Issue haversacks were essential for soldiers and are extremely rare for collectors. This is the standard wartime federal issue pattern of tarred canvas with a fixed shoulder strap and a flap secured by a long leather billet and small roller buckle. The strap, as is correct, is folded tarred canvas as well and is firmly attached. The buckle is in place on the front of the bag, still firmly attached to a short billet with standing loop, sewn and not riveted. The fastening billet with holes for the tongue of the buckle is also firmly attached, secured by stitching alone, no rivet, to the lower edge of the flap. Making this even rarer, is the inspector’s stamp on the long billet reading, “INSPECTED / US DEPOT / NEW YORK.” The New York Depot will be most familiar to collectors from canteens delivered to the depot, as were a large number of other military supplies, by various contractors. Of surviving haversacks, few show maker or inspector markings at all, and many are missing the buckle and leather billets entirely.

This haversack is in very good condition. As with tarred canvas knapsacks, there is some accumulated dust and dirt and some surface loss from rubbing or flexing. The back also shows wear to the tarred surface from rubbing against the wearer’s body, but bag and strap are solid. The bag shows just one small one-inch tear on the flap, with no missing material, and a small hole inside at an upper corner. The three tin buttons are still in place inside that once held a removable liner, which often met its fate at the hands of soldiers needing a rag or material for a small drawstring bag for coffee, sugar, tobacco, or some other essential.

Even though every soldier was issued one of these, and most probably went through several, it is hard to overstate how uncommon they are in any condition. Most suffered careless treatment during the war and even if they survived a messy combination of greasy pork, spilled coffee and other rations, and mess utensils poking through them, they were so useful later in civilian life as general pupose bags, satchels, and school book bags that even fewer survive. Even when surplus dealers like Bannerman had literal rooms full of knapsacks squashed flat in tall piles, haversacks were hard to find.

Weapons and ammunition were necessary in battle, but for day-to-day survival on the march and in the field soldiers relied much more on his canteen and haversack. Veteran soldiers constantly advised new recruits to be on the lookout for food, and were themselves on the lookout for haversacks unwisely discarded on a march by an over-burdened novice. This is a necessary accouterment to fill out any collection of Civil War military gear.  [SR]

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