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CONFEDERATE UNIT-STENCILED NEW YORK DEPOT CANTEEN, EX-R.L. MILLER COLLECTION

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This Confederate-stenciled Union canteen comes from Robert L. Miller’s collection, which will be familiar to collectors from its many credits in illustrations of Civil War gear in respected works such as Frederick Todd’s multi-volume “American Military Equipage 1851-1872.” This comes with its original two-page collection inventory listing that includes an infrared photograph sharply bringing out the stencil, a short listing for its two possible units, and a history of its exhibition in 1971 and 1974 at the Kodak Gallery and Rochester Museum.

The canteen is the standard M1858 smooth-sided Union canteen that was supplied to the New York Depot and distributed buy them, having the unique characteristic of using a short chain rather than a string to retain the stopper. The cover is typical undyed brown wool, complete and with good seams, but with stains from use and with some threadbare spots on one side that was clearly the back and would have rubbed against the body of the wearer. The shoulder sling and one of its upper retaining brackets are gone, but the stopper and characteristic jack chain are present. One face of the canteen is clearly stenciled: “21 / Co F 1 La INF / CSA” in now faded brown ink. This is legible as is. The infrared photo merely sharpens and darkens it.

Miller’s collection notes identify the unit as either the “1^st Regt. La. Inf. (Regulars)” with Company F being commanded by Capt. James Strawbridge, or as the 1^st Regiment La. Volunteers, with Co. F being one of several Orleans Light Guards companies (though his notes are a little confused on that point.) The former regiment, organized in 1861, served at Pensacola and then with the Army of Mississippi, fighting at Shiloh, the siege of Corinth and the Heartland Offensive before becoming part of the Army of Tennessee and seeing action at Stones River, Chickamauga, the Atlanta Campaign, and the battles of Nashville and Spanish Fort, finally surrendering and being paroled to return home. in May 1865.  The latter unit, the 1^st La Vols, served from April 1861 to April 1865 and saw heavy action in the eastern theatre at the Seven Days, 2^nd Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Winchester, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania and battles in the Shenandoah under Early until returning to the Petersburg front for the final battles and campaign, surrendering with Lee at Appomattox.

Interestingly, Miller’s catalog entry indicates the canteen had a “white sling; covered in black cloth,” now missing, indicating it was likely carried or displayed by Confederate veterans on a Confederate Memorial Day, a practice and observance originating with local Ladies Memorial Associations caring for the graves of Confederate dead as early as 1866 judging by Union Gen. J.A. Logan’s reference to it in the movement to establish a national memorial day for the decoration of those who died to preserve the Union. This would make perfect sense of a canteen carried by a Confederate veteran with its sling covered in black for mourning.  [sr][ph:m/L]

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