Canteen Strap

[CivilWarBen]

Good day pards,


I was wondering about the field usage of leather canteen straps versus the traditional canvas strap. Did the US issue leather straps, if so how common were they? Thanks again!


Sincerely,

Benjamin David Novak

[CivilWarBen]

Re: Canteen Strap

Pardon for the difference in terminology, just to clarify, by strap i mean sling. Thanks again.

Sincerely,

Benjamin David Novak

[JimKindred]

Re: Canteen Strap

Benjamin,

Get a hold of Earl J. Coates' canteen article that appeared in the Journal of the Company of Military Historians, it will provide information on this question as well as several others dealing with CW canteens. Back issues are available - http://www.military-historians.org/

[Foggy Bottom Jim]

Re: Canteen Strap

The general consensus has seemed to be that leather slings are appropraite for early war (61-62) and cloth slings more appropriate for late war (62-64). However, I have also heard someone's research found that in the latter part of the war (64-65), canteens with leather straps were again issued due to wear and tear issues on the cloth slings.

Another issue comes up about the color of the sling. Most feel a russet sling is appropriate but then there is the factor that soldiers were expected to blacken their leathers, with the specific exemption of the rifle sling. Whether this includes the canteen sling has been debated.

If you are looking for one try Dell's leatherworks: www.dellsleatherworks.com

Our unit doessome early war impressions and I carry a canteen with black leather strap and a dk blue cover.

Jim Reynolds
Sykes' Regulars

[ScottCross]

Re: Canteen Strap

I have not found any records of contracts for leather canteen slings after the fall of 1862. However, another alternative is a 1" cotton web sling used later in the war. There were numerous contracts for this webbing in 1864-65. The Quartermaster Department allowed these and there are many surviving examples. Some are quite colorfully striped: red, white, & blue; blue and white; and just palin white. Good luck trying to find the striped webbing though!

[JCbluegrassrifles]

Re: Canteen Strap

My understanding has been that leather slings were issued mainly at early times in the war. As it progressed, I suppose they went to the cotton webbing in order to conserve leather for more needed areas. Contact Tim Welch who is owner and operator of LD Haning. He makes fantastic federal slings.

https://www.ldhaning.com

[JCbluegrassrifles]

Re: Canteen Strap

Mr. Cross,
Try Wooded Hamlet Designs for that striped cotton webbing.

https://www.woodedhamlet.com/

[coffee boiler]

Re: Canteen Strap

Another issue comes up about the color of the sling. Most feel a russet sling is appropriate but then there is the factor that soldiers were expected to blacken their leathers, with the specific exemption of the rifle sling. Whether this includes the canteen sling has been debated.

I think the concept of blackening all leathers except the rifle sling is specific to the accoutrements, and therefore is not relavant to the canteen sling.

[Darrell Cochran]

Re: Canteen Strap

I think the concept of blackening all leathers except the rifle sling is specific to the accoutrements, and therefore is not relavant to the canteen sling.

I suspect that blackened canteen straps may be a reenactorism, as they originally came "au naturel" just like the rifle sling ... Of course, who's to say that some martinet officers didn't direct their troops to blacken them?

[dahoude]

Re: Canteen Strap

According to my research, I must concur with the notion that leather slings are indeed of the early war type, I also agree that they were indeed issued oiled or unfinished, and not blackened. Below is a picture of a blue striped cotton twill sling as mentioned by Mr. Cross affixed to a "Hadden, Porter & Booth" corrugated canteen that I have been studying. This canteen is housed at a local museum here near me in Schoharie County.

[Jimmayo]

Re: Canteen Strap

While it is true that the vast majority of canteen slings at any one time of the war (early or late) were cotton, there is enough evidence to support the use of leather slings from 61 to 65. There are bullseye canteens (issued after 1862) surviving with leather slings. These slings can exhibit slight differences in manufacture suggesting not all were obtained from one source. Most of the slings appear to be original to the canteen and not added after the war. I won't even mention the rubber fabric slings which surface from time to time.

http://www.angelfire.com/ma4/j_mayo/uscanteen.html

IMO it would be correct to see a (very) small percentage of Federals in a mid/late war company with leather slings.

It also appears that even the CS government issued leather slings in limited quantity at periods through out the war and they had all the cotton they wanted.

[ejn]

Re: Canteen Strap

Dell Leather Works only dyes one side of their leather sling, is this correct?

Ed

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Canteen Strap

Hallo Kamerad!

In brief, in U.S. use, no.
They were generally "natural" russet leather.
Some lads point to the "Danish Exchange" specimen in the Tohjusmuseet in Denmark which is a dark brown and call it dyed- others (such as myself) look at this (and at others) as the natural age darkening of russet.

Ideally, it may take chemical analysis to settle the arguments. :-)

At any event, many "Sutler Row" type vendors like to dye theirs' black. :-(

Curt-Heinrich Schmidt

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Canteen Strap

Here is a photo of a USCT soldier wearing a leather canteen sling. The photo was taken in late 1864.

[amazingkenneth]

Re: Canteen Strap

The Photo of the canteen with the blue ticking, were there many that have been recorded? I saw one pic in Echeos of Glory with it. Also were there red ticking?

Your Servant,
K.J. Reihl

According to my research, I must concur with the notion that leather slings are indeed of the early war type, I also agree that they were indeed issued oiled or unfinished, and not blackened. Below is a picture of a blue striped cotton twill sling as mentioned by Mr. Cross affixed to a "Hadden, Porter & Booth" corrugated canteen that I have been studying. This canteen is housed at a local museum here near me in Schoharie County.