This well-made Confederate cartridge box follows the lines of the prewar rifle boxes intended for wear on the waist belt only. Made of black leather, the box is in very good condition and shows the soldier’s name inscribed on the flap. The box has an elegantly scalloped outer flap coming to a more pronounced point at bottom center than do most US issue boxes, and also has an impressed border line running down the sides of the box and along the bottom. At the same time, the body of the box is made with the front, bottom, back and flap all of one piece- a time saving method of construction- as is the use of belt loops for just a waist belt.

The latch tab is secured by a single line of stitching and is full length and in place. The finial is pewter/lead rather than brass. The belt loops are set rather high up on the box on the reverse and end in points about two thirds of the way down the back of the box.  They are sewn only, with the stitching running down the lower left of the leather strip to the point, up the right side, and then turning to form a short inner loop.

The box is fitted with an inner flap, rectangular in shape with rounded corners that is the full width of the box and long enough to cover about half the length of the body, but bears short side ears at the bend on either side. The face of the box is fitted with an implement pouch with its own flap, latch tab and retaining loop. Both the flap and tab have impressed border lines. Like the inner flap of the box, this flap is also almost the full width of the box, meeting the side seam on the left and just a little shy of it on the right, indicating there was as a slight miscalculation of some sort. The implement pocket itself is softer leather and gusseted.

The magazine tins are not there, but are frequently missing from both US and CS boxes that were actually used. The surface of the leather is very good, with nice color and good finish to the back, bottom and sides, and crazing to the finish mostly just on the outer flap from flexing and exposure, but not much flaking even there, and only a few wear spots overall. We just one small J-shaped tear or cut to the leather on the bottom rear, but no leather is missing, next to one of the few small bits of flaking, only about ½” by ¼.”

The soldier who carried the box identified it by lightly carving his first initial and last name on the outer flap. We can clearly make out a capital “R” followed by a capital “H.” The letters immediately following are not easy to make out from the crackling to the finish, but the name appears to end in “T” or “T T.” Some patient work with different lighting might reveal more, but it is a nice bit of personalization in any case and has a pleasing folky look in the owner’s shortening the right leg of the “R” making it a sort of “walking-R.”

This is a very strong, Confederate cartridge box that would be an outstanding addition to an accoutrement display.    [sr] [ph:L]

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