Wood canteen. With iron bands and strap bands. Inscribed to face "I.S. Moore / Co. C / 103rd OVI" next to a depiction of a shell. Diam. 7 3/4 x 2 3/8 in.

This is a classic Confederate wooden canteen from the Civil War era, commonly known among collectors as the "Gardner" pattern. These canteens were constructed with simple lathe-turned front and back faces, joined by curved, grooved staves and secured with narrow iron hoops. The hoops are held in place by three cross bands, each raised in the middle and turned up at the ends, which also serve as brackets for attaching a shoulder strap.

Thanks to its straightforward design, the Gardner canteen was well within the skill set of coopers and other woodworkers, particularly throughout the South. As a result, it became the quintessential Confederate canteen of the war, later valued as both a trophy and a relic.

This particular specimen is one such trophy. Carved into one side is the name of Isaac S. Moore of the 103rd Ohio Infantry.

Isaac S. Moore was 37 years old when he enlisted as a Corporal on July 27, 1862. His regiment initially served closer to home, participating in the Kentucky Campaign and the Defense of Cincinnati, before joining Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign in 1864. Moore mustered out on June 12, 1865.

There are thirteen individuals named J. Winton listed in Confederate service records—further research may help positively identify the original owner of the canteen.

[Civil War, Union, Confederate] [Militaria, Accouterment, Equipment, Uniforms, Relics, Ephemera]