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Western Confederate - Which is most PEC: Gardner or Nuckolls?
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Michael Comer
one of the moderator guys -
Re: Wooden canteen question
Shooting from the hip, Gardner. But I am not 200% on this.Originally posted by huntdawRobert 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. -
Re: Wooden canteen question
Not that this is allfired definative, but the only wood canteens I've ever seen in person that were IDed to Western CS troops, about 5 last count, were Gardner pattern.Comment
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Re: Wooden canteen question
I got a good close look at several Gardners at the Dalton show this weekend. All of the ones that I examined were either western or undocumented. This was a totally unscientific sample so take it for what it's worth.
BTW: there was one very interesting Gardner that had a presumably field replaced pewter spout from a Federal canteen. I wonder what the soldier did with the two halves after he salvaged the spout. Hmmmm.....Marlin Teat
[I]“The initial or easy tendency in looking at history is to see it through hindsight. In doing that, we remove the fact that living historical actors at that time…didn’t yet know what was going to happen. We cannot understand the decisions they made unless we understand how they perceived the world they were living in and the choices they were facing.”[/I]-Christopher BrowningComment
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Re: Wooden canteen question
In looking at museums around the country, as well as auction websites and some private collections, surviving Gardner canteens greatly out number the Nuckolls. There doesn't seem to be much in the way records of manufacture or distribution so we are left to make assumptions based on the surviving examples. In my opinion, Gardners were made by many different sub contractors working to supply various depots across the south. In looking at relics one can see what I call a lot of "variations on a theme". By that I mean all are obviously of the Gardner "pattern" but have different design components, as though construction specs were distributed and the makers used artistic license in constructing a canteen to those specs.
I've wondered if Nuckolls, having patented his design, wasn't the sole producer of these canteens and if their distibution weren't limited. I have no knowledge of these being part of a govt contract.
I would say the Gardners would have far outnumbered the Nuckolls in any theater where you might find Govt issued wooden canteens.
If Bill Rodman, a maker of high quality Gardner reproductions, sees this topic he may jump in. I believe he will have more info than I have. I only can comment on what I have observed.
Sam DoolinComment
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