This original, tubular device made of canvas is known in contemporary slang as a ‘sea bag’. Of the Civil War era, this article was a mainstay of personal equipment carried and stored by all nautical seamen in the military or on private vessels. The sea bag was utilized by the sea-going individual to keep all his personal effects, i.e., extra clothes, shoes, coats, paper items, letters, etc., in one place that could be stored easily on board ship. The sea bag resembles a large, closeable tubular sock and is made from extremely heavy and course, beige-colored canvas. Canvas is quite clean overall with just light surface grime and some dirt staining from storage. Bag is very strong and measures over 40” long x 20” wide and when opened has an approximately 15” diameter opening. Bag is made from a number of individual strips of canvas 8” wide and 40” long, each strip is overlapped and then double-stitched together with heavy thick white twine. Bottom of the bag has a circular piece also reinforced with heavy twine while the bag’s upper or open end has nine ½” wide, heavily reinforced holes that run along the edge. A ¼” thick braided rope runs through the holes and acts as a medium to secure the bag’s opening. No markings or stampings are visible on the bag. Here is an authentic Civil War era nautical “sea bag” in excellent, use condition.