Wood boxes

[Slickrick214]

Do you guys know of any vendors out there who make period correct wooden boxes/chest. Why I'am asking is while I can fit most of my stuff in my knapsack as I get more and more into the hobby I seem to be buying more stuff. Its going to get to the point that I won't be able to fit everything into my knapsack and I'm going to need somekind of chest or woodbox to throw the extra stuff into. Yes I already did a search on google for 19th century wood boxes and all I came up with was this.

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g112/Slickrick214/box2.jpg

The address for that site with more pictures is:

http://www.ushist.com/set-dressing/barrels_boxes_crates_kegs_jugs.htm

It looks period correct but I'm not sure. It also looks to big for what I need.

[Cannon Fodder]

you might try www.Winchestersutler.com
they have several ammo style and others.

[KeystoneGuard]

Quick fix, buy less stuff. I know its easier said then done (I'm guilty also!).
If your set on a wooden box, I would suggest searching for a "hard tack" box. C.R. Henderson & Sons makes a great one with period techniques & tools.

When I do my officer impression during garrison events I have a period looking traveling trunk (bought it for a whole .50 & looks great!)

Just my 2 cents!

[GaWildcat]

You may also want to check this fellers stuff www.charliesboatworks.com

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

One of the finest wood vendors in the hobby is Chris Henderson at C.R. Henderson & Sons http://crhendersonltd.googlepages.com/. Incredible merchandise and even better fellow. As his site shows, he only uses period tools and bases all of his goods on originals. I have a .577 ammo box and a couple of oyster crates from him, have seen his field desks firsthand, and admire greatly his flagstaffs.

[mmartin4600]

Another plug for Chris Henderson. I just received my field desk from him and it is fantastic. He is pretty reasonable too. Check him out.

[Slickrick214]

Quick fix, buy less stuff. I know its easier said then done (I'm guilty also!).
If your set on a wooden box, I would suggest searching for a "hard tack" box. C.R. Henderson & Sons makes a great one with period techniques & tools.

When I do my officer impression during garrison events I have a period looking traveling trunk (bought it for a whole .50 & looks great!)

Just my 2 cents!

Of course that would be a quick and easy fix but I have a feeling thats not going to happen.:lol: This box would be used mostly for utility. It would be used to keep rounds, caps, tent stakes, gun cleaning supplies and stuff like that. All stuff I need. A tent isn't going to be of much use if I don't have the stakes.:p

you might try www.Winchestersutler.com
they have several ammo style and others.

I did see check out thier website. I didn't put it up there because I know nothing about them or the stuff they make.

One of the finest wood vendors in the hobby is Chris Henderson at C.R. Henderson & Sons http://crhendersonltd.googlepages.com/. Incredible merchandise and even better fellow. As his site shows, he only uses period tools and bases all of his goods on originals. I have a .577 ammo box and a couple of oyster crates from him, have seen his field desks firsthand, and admire greatly his flagstaffs.

They do have very nice boxes and I'll probably end up ordering from them once I get everything together. Thanks you were all a huge help. Now I won't have to carry the extra stuff to camp in arm fulls.

[intheblue25]

Here's a link from the Sykes Regulars guys on how to make your own Hard Cracker box you can use to store anything in.

http://www.cwreenactors.com/~sykes/instruction/Making_Hardtack_boxes.php

Chris

[Slickrick214]

I talked to Chris Henderson and ordered a generic ammunition box. Thanks again for the help.

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

I talked to Chris Henderson and ordered a generic ammunition box. Thanks again for the help.

What is a generic ammunition box?

Paul B.

[Memphis]

What is a generic ammunition box?

Paul B.

It is painted flat white with 3" high "AMMO" stenciled in flat black on two sides. :lol:

Somebody had to say it.

[Slickrick214]

What is a generic ammunition box?

Paul B.

It’s the same thing as a regular ammunition box but instead of the CS Laboratories markings he’ll put whatever caliber of arm you want to be stenciled on the box. So if I’m using a .58 caliber Enfield (which I am in this case) he’ll stencil on the box .58 Minnie ball (“X” amount of rounds per box)

http://crhendersonltd.googlepages.com/IM002220.JPG/IM002220-full;init:.JPG

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

It’s the same thing as a regular ammunition box but instead of the CS Laboratories markings he’ll put whatever caliber of arm you want to be stenciled on the box. So if I’m using a .58 caliber Enfield (which I am in this case) he’ll stencil on the box .58 Minnie ball (“X” amount of rounds per box)

http://crhendersonltd.googlepages.com/IM002220.JPG/IM002220-full;init:.JPG

FYI: There's no such animal as a regular/generic/typical CS ammo box...it would appear from the extant originals that I have examined that each of these were unique to a particular arsenal, and time period.

So what you may be getting is a box built in the period style, sans the proper ID marks...indicative to the Arsenal of issuance.

Paul B.

[Slickrick214]

FYI: There's no such animal as a regular/generic/typical CS ammo box...it would appear from the extant originals that I have examined that each of these were unique to a particular arsenal, and time period.

So what you may be getting is a box built in the period style, sans the proper ID marks...indicative to the Arsenal of issuance.

Paul B.

Complain to Chris not me. I'm not the one making the boxes. It’s considered a "generic" because while it’s based off of an original it has no arsenal markings. The only thing stenciled on it is the caliber of bullet it would be holding and the number of rounds per crate. If you go to Chris' website you'll understand the difference. The CS labs are based completely off the original. It has all the period marking the generic box doesn't. So to say there's no such thing as a generic box is wrong. There is such thing; it’s a box with only standard markings (only caliber and number of rounds).

[crhenderson]

Here's some pics for you to chew on. If you look there are no Arsenal markings on the side of these and you can't see in/on the top to tell if they are there. I do these "generics" for people to either use for storage, ammunition, or firewood without having to worry about which side they are playing that weekend. If you have a problem with it, there's a simple solution- don't buy one;) .

Humbly,
Chris R. Henderson

[GrumpyDave]

Here you go:
http://www.charliesboatworks.com/

[Slickrick214]

If you have a problem with it, there's a simple solution- don't buy one;) .

Humbly,
Chris R. Henderson

Exactly..Thank you.

[Lightningslinger]

Here's some pics for you to chew on. If you look there are no Arsenal markings on the side of these and you can't see in/on the top to tell if they are there. I do these "generics" for people to either use for storage, ammunition, or firewood without having to worry about which side they are playing that weekend. If you have a problem with it, there's a simple solution- don't buy one;) .

Humbly,
Chris R. Henderson

Hi Chris,

I can understand your thoughts for making generic boxes for those not wishing to have an identity crisis "about which side they are playing that weekend."

On he other hand, many supplies and their original packaging coming into the possession of the 'other side' from time-to-time have been documented simply due to geographical changes in which side occupied which land. All was not burned on the eve of numerous side changes .... some supplies were simply abandoned or squirreled away and and then discovered by ---- guess who?

Train loads and boat shipments of 'stuff'' found their way into un-expecting hands on many occasions and were re-distributed.

While on re-created service at the signal station atop the Washington Monument overlooking Boonesborough and Sharpsburg your writer was challenged by a spectator who questioned my having a can of New Orleans packed fruit. I - at the time - being a good Union man in the service of his country, politely asked this gentleman if he had been abroad and just recently arrived back in the country. Had he yet not known of the occupation made possible by Admiral Farragut's advance up the Mississippi in April of 62. As to my retort concerning the label lettering I passed muster with this spectator.

Generic sounds good to some. I beg that you do not continue in such a vein. Proverbs 12.1.

There is an enterprizing sutlery who offers generic signal corps insignia of Federal service design. They even have taken to CREATING shoulder boards with dainty little crossed signal flags within the borders of each rocker.

The generic signal device maker's hooks are in the water but their bait is poisonous to the furtherance of historical accuracy. Please! Desist from follow'g suit by creat'g un-necessary impediments to your avocation of making re-productions. Re-create not Create. Be known for what you stand for as well as what you can do.

Walt

[crhenderson]

Thanks, Walt, I'll keep that in mind.:D

[tompritchett]

Walt, while I can understand munitions and rations often falling into the enemy hands - thus justifying for example a Confederate camp having Union munitions boxes, I am curious how often would you find munitions and rations from Western depots being used by Eastern armies and vice-versa?

[Lightningslinger]

Walt, while I can understand munitions and rations often falling into the enemy hands - thus justifying for example a Confederate camp having Union munitions boxes, I am curious how often would you find munitions and rations from Western depots being used by Eastern armies and vice-versa?

Tom,

Not to give you a short ration answer but I have not made a study as to "how often" military supplies were shipped between the eastern and western seats of war.

You know, this could turn into quite a long topic by the time we're finished. Though we might wish to begin by looking at a work that deals directly with commercial products being transformed into rations for the government:

A Confederate Trade Center under Federal Occupation: Memphis, 1862 to 1865 by Joseph H. Parks, can be found in The Journal of Southern History, Vol. 7, No. 3 (Aug., 1941), pp. 289-314 (this is an article consisting of 26 pages) and to-day is published by the Southern Historical Association.

Then there is -- FEEDING BILLY YANK: Union Rations between 1861 and 1865 By J. Britt McCarley in the Quartermaster Professional Bulletin – December 1988 which says that:

"...rations became the responsibility of the Quartermaster's Department, which was in charge of transportation and storage for the Army. In sailing vessels, steamships. barges and railroad cars, the food traveled south [and in other directions to meet pending shortages] to the base of operations of a field army. Here, Quartermasters stored it temporarily in warehouses, sheds, or out in the open until it was shipped, usually by rail, to the army's advance depots. From there, army supply wagons carried the rations through temporary depots and finally to the corps, division, and brigade levels. At the brigade, a regimental officer heading a special detail received the food and delivered it to the regimental commissary, who in turn distributed it to the separate companies for issue to each soldier."

Therefore, National Archive Record Group 92 (RG-92) pertaining to Quartermaster material would have tons of references to letters sent and received plus specifications of packing and shipping contract agreements would become invaluable for living historians.

I am not inclined to think that any acquired contraband foodstuffs would have been repackaged prior to re-distribution, nor was it probably the case that short order civilian labeled products re-packaged to army specs.

Does this help?

Walt