CS Cap Boxes

[Legion Para]

Every Confederate soldier that carried a gun had to have a waterproof cap box to store and protect a supply of percussion caps. All over the South contractors sought to fill this need. Unlike their Union counterparts, which were virtually identical, Confederate cap boxes came in assorted sizes and materials.

Without a doubt, the CS embossed cap box is the most sought after of all Confederate cap boxes.

 

[Legion Para]

The painted canvas cap box.

 

[Legion Para]

Macon Arsenal cap box.

 

[Legion Para]

Augusta Arsenal cap box.

 

[Legion Para]

Augusta Arsenal cap box.

 

[Legion Para]

Selma Arsenal.

 

[Legion Para]

Oliver Wellborn (Augusta Arsenal) cap box.

 

[Legion Para]

Wyman & Co. Cap Box. An Augusta Arsenal product.

 

[major bill]

Was the a shortage of leather for these by the end of the War? I see one is of painted canvas.

 

[JOHN42768]

Was the a shortage of leather for these by the end of the War? I see one is of painted canvas.

I would think by that time, there was a shortage of just about everything

 

[major bill]

I know that the Confederacy was using painted canvas for some other leather items, but wonder if the cap boxes would be water proof when made of painted canvas.

 

[UCVRelics]

I would think by that time, there was a shortage of just about everything

It was, A lot of late war leather items were made from either black tared canvas or pig skin such as this CSA rectangle on a pig skin belt.

 

[UCVRelics]

I know that the Confederacy was using painted canvas for some other leather items, but wonder if the cap boxes would be water proof when made of painted canvas.

By that time of the late period of the CW the last thing a Confederate Soldier was worried about was keeping his caps dry. He had a hard time keeping himself dry.

 

[major bill]

But human skin is drip dry material. Soldiers for all of history have had trouble staying dry. Once I was standing next to a private that was complaining his poncho was not keeping him dry during a light rain shower. We were standing in line to use a rope to cross a very wide and very deep river. Within 10 minutes he was going to be as wet as a soldier can get. Only soldiers who have drug themselves and all their equipment across a river can understand just how a soldier can get.

 

[Package4]

Was the a shortage of leather for these by the end of the War? I see one is of painted canvas.

There are two known manufacturers of tarred canvas or oilcloth:

N. Crown & Company and Williams, Brands & Co. both were set up in Columbus, GA..

William, Brands & Co. had contracts with the CSA from October '63 to February '64 in Oct. '63 500 complete sets of accouterments were ordered (cap box, cartridge box, belt and scabbard); orders continued into February '64 and if all were filled would have totaled 11,600 sets. The body material of both manufactures cap boxes were leather, with the back, outer flap and belt loop made of oilcloth. The scabbards were made of leather with an oilcloth frog. The cartridge boxes were largely made of oilcloth with exception of the sides of box, sides of inner flap, outer flap tab and belt loops which were made of leather. The belts were largely made of folded oilcloth. William, Brands & Co finials were made of lead while N. Crown were wood. N. Crown & co. would have supplied '63-'64 6,050 complete sets.

A marked cap box of either of these two companies would be appraised in the $6,250+ range and a Cartridge box would be appraised in the $10,000+ range, existing marked examples are extremely rare.

 

[Legion Para]

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/western-theater-confederates-and-tarred-slings.118299


You will want to get a hold of a copy of "Confederate Oilcloth Accoutrements" by Robert M. Jaffee North South Trader Vol. XVIII Number 1.

Williams, Brands & Co. had contracts with the Confederacy from October 1863 to February 1864.

N. Crown & Co. had contracts with the Confederacy during the same period. There was a June '63 order for 200 sets of accoutrements at $12.50 each.

http://www.angelfire.com/ma4/j_mayo/csequip.html

Unmarked William Brands & Co. painted canvas cap box. The flap is very stiff on this box almost like there is cardboard under the fabric. Finial is brass. Courtesy of Micheal Kramer.

William Brands & Co. painted canvas cartridge box. Finial is lead. Courtesy of Micheal Kramer

 

[major bill]

Note that the images Legion Para mostly show items dyed black. A couple show brown items. What about the image in post #7? Is it made from Northern supplied Oak Tanned leather?

 

[Legion Para]

http://www.oldsouthantiques.com/os6150p3.htm

Surviving documentation shows that this painted canvas roller buckle belt was made at the Richmond Arsenal.

 

[Ralph Heinz]

This cap box came from an estate sale in Habersham County, Georgia. It was made water proof by a coating of asphaltum on the leather. It has a brass finial and there were no leather tabs attached to the cover which would have helped keep moisture out. If I recall correctly, the 24th GA. was recruited from that county.

 

[Package4]

Every Confederate soldier that carried a gun had to have a waterproof cap box to store and protect a supply of percussion caps. All over the South contractors sought to fill this need. Unlike their Union counterparts, which were virtually identical, Confederate cap boxes came in assorted sizes and materials.

Without a doubt, the CS embossed cap box is the most sought after of all Confederate cap boxes.

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This is such a great thread, thank you for posting; you reminded me of it in the latest posting of an Ebay "CS" box.