Here is an original, identified, Civil War infantryman’s black bridle leather accoutrement set in very good, complete condition that includes a M1864 cartridge box / sling, as well as a percussion cap box. Carried by Pennsylvania soldier Adam Fitzkee in the war, Fitzkee was a 5’ 11” tall, twenty-one year old laborer when he enlisted in Co “B”, 130^th Pennsylvania Volunteers on 8/6/62 at York, PA for 9 months. Fitzkee served with that regiment until he received a scalp wound on 9/17/62 at Antietam while charging an enemy position near the sunken road. He was mustered out at Harrisburg, PA on 5/21/63.

The 130th Pennsylvania Volunteers received special mention in Fox’s history as one of the nine-months regiments that performed excellent duty taking heavy casualties whenever engaged. Upon his release from the Army, Fitzkee returned home but later on 2/17/65, the young army veteran once again enlisted, this time with Co. B, 195th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry for a term of one year. Fitzkee served without incident in the 195th until he was mustered out at Washington, D.C. on 1/31/66. The 195th Pennsylvania Volunteers, a one-year regiment, organized at Camp Curtain for 100 days, and did guard duty while in the Federal service. Fitzkee’s “H.W. Oliver / Pittsburg, PA” maker-marked cartridge box specimen is a wonderful complete Pattern of March 1864 box that measures 7 1/8" X 1 1/4" X 5 2/8".

The soldier’s identification comes from a small, period pasteboard card (4” x 2½”) that is enclosed in the implement pouch and reads, “Cartridge Box / used by / Adam Fitzbee”. A seldom-seen maker box, this accoutrement was designed to carry forty of the conical .58 caliber paper cartridge minie balls. Leather box retains its original leather shoulder sling (strap) plus its original circular eagle breastplate along with an original percussion cap box looped through the sling. Cartridge box retains both original tins, inner flap with both ‘ears’, implement pouch with tab, a very fine, brass oval “US” plate, both roller buckles and finial. Box outer flap exhibits strong leather that has light to moderate cracking and crazing to the surface.

Brass plate wears a fine mellow bronze patina overall with just normal surface dents and discoloration spots. Flap retains its un-ripped and un-torn leather closure tab that is curled up at the tip and fits nicely over the pear-shaped brass finial. Plate is secured to the flap via a piece of old twine or string on the backside. Both metal tins are strong and wear a dark, dusky gray coloring. Inner flap is fine with just slight surface cracking and it bears a strong, clear Pittsburgh maker’s stamp of “H.W. OLIVER” / PITTSBURGH PA”. Implement pouch is intact with its cover flap and latch tab but has no tears. Original, leather shoulder sling (strap) is stamped "Boyd & Sons, Boston, U.S.", and is complete with no tears and with both sets of leather billets intact. Leather surface is moderately to heavily cracking and crazed with evidence of ‘red-rot’ at the sling edges.

Sling also retains both billets that are looped through the two, black-japanned roller buckles at the bottom of the box to support the sling. A fine, original circular Eagle breastplate that bears a rich mellow bronze patina is in place on the sling but is missing the thin leather tongs that originally secured the plate to the leather. The percussion cap box is in remarkable condition and bears the maker’s mark of "W. Kinsey & Co, Newark, NJ” stamped on the inner flap. Cap box still retains its original fleece and pick. All box stitching is original and tight. Belt loops are riveted, as well as stitched to the backside of box.

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