Ration Can, Possibly Struck

Ration Can, possibly struck. Recovered in 1959. Click photo and "Detailed Description".

Civil War soldiers ration can. It is made of sheet-tin and measures approximately 5” x 5" x 3 1/2". It has a flat rolled-tin base as well as a flat-turned tin lip. These cans held a variety of different items such as fruits, oysters, milk, etc. Soldiers would get these cans from the regimental sutler or even sent to them from home. A unique characteristic about this can is that it appears to have been struck by a bullet or even a small piece of artillery shrapnel. There is a hole near the bottom of the can and when you look in the inside, you can see how the tin is peeled back from the path of the alleged projectile (see pictures). On the bottom of the can is the original diggers tag which states "Rappahannack / Arty Camp / 1959". This being an Artillery camp in Virginia along the Rappahannack River.   

 

This item was part of a private collection which was dug in the 1950’s and 1960’s. The collection was donated to the Wentworth Military Academy, located in Lexington, Missouri. It was founded in 1880 as a school for boys, and gradually evolved into a military school. It is the oldest military school west of the Mississippi, and is now co-educational. This ration can, along with the rest of the collection, was de-acquisitioned by the school and sold at auction. The items in the collection remained just as they were dug…..untouched and never cleaned.  It would go great in a Civil War soldier’s camp display or part of a soldiers personal effects.