“The English Connection” (Pritchard, Huey, et al., 2014) calls this pattern of British-made Confederate cartridge box “extremely rare,” (p.338 ff.) This is a Pattern 1854/55 “Ready Pouch” marked on the inside of the outer flap with a tombstone shaped cartouche reading, “S. ISAAC CAMPBELL & Co.” in an arc along the top edge, over “71 JERMYN St.” in the middle, and “LONDON” at bottom. They were one of the two primary British suppliers of arms and accoutrements to the Confederate government and certainly the most famous.

The company had been established in 1845 as a military supplier and had government contracts until bribery scandals in 1858 cut off that source of income and they focused on supplying volunteer (i.e., militia) forces whose uniforms and gear might be similar to those of the regular army but were, among other things, cheaper to make and less rigorously inspected. When the Civil War started they were in the perfect position to act as go-betweens between Confederate purchasing agents and British makers, allowing the British government to maintain a semblance of neutrality, while the company pocketed a handsome profit as “commission merchants,” receiving a percentage of the total cost, while arranging purchases, shipping, and even financing a large variety of weapons, clothing, equipment and other military supplies- along some things for private speculators and merchants. Even after an official parting of the ways with the Confederate government in 1863 due to the company’s use of two sets of books in establishing their fees, they still did some Confederate government business through various front men.

This cartridge box was included in one of three types of infantry accoutrement sets supplied by the company to the Confederacy recorded in the McRae papers (for which see The English Connection,) namely a belt set for sergeants, which was the least expensive set, consisting of a pouch, ball bag, oil bottle, cap pocket, waist belt, and frog (EC, pg.338.) The box itself was not a British regular army pattern at the time, but one fitting the company’s British volunteer clientele, holding just two packs of cartridges and worn on the waist belt with no provision for a shoulder belt. This may have been appropriate for a parade ground and the designation of the set as for sergeants might suggest they were to pay more attention to supervising their men than taking part a firefight- we can hear the S. Isaac & Campbell salesman using this point- but the twenty-round capacity was still below American expectations of forty-round infantry cartridge box. The inclusion of a ten-round “ball bag” with the set was likely an effort to close the deal, but only brought the set’s capacity up to thirty rounds, which may explain its rarity, with the English Connection noting that the majority of the Confederate purchases from the company included the larger capacity box on a shoulder sling, Whether these twenty-round boxes then found a separate use as cavalry cartridge boxes is unclear, but could be a possibility.

This one remains in very good condition. Belt loops, latch tab and finial are in place, as are the side ears on the inner flap. The seams are tight. The finish is black overall with the inside of the outer flap, made in the British fashion with the smooth side facing inward, a light brown. The outer flap shows some light scratches, scuffs, rubs, mostly on the left, with some loss of color on the latch tab from flexing and on the top curve of the flap. The marking is very clear on the inside of the flap. The tin liner is in place. The body measures 6 ½ x 3 ½ x 1 ½ inches, corresponding to the one example illustrated in the English Connection on p. 340, though ¼” less from front to back, perhaps a slight cost saving measure by S.I. & C. Co., as was the omission of vertical divider in the tin. The difference was unlikely to be noticed and was certainly not going to be returned after being paid for, shipped, and unloaded in a Southern port.

Needless to say, Confederate accoutrements are a large and intensely interesting collecting field. This would make a great addition to even an advanced collection.  [sr][ph:L]