Wooden inserts in cartridge box

[GreencoatCross]

Re: Wooden inserts in cartridge box

I'm not too familiar with cartridge box varieties in general, but since my research has been focused on the USSS stuff for about a decade the "Berdan" Sharps boxes are interesting. I have only heard of maybe three verified originals and a couple of others are claimed to be the real deal.

Dean, I've never heard of Sharps infantry boxes issued outside of the 2,000 sent to Berdan in 1862 that Curt mentioned. Like the Sharpshooters themselves were bound to do, I suspect that infantry armed with Sharps rifles relied on the standard issue.

I remember seeing what I think is a .58 cal cartridge box full of Sharps ammunition on display at Antietam. The last time I saw it was several years ago so I'm fuzzy on the provenance.

Curt, the knapsack belonged to a guy from Toledo who had bought it in 1998 and never used it. I have the original box and invoice from Frank too. I regretted selling mine when I moved out of Cincinnati but the new pack doesn't look like Frank made it out of a black Labrador retriever!

[106th PVI]

Re: Wooden inserts in cartridge box

Come to think of it, Brian, I never uncovered any documentation that the 42d PVI ever recieved matching boxes for the P1853 Enfields they carried either. This regiment, at one time carried a mix of 58's( Springfield/ Enfield) , 69's and Sharps. By Spring of 1864 they were recieving Spencer Rifles replacing the remaining muzzle loaders. No evidence of matching cartridge boxes for these, either.
Can you imagine trying to provide proper ammo to this regiment? Holy Moly!

[GreencoatCross]

Re: Wooden inserts in cartridge box

Geez, that's a weird mix of firearms for one regiment!

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Wooden inserts in cartridge box

Hallo!

"Curt, the knapsack belonged to a guy from Toledo who had bought it in 1998 and never used it. I have the original box and invoice from Frank too. I regretted selling mine when I moved out of Cincinnati but the new pack doesn't look like Frank made it out of a black Labrador retriever! "

Thanks for the memory.

Mine was "brown," but it brought back a memory of one lad's black "Mad Cow" pack.

:)

Curt

[106th PVI]

Re: Wooden inserts in cartridge box

Brian,
Do they know what area of the field that box was found? It is quite possible that it belonged to a 42d Penna soldier. They were issued Sharps NM1859's in August of 1862. Though only enough to equip three companies.

[106th PVI]

Re: Wooden inserts in cartridge box

In addition, yes, Brian it was a weird mix. The line companies carried M1842's with a sprinkling of 58's while the skirmish companies carried the Sharps and remainder of the 58's. One of the three companies to carry the Sharps was Company K. I found 1864 requisition forms for parts and ammo for their M1859's plus requests for repairs. These papers are in the Pennsylvania State Archives in Harrisburg.
My former company, H, carried all three types used by the regiment. Mostly the 1842's. I never had a smoothbore, though. My company was almost always used as skirmishers by our battalion. So, I just used a rifle.

[1st Maine Trooper]

Re: Wooden inserts in cartridge box

It sounds to me like you are describing the Sharps carbine box.

Dave Myrick

Is this the box you were referring to?

http://www.rsdmilitaria.com/item.php?id=1518&catID=3&offset=0

Dave Myrick