This cap box originally surfaced in 1987 at an estate sale in Charles Town, WV, near the site of the battle of Summit Point, an early Confederate victory against Sheridan at the opening of his Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864. We are also offering separately a Union .58 caliber cartridge box from the same sale picked up at the same battlefield location, also with a great, original tag.

The cap box is a standard wartime configuration with one-piece outer flap and belt loops on the reverse secured by stitching and rivets. The inner flap with attached side ears is in place and bears a light maker’s stamp that might be deciphered with some patience. Box, belt loops and flaps are solid and have a good brownish-black finish that shows typical crazing to the surface from age, but just minor wear and abrasions. The vent pick and fleece strip for retaining the caps are gone, as is typical for boxes with real use.

The cap box still has a nice old, brown ink label with it, reading: This cartridge box retains an old tag with a nice brown ink inscription reading, “Found in yard at / ‘Locust Hill’ / Packette / Residence.”

“Locust Hill” was the name of the large estate and brick mansion owned by the Packett family that was Sheridan’s headquarters in the battle of Summit Point on August 21, 1864. The engagement was a rocky start for Sheridan. He was just concentrating his forces for his advance down the Valley when Early struck him with converging columns led by himself and Richard Anderson. Fortunately for Sheridan, Early found it difficult to coordinate his two separate forces and Sheridan was able to regroup for a fighting withdrawal to Halltown.

Packett family members who were still in the house when Sheridan took it over recorded a number of stories about the battle. One recalled that, being a Sunday, Sheridan had a band on the front lawn playing hymns when the trouble started. The house was struck numerous times by Confederate gun fire and the family sheltered in the basement until Early sent word he intended to use artillery as well and all civilians should be sent away. The family later returned to the battle scarred house, which showed bullet holes even in photos taken in the 1960s.

This is a great relic of a key campaign that seemed to go well for the Confederate forces at the beginning. Neither the cap box nor the cartridge box (offered separately) have ever had any leather dressing applied to them and they still have that wonderful look collectors seek in early battlefield relics picked by local residents or souvenir hunters. [sr] [PH:L]

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