Mess gear came through the various recruiting services and varied in design. This style is pictured early on in the war and seems to have been the pattern generally used once the U.S. government took over, probably being the standard federal pattern from the beginning of the war. Constructed of tinned iron sheeting, the cup is roughly 4 inches tall and 4 inches wide, with crimped seams and a handle secured with wires and a rivet to prevent it coming apart over a hot camp fire. The rear half of the cup, to either side of the handle is an even gray from the tin oxidizing. The front shows light brown from standing surface rust that was cleaned, some of which remains along the top and bottom edges. The exterior of the bottom shows some tin still holding its color, but also has numerous scratches and dings from handling and one small pin sized rust hole. The interior shows heavy standing rust in the bottom from having been left with some liquid in it years ago. Some of this might clean. There is a white collection inventory number on the bottom of the cup.

A good example of the regulation army cup.  [SR]

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