Got me too!!! This is already gone, but I wanted to have some fun with it.

This unique miniature canteen was made for the 2^nd Annual Reunion of the Alabama Mounted Rifles. Presumably each attendee received one of these painted with their name and enlistment date on it. They were likely originally filled with liquor. The canteen’s body measures two and a half inches across and three quarters of an inch in depth. It is painted green and has a small spout. The following text is painted on the front and back:

On the obverse side:

Alabama Mounted Rifles

Cavalry

CSA

On the reverse side:

Capt. Thomas F. Jenkins

Apr 25 1861

April 1887

2^nd Annual Reunion

Thomas Farewell Jenkins was born on November 5, 1827 at Allenton, Wilcox County, Alabama to John and Fannie Jenkins who had both been born in South Carolina. On November 22, 1854 the six foot, one-inch-tall Alabamian with dark eyes, dark hair, and a dark complexion, married twenty-year-old Margaret Bonham at Oak Hill in Wilcox County. She was the niece of General Milledge F. Bonham of South Carolina.

At 33 years old he enlisted into Confederate service at Warrington, Florida (a border county to Alabama) on April 25, 1861 as the captain of Company D, 3^rd Alabama Cavalry, Alabama Mounted Rifles; having up until that point been in a militia company. After serving as captain of the company for twelve months, at the army’s general reorganization, he was not elected to be captain. This caused him on May 5, 1862 to write from Corinth, Mississippi tendering his resignation. After taking what he considered a slight from his men, he now wished to be transferred to another position where his services could be better utilized to serve his country.

He returned to Wilcox County and raised a new company, Company F, 53^rdRegiment Alabama Partisan Rangers and served as captain of that company until November 5^th, when he was elected Major of the regiment. He is afterwards listed in the records as being a Major, Inspector, and Mustering Officer.

On May 28, 1863, he was captured at Florence, Alabama. He was paroled at the Alton, Illinois Military Prison, June 12, 1863 and sent to City Point, Va for exchange. This exchange however, did not pan out, as over a year later on October 4, 1864 he was still a prisoner listed as being sent to Point Lookout Prison in Maryland with loss of vision not directly linked to eye damage and diarrhea. He was finally exchanged from Point Lookout on October 11, 1864.

By October 22, 1864 he had made it to Macon, Georgia where he purchased 1 Navy Revolver and 70 Navy Cartridges from the Macon Arsenal for $125.00. This was almost certainly a Spiller & Burr revolver, which were at this time being produced at this arsenal.

February, 1865 shows him at Headquarters for Hannon’s Brigade and that he was ordered to report to Macon, Georgia. This is the last record of his wartime service.

After the war Thomas lived in Wilcox Country, having eight children. He was a democrat, a presbyterian, and a mason. He relocated to Geneva County, Alabama in 1882. He was Justice of the Peace in Geneva County for 12 years and spent the rest of his life on his farm.

Thomas Farewell Jenkins died on January 29, 1897 at 69 years old. His wife Margaret followed him in death on January 26, 1910 at age 75. They are both buried in the Geneva City Cemetery.

And this little canteen is here to give us the glimpse into the life of such a man.

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