Canteen with water filtration

I had the impression it was just normal age staining but I guess it is always possible. The blue denim covered canteen I have has spots on it that I would swear was blood (I posted pictures of the nicer side for this thread). There is also a cut in the fabric and a slight dent on the canteen under the cut area. I let my mind tell me this was damaged from either a saber or bayonet glancing off of the surface and there was blood staining from a battle, obviously I was super excited about the prospect. I posted it here somewhere, but in the end it was said to likely be rust/age stains. To be honest I was a little relieved but also a little disappointed as well. If it was blood that would be confirmation that it saw at least some action. I think I saw what I wanted to see and let it get the better of me.

Luminol works to identify blood but it was pointed out that it is not always effective on something so old. I never tried it for fear it could damage the canteen cover. We may never know for sure.
These canteens were made of tin and then hot dipped in a rust proofing/galvanizing. Coating is extremely thin and the slightest scratch will produce rust, which looks like blood. The straps are always the key, if it looks newer the canteen saw little use. Straps took a beating and most extent canteens do not have them as a result, or a small remnant remains.

Canteens were not usually filled from a spigot, but submersed in creeks and streams, there for a scratch will rust. They were also carried on the bayonet side of the body and subject to battering.

What we rarely take into account, the war lasted 4 years, these artifacts are 160 years old. How have they been handled in the past 156 years? Did they go west, did they go to reunions, did the kids and grandchildren play with them?
 
I had the impression it was just normal age staining but I guess it is always possible. The blue denim covered canteen I have has spots on it that I would swear was blood (I posted pictures of the nicer side for this thread). There is also a cut in the fabric and a slight dent on the canteen under the cut area. I let my mind tell me this was damaged from either a saber or bayonet glancing off of the surface and there was blood staining from a battle, obviously I was super excited about the prospect. I posted it here somewhere, but in the end it was said to likely be rust/age stains. To be honest I was a little relieved but also a little disappointed as well. If it was blood that would be confirmation that it saw at least some action. I think I saw what I wanted to see and let it get the better of me.

Luminol works to identify blood but it was pointed out that it is not always effective on something so old. I never tried it for fear it could damage the canteen cover. We may never know for sure.
Here’s what you can do, where there is a rip in the fabric, lift it up and see if there is rust underneath the stained area.
 
These canteens were made of tin and then hot dipped in a rust proofing/galvanizing. Coating is extremely thin and the slightest scratch will produce rust, which looks like blood. The straps are always the key, if it looks newer the canteen saw little use. Straps took a beating and most extent canteens do not have them as a result, or a small remnant remains.

Canteens were not usually filled from a spigot, but submersed in creeks and streams, there for a scratch will rust. They were also carried on the bayonet side of the body and subject to battering.

What we rarely take into account, the war lasted 4 years, these artifacts are 160 years old. How have they been handled in the past 156 years? Did they go west, did they go to reunions, did the kids and grandchildren play with them?
These are certainly valid and logical points. Often times I think our excitement gets the better of us and we all want to make an incredible discovery. Even if it would turn out to be blood how can we be sure it was a product of the war or even human blood? As you stated theses canteens were around, and likely used, long after the war ended. It could very well be the canteen was taken on hunting trips and the blood, if thats what it is, could be from an animal. The tear could be from getting snagged on a branch or barbed wire, etc. After 156 years the stories are lost to us, but if only they could talk, the stories they could tell.
 
Here’s what you can do, where there is a rip in the fabric, lift it up and see if there is rust underneath the stained area.
That's a great suggestion. I may try that if I can lift the fabric up enough. The cover is rather tight on the canteen and I don't want to damage it anymore than it already is. I'll let you know if I'm able to see anything.
 
These are certainly valid and logical points. Often times I think our excitement gets the better of us and we all want to make an incredible discovery. Even if it would turn out to be blood how can we be sure it was a product of the war or even human blood? As you stated theses canteens were around, and likely used, long after the war ended. It could very well be the canteen was taken on hunting trips and the blood, if thats what it is, could be from an animal. The tear could be from getting snagged on a branch or barbed wire, etc. After 156 years the stories are lost to us, but if only they could talk, the stories they could tell.
If those marks are blood then I have a whole company of bloodied canteens.....:smile:
 
Take a look at your bullseye canteen, make a canvas or wool cover and put it on, dip it in water and see what happens. Just because they have covers doesn't mean they can't be scratched and then rust while covered. Canteens were meant to last a short duration and to be economically made.
 
Take a look at your bullseye canteen, make a canvas or wool cover and put it on, dip it in water and see what happens. Just because they have covers doesn't mean they can't be scratched and then rust while covered. Canteens were meant to last a short duration and to be economically made.
I imagine they were cherished at times and taken for granted at others. They certainly would have seen their fair share of bumps and dings and I have no doubt they would get scratched up and rusty, even with a cover in place. I can picture a soldier after a long march unloading his burden, taking a drink from his canteen and tossing it to the side not caring where or how it landed while he rested under a nice shade tree. Or a lucky soldier who got selected to fill canteens from a nearby stream, not sure if this happened often if at all, I may just be remembering the scene from Red Badge of Courage. He probably wouldn't take great care while toting around a shoulder full of canteens loaded with water. Even if they went home in near pristine condition they probably hung on a hook in a barn, shed, cellar, etc. until needed. 156 years is a long time to get banged around and, I think, we are lucky to have them in the condition that they come to us in.
 
I imagine they were cherished at times and taken for granted at others. They certainly would have seen their fair share of bumps and dings and I have no doubt they would get scratched up and rusty, even with a cover in place. I can picture a soldier after a long march unloading his burden, taking a drink from his canteen and tossing it to the side not caring where or how it landed while he rested under a nice shade tree. Or a lucky soldier who got selected to fill canteens from a nearby stream, not sure if this happened often if at all, I may just be remembering the scene from Red Badge of Courage. He probably wouldn't take great care while toting around a shoulder full of canteens loaded with water. Even if they went home in near pristine condition they probably hung on a hook in a barn, shed, cellar, etc. until needed. 156 years is a long time to get banged around and, I think, we are lucky to have them in the condition that they come to us in.
Not only that, but as a long time reenactor, I have fallen on it multiple times, diving behind cover during tacticals and just plain clumsiness. I have sat on it dozens of times, banged it against everything imaginable.
 
Not only that, but as a long time reenactor, I have fallen on it multiple times, diving behind cover during tacticals and just plain clumsiness. I have sat on it dozens of times, banged it against everything imaginable.
I can only imagine, I'm sure a lot of gear probably gets in the way. I have considered reenacting but it is a huge commitment, both time and money. Maybe one day I'll do it but for now I'm good with living vicariously through others and enjoying the relics I have become the caretaker for.
 
OK, my curiosity got the better of me and I had to know what a black light shows when dealing with blood, old or new. The answer, nothing! I purchase a rather high end black light with directional bean some time ago, no not for collecting, but to see if our puppy at the time was piddling on the carpet! The vet warned us that Cocker Spaniel females will piddle when excited and he was right!

The minute urine areas would glow very brightly under the beam, it really helps with spot cleaning the carpets when needed. So I though OK that is a bodily fluid, so will this work on fresh and old blood, resounding "no".

I like to experiment and test a different hypothesis from time to time, so I took one for the team and cut my finger, smeared it on a repro forage cap and voila, nothing! I also shined the beam on the interior of a wheel cap in my collection that belonged to a trooper in the 1st VA Cavalry Co B and worn at Manassas. The interior of the cap has what appears to be obvious blood staining, not from a wound, but most likely a small cut, mosquito bite or plain scalp rash due to the Virginia heat.

So back to luminal, though i do not recommend it unless you have to know, urine apparently shows up due to the high ammonia content.......

The cap is in marvelous condition and very likely put away as soon as the trooper could acquire something a bit cooler, see below:

Wheel4 (2).jpg
 
OK, my curiosity got the better of me and I had to know what a black light shows when dealing with blood, old or new. The answer, nothing! I purchase a rather high end black light with directional bean some time ago, no not for collecting, but to see if our puppy at the time was piddling on the carpet! The vet warned us that Cocker Spaniel females will piddle when excited and he was right!

The minute urine areas would glow very brightly under the beam, it really helps with spot cleaning the carpets when needed. So I though OK that is a bodily fluid, so will this work on fresh and old blood, resounding "no".

I like to experiment and test a different hypothesis from time to time, so I took one for the team and cut my finger, smeared it on a repro forage cap and voila, nothing! I also shined the beam on the interior of a wheel cap in my collection that belonged to a trooper in the 1st VA Cavalry Co B and worn at Manassas. The interior of the cap has what appears to be obvious blood staining, not from a wound, but most likely a small cut, mosquito bite or plain scalp rash due to the Virginia heat.

So back to luminal, though i do not recommend it unless you have to know, urine apparently shows up due to the high ammonia content.......

The cap is in marvelous condition and very likely put away as soon as the trooper could acquire something a bit cooler, see below:

View attachment 397465
Blood has been spilled! Thank you for your sacrifice in the interest of science.

That is definitely good information to have. I can't remember where I had seen to use a black light to find blood. It may have been one of those crazy crime scene tv shows, which are very realistic and would never lie to us, right? Then again, I may have missed the luminol step 🤪

Anyway, I'm glad you took one for the team and put in your blood, sweat? and tears? (I don't know, maybe it was hot while you were conducting the experiment and the cut might have caused a little watering of the eyes 🤷‍♂️) to give us a definitive answer.

I will tell you in the case of my canteen it caused the staining to appear darker and easier to see but that is likely to be from me focusing the light directly on the areas in question. Yet another case of confirmation bias where I conducted my experiment, however flawed, on the area I wanted to confirm what I thought I was seeing. Not that I was in any way trying to purposely fabricate false results. I just had my sights set on the area I thought might be blood and the black light really made it stand out. Had it just been a spot I may or may not have felt differently at the time but it appeared to have a clear splatter pattern to my mind. Chalk that up to pareidolia. I accept the fact that it is likely rust and/or staining rather than blood. I don't find it necessary to try luminol at this point.

That is a nice looking cap from what I can see and does appear to have obvious blood staining. If you get a chance can you post more pictures of it?
 
Back
Top