This knapsack is made of the usual japanned canvas. It consists of a single lower bag that meas. approx. 16.00 inches across the top x 11.50 inches tall x 4.00 inches deep. To close this bag there are two rectangular flaps attached to the top side edge. These flaps meas. approx. 3.75 inches wide by 7.50 inches long. This lower bag is in good condition as are the flaps but the flaps have curled some. Each flap had a cloth tie but they were left tied together so one has ripped off but is present.

Sewn to the top of the above mentioned bag is a panel of japanned canvas that meas. approx. 32.00 inches long x 23.25 inches wide. This is used to form the upper pocket of the knapsack. Items would be placed in the center of this panel and then the two sides would be folded over and tied together thus forming the upper pocket. These sides were held in place by four cloth ties, only three of which are remaining. When closed and folded over the lower bag, this upper pocket wraps around the bottom of the pack or can be folded under.

The suspension straps are attached to the back of the lower bag by four rectangular leather tabs sewn to the canvas in two rows of two. On the left side a leather strap passes beneath two of the corresponding leather tabs and is then sewn to a leather loop. One side of the leather loop acts as a shoulder carrying strap while the other passes over the body of the pack holding it closed. The bottom of the strap has two iron roller buckles. The upper one to adjust the shoulder strap and the other to tighten the strap passing around the pack. There is a wide reinforcing piece of leather sewn to the strap behind the roller buckles. This arrangement is repeated on the right side.

The pack is in overall good condition with minor tears that should be visible in the photos. One of the worse tears is where one of the rectangular side panels that close the lower bag attaches to the pack. This tear is at the base of the rectangular flap and is approx. 1 to 2 inches long. The leather tabs that hold the shoulder straps in place are in worn but good condition. The straps themselves show moderate to heavy wear, have dried some and lost most of the surface finish but are strong. There was another leather piece that would connect the two shoulder straps by passing across the chest when the pack was being worn but that piece is missing.

Barely visible on the outside of the upper pocket is a white painted “PV” with a faint “1” above it. There is no doubt that painted on the back in two lines was “131 / PV.”

This rare pack came with the effects of Henry Renninger of 131^st Pennsylvania which were previously sold on our site.

Henry Harrison Renninger was born July 21, 1843 in Franklin Township, Snyder County, Pennsylvania. At the age of 20 he enlisted in Company F, 131st Pennsylvania at Middleburg on August 5, 1862.

The 131st was assigned to the 5th Corps of the Army of the Potomac and joined it at Antietam but too late to participate in the battle there. The regiment’s baptism of fire took place at Fredericksburg on Dec. 13, 1862. It was here that Private Renninger was struck on the outside of the left knee by a shell fragment. He was helped off the field at dark and taken to a field hospital and later transferred to a hospital in Maryland and was absent from his regiment until spring. He rejoined them in time for the battle of Chancellorsville where the regiment was lightly engaged. He was mustered out at Harrisburg on May 23, 1863.

After his service he returned to his home where he married in 1869. He was active in his church and the GAR and earned a living as a farmer and furniture maker. He died April 6, 1933 and is buried in Glendale Cemetery, Middleburg, Pennsylvania.

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