An individual United States Model 1861 "Bullseye" pattern enameled tin canteen, ca 1861–1865. Retains its original iron wire loop cork stopper and all three tin sling loops, missing the original wool cloth cover and leather or canvas shoulder strap.

A visually fascinating, textbook example of federal infantry field gear. This standard-issue Union M1861 canteen is of the iconic "bullseye" configuration, featuring seven concentric corrugated rings stamped into each side to provide structural rigidity to the tin shell. Stripped of its original, utilitarian brown or blue wool army cover, the raw metal body served as a canvas for its owner. The entire outer rim and the valleys of the outermost corrugated rings retain remnants of hand-painted red, white, and blue pigment.

[Militaria, Civil War, Union Army, Infantry Gear, Ordnance, Tin Canteen, Bullseye Canteen, M1861 Canteen, Grand Army of the Republic, GAR, Veteran Encampment, Americana]

During the grueling campaigns of the Civil War, millions of these rugged canteens were manufactured under federal contracts by major depots like Philadelphia, New York, and Cincinnati. Following the cessation of hostilities in 1865, returning soldiers frequently stripped off the rotten, mud-stained wool jackets of their canteens to expose the bright tin underneath. Decades later, during the sentimental heyday of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) encampments in the late 1880s through the early 1900s, old comrades would paint their surviving battlefield gear in bright patriotic motifs to decorate local GAR posts or to carry proudly during Memorial Day victory parades. The deliberate application of a red, white, and blue tricolor scheme around the structural concentric rings transforms a piece of mass-produced army ordnance into a highly personalized monument to veteran pride.

The presence of the original cork stopper is a major plus. Most canteen stoppers were lost on the march or rotted away entirely over the generations. This is a solid bullseye specimen that preserves its functioning stopper alongside veteran parade paint, a true rarity. 

The canteen is in very good, completely original condition. The stamped tin body remains structurally excellent, showing only honest, minor shallow service dings and a stable, pleasing patina across the exposed metal surfaces. All three tin sling brackets remain firmly soldered to the frame. The original cork stopper is remarkably intact and fits snugly into the pewter spout.