This is a very nice example of the regulation Civil War 1861 pattern infantry cartridge box and sling for one of the early-war .69 caliber rifled muskets. This follows the standard pattern derived from the 1857 pattern boxes that could be carried on the waist belt or shoulder sling. The use of rivets on the waist belt loops and a straight line of stitching, without a rivet, to secure the latch tab marks it as the 1861 pattern. The box is complete and original, with all tabs, buckles, loops, etc., in place, as well as the internal magazine tins and the round eagle shoulder belt plate and the oval U.S. cartridge box plate.

The sling and box have good surface and color, and no areas of flaking. The sling is bridle, or grained, leather, with blackened exterior, pierced with two holes for the cartridge box belt plate, and with billets at either end that are buckled to the bottom of the box after passing through a horizontal retaining strap on the upper rear of the box. The round eagle plate is the regulation pattern with a dynamic U.S. eagle clutching arrows and olive branch. The plate is secured with two short leather thongs and matches in patina the cartridge box plate, which is secured with one leather thong, (the thong is likely replaced.) Both are medium brass in tone, showing an old polish that has begun to age again. The cartridge box is regulation black leather as well, with good finish and no flaking, just some slight wrinkling at the corners where they might be lifted by a soldier to open the box. The latch tab is full length and secure.

The box follows the standard pattern in having an implement pouch on the front, with its own cover and locking tab, and an inner short flap that has side ears, and is marked by the maker, “P. JEWELL & SONS / MAKERS / HARTFORD CT.” Inside the box are the two tinned iron magazines that each held an unopened pack of ten cartridges in a lower compartment and ten more loose rounds in an upper tray ready for use. Both tins are present. (One is slightly raised and tight in the box.)

This box measures about 8 inches across the back, making it for .69 elongated ball cartridges (those for round ball .69 and .58 were narrower.) This was the cartridge used in the Model 1842 muskets that were rifled, some percussion conversion muskets that were strong enough to rifle (both in an attempt to match the performance of the new 1855 series of arms,) and also with some early-war imports, such as Belgian and French .69 caliber rifles.

The condition of the leather is excellent. The inner flap shows two short worm tracks from storage long ago and some minor wrinkles, etc., from actual use, and the box shows some typical asterisk stake marks, used by leather workers to close up tack holes made while the box was fastened on a wood block for sewing. The maker’s name is a tad light on the left, but unambiguous. Pliny Jewell of Hartford had experience as a leather dealer and maker of stretched leather machine belts before the war. He had a government contract during the war for rifle slings and a couple for cartridge boxes of different configurations. This box likely comes from one of two contracts involving boxes for .69 elongated ball cartridges. On August 15, 1861, he had part of a contract for 25,000 boxes. On this contract it is known he supplied 5,000 at least, and perhaps 4,900 more, whose form is not recorded. He received a second contract in August 1862 for 10,000 boxes to be delivered to the Watertown Arsenal. These are listed as for .69 rifled muskets and must therefore be the same configuration.

This a very nice early-war Union cartridge box rig that is complete and in desirable condition. It would make a nice addition to an infantry display or with an appropriate musket. Various units in different theatres of the war carried .69 cal. rifles. Thomas’s volume on small arms at Gettysburg lists a few U.S. units carrying them, including the 2^nd, 11^th and 12^th PA Reserves, 61^st Ohio, 1^st Minnesota, 134^th NY, and 139^th Pennsylvania.  [sr]

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