Haversacks were an essential piece of gear. Used for carrying a soldier’s rations, mess gear, and likely tobacco or whatever else a soldier wanted close at hand when on campaign, they were certainly used a lot more than any weapon and regarded as more important for a soldier’s day-to-day survival, rivalled only by his canteen. This is a great example of the standard issue wartime federal pattern of painted, or “tarred,” canvas, with a one-piece fixed shoulder strap of the same material and a flap secured by a long leather billet and small buckle. The shoulder strap, as is correct, is made in one piece, folded lengthwise, attached by stitching to the upper rear corners of the bag. This one is exceptional in still having its internal liner, referred to in the quartermaster manual as its pocket, but often called a “rice bag” by collectors. Made of undyed fabric and retained by three tin buttons so they could be removed for cleaning, these often fell prey to other uses such as improvised smaller bags for sugar and the like or as cleaning rags, etc., and are seldom found in place.

This is in uncommonly good condition overall, with good color and surface and no holes. The tarred canvas shoulder strap has some short edge tears, but no long tears and no breaks. It is still attached to the upper rear corners of the bag, though on one side some of the stitching has given way slightly between the folded end of the strap and the upper corner of the bag. The cover and body are very good and solid, showing some wear to the finish, but no holes or tears. The buckle and fastening strap are in place. Both are secured to the bag by stitching alone, without a rivet, typically a sign of an earlier piece of gear. The finish of the leather strap and billet holding the buckle has age cracking, but the leather is solid and secure. On the interior of the bag the three tin buttons are still in place to secure the liner (two at the rear and one in front.) The rear two are still fastened to it. The buttonhole in the liner for the third has torn, but the button is still in place.

This pattern was developed about 1858 and replaced not only the uncoated cloth haversacks of the Mexican War, but various trial pieces coated with India Rubber or gutta percha. They were so simple, successful, useful and produced in such quantity that the army did not have to think about changing the pattern and making new ones until 1872. Despite the large numbers made, however, they are now uncommon in any condition. Carelessly treated during the war, even if they survived a messy combination of greasy pork, spilled coffee and other rations, and eating utensils poking through them, few veterans thought to preserve them and those sold off later as surplus were so useful in civilian life as general purpose bags, even book bags for school children, that few survive. Even when surplus dealers like Bannerman literally had rooms full of knapsacks in tall piles, collectors found haversacks hard to acquire.

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