Soldiers ration (sardine) can

Civil War soldiers sardine can from Kennesaw Battlefield. Click picture for details.

Civil War soldier’s ration (sardine) can, which was recovered from a battlefield. It is made of heavy tin and measures 4” x 4 ¾” and is flattened. During the Civil War these tins of sardines were very popular, judging just by the amount of discarded cans recovered at campsites and battlefields. They were not issued by the government, but the majority was acquired from the camp sutlers. This example is marked on one end by the digger with “KENNESAW”, which it where it was recovered many years ago on the Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia Battlefield.