Union Depot Issue Canteens

[ArtilleryNick]

Greetings gents.
Should've posted this or asked this question sooner, but recently purchased a new canteen (tin, beeswax lined, jeancloth cover, &c.) and had an option of which Union Army Depot to have it represented as. Choices were between Cincinnati, New York, and Philadelphia. I selected it to represent one from the Philadelphia Depot seeing as how the unit I'm in is from the state of Pennsylvania. Would this have been the proper issue, or is this one of those slightly less important issues?
I'm interested in doing what I can to improve my impression, and figured I'd start small and work over my impression as I'm able to do so.

N. Keen

[JimConley]

Re: Union Depot Issue Canteens

It all depends on your impression. If you portray a member of a specific unit, then it would depend on where the original unit was supplied from. In your case, doesn't sound as if you've gone in the wrong direction.

[Yellowhammer]

Re: Union Depot Issue Canteens

Just to be clear, a given unit may or may not have been supplied by a depot or arsenal from their state. There are plenty of "NY" canteens id'd to soldiers from all over the Union.

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Re: Union Depot Issue Canteens

A factor influencing the answer to your question is, "Where did the historical unit serve?" If it was in the Army of the Potomac, chances are higher that it was supplied from either Schuylkill (Philadelphia) or New York. If the historical unit was in, for instance, the Army of the Cumberland, chances are greater that, while they probably saw some NY Depot issues, for example, they receive a number of items from the Cincinnatti Arsenal.

The historical record for your unit is the best place to find a definitive answer. Again, if it's an AOP or other Eastern Theatre unit, you're probably okay with Schuylkill or New York equipment.

[Agate]

Re: Union Depot Issue Canteens

Nick,

Have to agree.

In the earliest period of the war Pennsylvania set up a "house" in which to purchase and direct the purchase of army goods in Philly, they automatically didn't come from the government because the arsenal happened to be located there.

Did Pennsylvanians receive goods directly from the Philadelphia office at their camps of instruction? It certainly sounds reasonable, depending on what period of the war. I would encourage you to look for that answer as it probably isn't all that well known, a bully research project.

As for the AoP, remember that the New York office, and the Philadelphia office didn't necessarily supply goods to the army directly. Goods were forwarded to advance bases of supply under the watchful eye of US Military Storekeepers. In the case of the AoP, this was the Washington Depot for much of the war. Later on, a huge advance base was established at City Point.

If you drew a canteen from the QMD at City Point, it's likely that the QMD would have recognized one thing and one thing only...the price. We have a list of what the prices were at certain points for army goods. You may have had to pay a little more for a corrugated canteen as opposed to a smoothside, but other than that, a canteen, to the QMD, was a canteen. Any soldier once in the army, regardless of origin, drew supplies that were needed from the army stores at advance bases. In other words, New Yorkers very well would have drawn canteens originally procured or manufactured at Philadelphia, and Pennsylvanians very well would have drawn canteens originally procured in New York.

Keep in mind too that any QM officer, if so authorized, had the power to purchase clothing and equipage. Officers of the QMD were located in many major cities of the loyal States. Most of these folks were doing work for the QMD purchasing the really big ticket items that uniform researchers sometimes forget the QMD was responsible for. Namely, forage, transportation, and horses. In order to purchase horses effectively, one has to be sometimes purchasing in regions as opposed to cities, to get the best price through compitition. These folks, on occasion however, for what ever reason, were sometimes authorized to purchase clothing and equipage. These purchases, depending on the situation, and at least on principle, just as in the case of the principle depots, were all thrown together in warehouses at the advance bases of supply.


Regards,

John

John Sarver
Cin., O.

[ArtilleryNick]

Re: Union Depot Issue Canteens

Actually, the unit I'm with was a heavy artillery company durring the war and was stationed at Ft. Monroe for a good portion of it. I'm not certain why they picked battery B from the 3rd PA when another battery from the regiment actually did see service as a light artillery battery. To tie this in with the posts that gave valuable information, the unit I'm in is inaccurate, however, I am trying to do the best with where I'm at right now.

[ArtilleryNick]

Re: Union Depot Issue Canteens

Failed to mention this in my last reply, but I'm going to attempt finding out more information on this subject, and if I gain any usefull information I'll share it here.

[markj]

Re: Union Depot Issue Canteens

The canteen I displayed at this thread:

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5018&highlight=private+college

has all the hallmarks of a NY QM Depot item. However, the officer to whom it was issued served in the 49th USCI, which was almost exclusively assigned to garrison duty in the vicinity of Vicksburg MS in 1864-1865.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger