Early Rev War cartridge box

[Tumbledown]

Needing a cartridge box for a local reenactment group, I decided to make one. Early American Revolutionary War boxes were often simple pouches with cartridge blocks secured inside. I studied several existing examples and some descriptions, then made this. Goat skin leather, dyed, oiled, hand sewn, and a block shaped and drilled by hand. There's room under the block for storing flints and tools.

 

[Jaegermeister]

I think that looks great! Nice job on research and construction.

 

[barracudadave67]

Nice box!!!
What are the dimensions, ??.

Dave

 

[tom_in_vt]

Very nice job!

 

[Tumbledown]

Nice box!!!
What are the dimensions, ??.

Dave

It is about 11.5" wide and 5" high overall, .75" holes.

 

[Notchy Bob]

Strong work there, @JB67 ! That looks really good! I like the color, which is just what I want for a project I have in mind. What dye did you use to achieve that?

It sounds as if you did the research and developed the pattern yourself, which is the best way to do it. However, if you should need another one, Sketchbook '76 and one of the books in The Packet series both have patterns. I know there is also a pattern for a French cartridge box in Ted Spring's French Marines book, also.

However, you didn't need 'em. You did a first-class job with the pattern you developed yourself.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

 

[Grenadier1758]

It is about 11.5" wide and 5" high overall, .75" holes.

I have found that using holes of 7/8" (0.875") makes for easier holding of the paper wrapped cartridges for a Land Pattern Musket of 0.770" bore. Measure your bore diameter and use a couple size larger drill for the holes in the cartridge block in the cartridge box.

 

[Tumbledown]

Strong work there, @JB67 ! That looks really good! I like the color, which is just what I want for a project I have in mind. What dye did you use to achieve that?

It sounds as if you did the research and developed the pattern yourself, which is the best way to do it. However, if you should need another one, Sketchbook '76 and one of the books in The Packet series both have patterns. I know there is also a pattern for a French cartridge box in Ted Spring's French Marines book, also.

However, you didn't need 'em. You did a first-class job with the pattern you developed yourself.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

Thank you very much!

I used Fiebrings black leather dye, and sweet oil (aka olive oil, believe it or not). I've used just oil on leather, and it gives a nice color as it soaks in. The oil doesn't go rancid and makes the leather nice and soft. On the black, it added depth and sheen.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Needing a cartridge box for a local reenactment group, I decided to make one. Early American Revolutionary War boxes were often simple pouches with cartridge blocks secured inside. I studied several existing examples and some descriptions, then made this. Goat skin leather, dyed, oiled, hand sewn, and a block shaped and drilled by hand. There's room under the block for storing flints and tools.

Actually, that's rather upscale and stylish for the early Continentals, being fully encased in nice leather, well cut, well sewed, and well dyed. A lot of the early stuff was leather "ears" tacked to the sides of the block, and the flap and straps tacked to the back. The block itself served as the "body" of the cartridge box, and often too there was no shoulder strap, and instead they wore a "belly box" on a belt directly to their front.



LD

 

[Artificer]

Needing a cartridge box for a local reenactment group, I decided to make one. Early American Revolutionary War boxes were often simple pouches with cartridge blocks secured inside. I studied several existing examples and some descriptions, then made this. Goat skin leather, dyed, oiled, hand sewn, and a block shaped and drilled by hand. There's room under the block for storing flints and tools.View attachment 132622View attachment 132623View attachment 132624View attachment 132625

For your first attempt at making a Militia Cartouche Pouch, you did a fine job.

However, I must caution you that any tack/nail heads that stick out beyond the leather or strap are just waiting to catch and rip your clothing, or worse your skin, when putting the pouch on or taking it off. I wound up further pounding in many such tack/nail heads right at or below the surface of the leather or cloth straps for members of reenactment units I was in over the years for exactly these reasons.

I also concur most definitely with Grenadier1758 to open up the size of the holes in the block, if you can. On my first block, I made the holes with a 3/4" drill and found the holes too small to put live cartridges and a period correct Tin Oiler in one of the holes.

Gus

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I also concur most definitely with Grenadier1758 to open up the size of the holes in the block, if you can. On my first block, I made the holes with a 3/4" drill and found the holes too small to put live cartridges and a period correct Tin Oiler in one of the holes.

On the other hand, I know a few guys that use undersized blanks, and an undersized set of holes, to prevent their ever mixing their live ammo with the blanks. I pointed out that one could still use a much smaller lead ball in the smaller cartridges, and they pointed out it was to reduce any claims that they were the ones that used the wrong ammo, not that somebody else using their stuff did....

LD

 

[Tumbledown]

Actually, that's rather upscale and stylish for the early Continentals, being fully encased in nice leather, well cut, well sewed, and well dyed. A lot of the early stuff was leather "ears" tacked to the sides of the block, and the flap and straps tacked to the back. The block itself served as the "body" of the cartridge box, and often too there was no shoulder strap, and instead they wore a "belly box" on a belt directly to their front.



LD

Thank you very much, LD!

From what I can gather in my limited research, this style was common in Massachusetts at the eve of the Revolutionary War. Since I'm in Maine (then a part of Massachusetts,) I figured it would be appropriate there, for both time and place.

I believe the cruder boxes would have come later as the colonies suddenly found themselves needing to arm thousands of men, the result of expediency and a lack of adequate leather supplies.

There is one reenactment event, Washington's Crossing the Delaware, where belly boxes aren't allowed for Continentals. I don't know if it's for safety or authenticity, but it's probably not the only one. I would find a belly box difficult as my girth makes a lot of gear on a belt troublesome.

 

[Artificer]

On the other hand, I know a few guys that use undersized blanks, and an undersized set of holes, to prevent their ever mixing their live ammo with the blanks. I pointed out that one could still use a much smaller lead ball in the smaller cartridges, and they pointed out it was to reduce any claims that they were the ones that used the wrong ammo, not that somebody else using their stuff did....

LD

Actually, that's a good idea if a person never plans on doing live firing with that cartouche block. Still I would open up one hole beyond 3/4 inch to put a repro of a tin oiler in that hole.

Gus

 

[Artificer]

I would find a belly box difficult as my girth makes a lot of gear on a belt troublesome.

We had to use belly boxes in the Black Watch and since I was in my 50's when I did it, I know exactly what you mean.

However, even our flat stomached, young guys often had problems with theirs turning or being far less than comfortable. Matter of fact, we called them "Belly of the Beast Boxes."

Gus

 

[toot]

all of the SKETCH BOOKS seem hokey, but we all can glean a lot of info / correct history from them! I think that the whole series are just great!

 

[fireman1]

all of the SKETCH BOOKS seem hokey, but we all can glean a lot of info / correct history from them! I think that the whole series are just great!

Interesting...what do you find incorrect about them?

I'm fairly ignorant about some of this stuff.

Thanks!

 

[toot]

by hokey, I was refering to the line drawings that are sketched in them, that is all. as I said the information is top shelf! again I never used the term incorrect! read my post. hope this helps you?

 

[fireman1]

by hokey, I was refering to the line drawings that are sketched in them, that is all. as I said the information is top shelf! again I never used the term incorrect! read my post. hope this helps you?

Ahh....gotcha! Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[toot]

not a problem. toot.