Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

[Silas]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

double post

[Silas]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

So the real question becomes, not what makes most sense to reenactors with a campaign impression, but what might have made sense to a soldier garrisoned along a railroad in Tennessee for a stretch of several months in the winter and spring of 1863. Under those circumstances, replacing the third or fourth stick of wood he'd used as a handle for a frying pan (which Jonah kept using for tinder) with a more permanent solution attached with box nails might seem like a good idea. I wouldn't do it, but then I've never spent a few months in Monteagle Tennessee with little else to do but drill.

That's what I was thinking, but did not state in my last post. I was thinking from a campaign viewpoint, not a true garrison situation. The item was likiely found in that camp because the owner or creator may not have wanted to carry it when ordered to move.

I plan on throwin' my old leaky, rusty canteen into the fire this coming weekend! Always wanted to try it out; just couldn't let myself buy half a canteen, all shiny and new. Hopefully I'll remember to take some pics of the process or at least before and after shots.

The half that I own is from an old canteen. I ceased using it a while back in favor of a tinned copper plate sold by BR.

The real reason for posting a reply was something I uncovered in google books while looking for something about exchanged prisoners. It concerns cavaleryman who lamented the loss of his canteen half :

I had come into prison, as did most other prisoners, absolutely destitute of dishes, or cooking utensils. The well-used, half-canteen frying-pan, the blackened quart cup, and the spoon, which formed the usual kitchen outfit of the cavalryman in the field, were in the haversack on my saddle, and were lost to me when I separated from my horse. Now, when we were told that we were to draw soup, I was in great danger of losing my ration from having no vessel in which to receive it. There were but few tin cups in the prison, and these were, of course, wanted by their owners. By great good fortune I found an empty fruit can, holding about a quart. I was also lucky enough to find a piece of wire from which to make a bail. I next manufactured a spoon and knife combined from a bit of hoop-iron.

From : p. 102 of McElroy, John, "Andersonville: A Story of Rebel Military Prisons, Fifteen Months a Guest of the So-called Southern Confederacy : a Private Soldier's Experience in Richmond, Andersonville, Savannah, Millen, Blackshear, and Florence"(1878)

[Gallinipper]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

Sadly I can't see the photo(s) of the "offending item" in question very well. So, the original owner supposedly performed an in-field modification to an existing half of a smoothside canteen, to make a skillet? The original utilized crate nails, but now the sutler is using rivets to attach the handle because his supply of those is "exhausted"?

Guess I'd better just buy three of those instead of four.....

(Incidentally, I always had pretty good results cooking with a bullseye half. Maybe it was the little gulleys channeling the grease.)

Rich Croxton

[Charles Heath]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

(Incidentally, I always had pretty good results cooking with a bullseye half. Maybe it was the little gulleys channeling the grease.)

Rich, was that the Geo. Foreman Depot, Type Ia, field grill?

[Parault]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

Rich, was that the Geo. Foreman Depot, Type Ia, field grill?

I want one.

[Gallinipper]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

Charles, it was indeed. The side of that thing made a handy can opener too.

Rich Croxton

[Charles Heath]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

Rich, at least you could figure out which one was yours. My favorite had the flat bottom thanks to using a stump and a log as anvil and hammer, so it not only cooked a little better, but was easy to identify even at night.

We hadn't popped open many canteens since the March 1997 Pamplin Park 155th NYVI living history, so last year at DM X in New Albany, PA, we called for rusty, leaking, canteens as part of the pre-event prep. Since we (well some of us) knew we had an active ford to improve and hold for a couple of hours, we had time to strip the canteens, melt the solder, and so forth. A good canteen provides two halves, but a leaky canteen provides but one, or sometimes none if both halves are perforated. It was nice to set up and revisit that common activity. We also made a green corn grater ahead of time, and that worked well for corn oyster production; although the boys who weren't in the bandaging station were pretty darn tired to fool with such nonsense by the end of that long day.

There is a very small pod of folks in California who still fool with the hobby, by the way. Just thought that worth mentioning.

[Gallinipper]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

Chas, it's funny we never had occasion to talk about that- or maybe we did, and I'm just old- but I'd be interested in knowing how long it took you to get it/them apart. I take it you did not go the gunpowder route (which of course can get a fellow removed from an event, but not necessarily from an army....) But I saw a guy work most of the day on successfully melting one. Always wondered what had that particular one stuck together so well.

I reckon the green corn will send the boys to the bandaging station as quick as anything. :D

Rich Croxton

[Charles Heath]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

"...but I'd be interested in knowing how long it took you to get it/them apart. I take it you did not go the gunpowder route (which of course can get a fellow removed from an event, but not necessarily from an army....) But I saw a guy work most of the day on successfully melting one. Always wondered what had that particular one stuck together so well.

Rich,

I do remember someone trying the gunpowder routine at some event in the distant past, but it wasn't any of the usual circle. A complete canteen yields a number of treasures from a bottle cork to cleaning swatches to repair patches.

Some of the modern repop halves have a 1/8" to 3/16" lip around the edge, and some canteens use one lipless and one lipped half, while other canteens have two lipped halves together. The latter models are hard to split apart, but a good rap with a stick or dropping them on the ground appears to help matters. I didn't watch the canteen firing detail all that closely, but they didn't appear to have many problems -- other than not keeping up with the white metal spouts, which would have been good repair material for a certain wooden canteen. Two nesting halves also make a fine coffee grinder or bake oven.

"I reckon the green corn will send the boys to the bandaging station as quick as anything."

Maybe Mistuh Sexton's bacon offering seemed to encourage sprinting with amazing vigor, rapidity, and promptitude amongst a certain set at one of those Yadkin River events many moons ago. That may have been the event with the skull on the fencepost allegedly to warn others away from said culinary surprises, too. Some period experiences were had....

[Gallinipper]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

Charles, I believe that beeve skull would have been from the "inaugural" NSR event at Cloyds Mountain, VA in 1997. No we did not eat that, but I'm not sure we would have been able to tell the difference anyway. I do recall Bro. Neal was instrumental in procuring some mighty fine bacon for the boys at the East Tennessee Campaign LH later that same year. (I've only heard horror stories about 125th Franklin, but that event was easily the coldest I ever experienced- was still not brave enough to seek shelter in a rat-infested barn with the likes of Messrs. Brewster, our "prisoner", and Cecil, however.)

Rich Croxton

[Charles Heath]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

Rich,

At one time, photographic images of that skull appeared in about as many places as the rumors of NBF's skull being stolen...found...stolen...stolen again!

Too funny.

[Gallinipper]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

Old Forrest's skull, and even worse, they bought it, didn't they? I miss you, old friend. I truly do..... This place might as well be China.

Rich Croxton

[PogueMahone]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

Jeez, guys, get a room already! I keep looking for updated information to this topic and I find you two waxing nostalgic ...

Wax on, wax off,

[Charles Heath]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

I keep looking for updated information to this topic and I find you two waxing nostalgic ...

...and this is coming from one of Mother Hudson's Bas....nevermind.

Okay, the funny thing is (realizing this is not an opinion based thread) canteen halves are quite possibly over represented and just flat out incorrect in certain circumstances. Certain fort events (not the stickfort variety), training camps, and even civilian events don't lend themselves well to this sort of mess furniture. Just a thought.

[PogueMahone]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

I've been to some "fort" events where the only mess gear a soldier needed was a plate, cup and utensils. Officers also needed a tumbler.

Context is everything.