.. The reason I stopped carying my canteen half this way, is because I could not prove to myself that this was PEC.

[yellowthornoftexas]

Re: Canteen Half

Sure glad I saw this!!! Was just watching a YouTube video about "civil war mess kit"(quite comical), and the kid (literally) had his tied to his canteen with hemp string.

Respectfully
Al Martin

[Jimmayo]

Re: Canteen Half

Canteen halves found in a Union hut site in Petersburg. Spoon found in CS trench at Cold Harbor.