AN FINE CONFEDERATE GARDNER CANTEEN COLLECTED ON A VIRGINIA BATTLEFIELD

AN FINE CONFEDERATE GARDNER CANTEEN COLLECTED ON A VIRGINIA BATTLEFIELD

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$2,950.00

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 2026-9369

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This is a great example of the classic Civil War Confederate wood Gardner drum canteen. These used simple lathe-turned front and back faces with staves curved to fit round them and grooved to hold them in place, all secured by two narrow, rivetted iron hoops. The iron hoops are in turn kept in place by three tin cross bands to keep the hoops in position, and also to act as brackets for a shoulder strap. It's an ingenious construction, with all parts acting with and against each other to keep the thing together. This was a simple design well within the abilities not only of coopers, but other woodworkers, who produced them throughout the Confederate South.

The faces on this one show some nice finish and a dark brown color, along with some darker stains and lighter spots, rubs and minor scratches. There is a faint inscription on one face which is 3 inches high and looks like a backwards 'N" and adjacent "M". The seams are all tight. The staves are excellent, none is chipped. The 1/2-inch iron hoops have a great brown patina. Rarely found on these canteens are the spouts; this one has its original turned hard wood spout. Additionally, it has its full sling or shoulder strap. This one, in excellent, uncut condition, is typically Confederate made of a heavy Canvas (Osnaburg); it has never been off this canteen.

This canteen was brought home from the seat of war by Dr. William J. Burr. In 1928 it was deposited in the Daniel Parrish Witter Agricultural Museum in Syracuse, Tioga County, New York. It is described in their 1932 catalog on page 21 item 204. Please see the following link that has been here attached (1932_catalog_of_museum_contents.pdf). On the face of the canteen is a typed tag that measures 4 1/4 inches by 2 inches and reads: " Cedar Wood Canteen. of The Rebel Army. Picked up on a Virginia Battlefield by Dr. Burr of Newark Valley N.Y. 1861.1865". This tag shows great age and is stained a dark brown as a result of absorption of tannins from the cedar wood canteen. The same effect has taken place on the canvas sling where it has contacted the staves on the bottom half of this canteen.

Doctor William J. Burr enlisted in 1861 in the 76th New York Regiment as a hospital steward but was destined to be an Assistant Surgeon (76th New York Infantry Regiment in the American Civil War). Within months, June of 1862, he was on the roles of the 42nd New York Infantry (The Tammany Regiment) as a Surgeon. Please view (42nd New York Infantry Regiment). By June of 1863 he is listed as "Assistant Surgeon" serving with the 59th New York Infantry; please see this link (59th New York Infantry Regiment in the American Civil War). In July of 1864 he mustered out. All three regiments he was affiliated with saw heavy combat on the Eastern theater.

This is a superior and complete example of a Confederate cedar Gardner canteen that was once not only in a prominent Up-State New York museum but was later in the collection of the highly respected Mr. Richard (Dick) Graney.  [pe][ph:L]

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