Painted Canteen

Object Details

Description: Physical Description; Round metal painted with camp scene.; Specific History; This canteen was said to have been used at Gettysburg.; General History; The scene painted on this canteen is a snapshot of camp life, preserved as a memento of the war like a letter home or a diary entry. At right, a soldier appears to be on guard duty beside a tent over which flies an American flag. To the left, another soldier sits on a log before a fire. The scene evokes the rituals and chores of camp life: pitching tents, standing guard, gathering firewood, and preparing food. Soldiers accustomed to the orderliness of camp life as depicted here faced a stark contrast when they entered battle at Gettysburg and other chaotic killing grounds. Memories of camp and its monotonous routine could be soothing to men who endured grueling campaigns, which may explain why this unknown soldier-artist chose to depict that theme on an object that meant much to him.

Physical Description: metal (overall material); cork (overall material)
Measurements: overall: 22.5 cm x 16.8 cm x 6.5 cm; 8 27/32 in x 6 5/8 in x 2 9/16 in

See more items in: Military and Society: Armed Forces History, Military; Civil War; Military
Exhibition: Price of Freedom
Exhibition Location: National Museum of American History

National Museum of American History

related event: Civil War; Battle of Gettysburg, 1863; Civil War and Reconstruction

GUID (Link to Original Record): https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-0584-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa