During the course of the War millions of canteens were manufactured in the South. Every man in the Southern Army carried a canteen and most would go through several by War’s end. To supply this need, canteens were manufactured at Confederate government facilities, but the government facilities could supply only a small fraction of the canteens required to equip the army. In order to meet the pressing need for canteens the Confederate government purchased the vast majority of canteens from private manufacturing concerns, though they had to meet the specifications set by their respective Depots.

This, the most widely used Confederate canteen was made of wood because any cooperage could easily convert to the manufacture of wooden canteens as they required exactly the same skills as barrel making. Revolutionary War canteens were also made of wood and are often confused with Confederate era canteens. The Confederate canteen can be differentiated from its Revolutionary War counterpart by the lathe turned front and back faces. The front and back faces of the Revolutionary War canteens were cut and shaped by hand, consequently they lack lathe turning marks. The lathe marks are readily apparent on faces of Confederate manufactured canteens like that shown here. The lathe turned wood faces were joined by horizontal slats and banded with iron. The bands were held together with strips of copper or tin that not only formed strap loops, but pulled the outer bands towards the center, tightening them.

This particular canteen has a beautiful, deep, dark red patina and measures 7 ¼ by 2 ¼ inches; held together by the two iron bands. All three of the original strap bands remain intact and tight. It even retains its original pewter spout; which fits tightly on its own, and additionally it has been glued. A piece of the original homegrown painted canvas webbing strap remains attached around the three strap bands. The remnants of a paper tag can also be seen along the canteen’s edge. If only we could know what it said!

The front of the canteen is carved with the large letters C.C.B. over 1861. The reverse has the numeral X carved into it. The overall condition is second to none, it is as tight as when it was made.