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  • canteen strap

    I bought a new Cincinnati Depot Canteen made my Axel Ulrich. The cotton strap is marked O. HOLDEN & CO. and is sewn together in two places. I need to shorten the strap so that it will ride right. Wambaugh & White states on their website that the strap on the Cincinnati had a roller buckle. Question is which would be "more" correct, add a roller buckle to my strap or just shorten my strap and sew it back together? My assumption is that both are probably correct but I'd like any opinions.

    Also if I go the roller buckle route. What size buckle would I need? Also would the strap have had just one adjustment hole or multiple holes?.

    I've tried to look at some original pictures but I can't find any that show a complete strap. They mostly focus on the canteen itself. Thanks for your time.
    Captain Andy Witt
    52nd Geo Vol Inf Co I CSA
    Blue Ridge Mess

    http://www.52ndgeorgia.webs.com

  • #2
    Re: canteen strap

    Andy,

    The original Cincinnati Depot canteen that we based our reproduction on has a roller buckle added to the strap after issue. It is crudely sewn into place and holes were poked in the opposite side of the strap with something like a pocket knife. Keep in mind that this is a soldier modification and not issued with the canteen. A large portion of original Cincinnati straps are white or off-white linen, folded and machine sewn with brown or white thread, with contract stamps appearing around summer 1863 but rarely prior to this time.

    Sewing the strap, knotting it, or adding a roller or wire prong buckle are all authentic, documented ways of shortening your canteen strap. Roller buckles and wire prong buckles are available through a number of sutlers; just measure the width of the strap and make sure the inside of the buckle is wide enough to accommodate.
    Brian White
    [URL="http://wwandcompany.com"]Wambaugh, White, & Co.[/URL]
    [URL="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wambaugh-White-Company/114587141930517"]https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wambaugh-White-Company/114587141930517[/URL]
    [email]brian@wwandcompany.com[/email]

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: canteen strap

      Brian, thanks for clearing that up. Your site was the first reference I've seen to a roller buckle on a canteen strap. Do you have any idea who that original canteen was carried by? Thanks again.
      Captain Andy Witt
      52nd Geo Vol Inf Co I CSA
      Blue Ridge Mess

      http://www.52ndgeorgia.webs.com

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: canteen strap

        Andy,

        Unfortunately the original is not attributed to a particular soldier. There have been other original canteens with roller buckles or prong buckles that show up at relic shows, dealer websites, or eBay from time to time but those also lack provenance.
        Brian White
        [URL="http://wwandcompany.com"]Wambaugh, White, & Co.[/URL]
        [URL="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wambaugh-White-Company/114587141930517"]https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wambaugh-White-Company/114587141930517[/URL]
        [email]brian@wwandcompany.com[/email]

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: canteen strap

          As Brian suggested, try knotting your strap like shown on the PA Bucktail statue at Gettysburg.
          Bob Williams
          26th North Carolina Troops
          Blogsite: http://26nc.org/blog/

          As [one of our cavalry] passed by, the general halted him and inquired "what part of the army he belonged to." "I don't belong to the army, I belong to the cavalry." "That's a fact," says [the general], "you can pass on." Silas Grisamore, 18th Louisiana

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: canteen strap

            Angelfire on Lycos, established in 1995, is one of the leading personal publishing communities on the Web. Angelfire makes it easy for members to create their own blogs, web sites, get a web address (domain) and start publishing online.

            Angelfire on Lycos, established in 1995, is one of the leading personal publishing communities on the Web. Angelfire makes it easy for members to create their own blogs, web sites, get a web address (domain) and start publishing online.


            One page shows a strap with a buckle and the other shows several Cincinnati Depot Canteens.
            Jim Mayo
            Portsmouth Rifles, Company G, 9th Va. Inf.

            CW Show and Tell Site
            http://www.angelfire.com/ma4/j_mayo/index.html

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: canteen strap

              OK, thought about asking this in a thread by itself, but will go ahead and ask it here. I have a leather canteen strap that I got from Chris Schreiber oh so many years ago, but just never used it. Guess I was waiting for the "ultimate" canteen on which to place it. Were these straps an issue item on Federal canteens? If so, are they associated with one manufacturer, depot, etc. especially? Sorry for the dumb question, and yes, I know I should get the canteen book (I love books!), but being unemployed at the moment a $40 book on canteens is just not on my list right now.

              Thanks!
              Warren Dickinson


              Currently a History Hippy at South Union Shaker Village
              Member of the original Pickett's Mill Interpretive Volunteer Staff & Co. D, 17th Ky Vol. Inf
              Former Mudsill
              Co-Creator of the States Rights Guard in '92

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: canteen strap

                Prior to June of 1861, Philadelphia Depot supplied all canteens to the US Army. ALL of these canteens had leather straps. From June 1861 through early 1862, 300,000 canteens were supplied by Philadelpia Depot. Half of these were leather and the other half were cotton duck. Cotton/linen became the US military standard in August of 1862 and were issued continually by this depot through the end of the war.

                NY Depot produced leather straps for their canteens in the first months of the war. After August 1861, the majority of NY contractors produced canteens with cotton straps.

                In July 1862, St. Louis Depot ordered 45,000 canteens with leather straps from Jewett of NY. After this period, most procured canteens were with cotton straps.

                In late 1862, Cincinatti depot ordered from Jewett as well. These canteens had cotton straps (that's not to say that all canteens from this depot were cotton).

                I hope this helps.
                Tristan Galloway

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: canteen strap

                  Tristan, it helps a great deal. Thanks for taking the time to reply.
                  Warren Dickinson


                  Currently a History Hippy at South Union Shaker Village
                  Member of the original Pickett's Mill Interpretive Volunteer Staff & Co. D, 17th Ky Vol. Inf
                  Former Mudsill
                  Co-Creator of the States Rights Guard in '92

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: canteen strap

                    No problem.
                    Tristan Galloway

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: canteen strap

                      I just cut my sling in two and just tied it with a square knot. Quicker, easier, and a whole lot stronger than cutting and resewing a sling.
                      Robert Johnson

                      "Them fellers out thar you ar goin up against, ain't none of the blue-bellied, white-livered Yanks and sassidge-eatin'forrin' hirelin's you have in Virginny that run atthe snap of a cap - they're Western fellers, an' they'll mighty quick give you a bellyful o' fightin."



                      In memory of: William Garry Co.H 5th USCC KIA 10/2/64 Saltville VA.

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