CIVIL WAR CAVALRY US MODEL 1859 McCLELLAN SADDLE BAGS: MAKER & INSPECTOR MARKED

CIVIL WAR CAVALRY US MODEL 1859 McCLELLAN SADDLE BAGS: MAKER & INSPECTOR MARKED

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Item Code: 1202-1327

An essential piece of Civil War cavalry horse equipment- the US Model 1859 saddle bags, adopted along with the McClellan M1859 saddle. These consist of two pouches connected by a yoke that would pass over the rear of the saddle behind the seat and which is pierced by a hole at center to fit over a saddle bag stud fixed to the saddle. Part way down on either side just above the pouch the yoke is pierced by a slot that would fit over raised “foot-staples” fixed to the saddle, through which would pass a short, horizontal “key-straps” to secure the bags at the top. The pouches have flaps with a latchtab, secured by a vertical oval of stitching to the flap, that would be secured by a buckle mounted on the lower face of the bag. Below that buckle is a second buckle mounted on the same chape and long latch tab or tie-down strap that would loop through short retaining straps on the lower rear edge of the saddle skirts then come back up to be buckled, securing the bags from the bottom. The interior of each bag is slit at the top and pierced with four pairs of holes to close it with a leather thong.

This is an untouched set that rates good for condition. Both bags and yoke are in solid shape. The hole for the saddle bag stud is not torn. The key straps are in place. On one bag both buckles are in place, as is the latch tab, but the tie-down strap is partially torn beneath the lower buckle. On the other pouch the latch tab is there, but its buckle is missing and the tie down strap is missing below the second buckle. Both bags show crazing to the surface from flexing and various rubs.

One side of the yoke is stamped with both the maker and inspector markings, just above the leather key straps. Crazing to the finish makes them tougher to make out, but the lower stamp clearly reads METZGER in an arc along the top and PHILA in a straight line at the bottom. This most likely read “E. METZGER” referring to Emmanuel Metzger, who had numerous Civil War contracts for leather gear, including contracts from November 1864 to March 1865 for 25,000 sets of horse equipment. Above his mark is an oval cartouche that clearly reads “JONES” along the upper right and “ORD” at left middle. This is certainly from the four-line inspection stamp of W. H. Jones, which would read: W H JONES / U.S. / ORD DEPT / SUB INSPECTOR. The name would be in a curve at top, and “sub inspector at bottom, with the two middle lines straight. We can make out the “U” of U.S. pretty clearly and “ORD” as well.

These could be dressed up a bit with some TLC, but we have left them untouched, as they came to us, and they have not been treated with any preservatives, dressing or polish. They are key piece of cavalry horsegear that would help complete any display.   [sr] [ph:L]

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