Excavated Eating group dug at Williamsburg, Virginia

This is another nice grouping I recently acquired, it is half of a smoothside canteen (used as an eating plate) and the remains of a fork and knife. These three pieces were recovered from the same hole at a campsite in Williamsburg, Virginia.

After the Confederate retreat from Yorktown, Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan sent forward his III Corps to pursue the Confederates under Gen Joseph E. Johnston. The Union troops caught up with the Rebels four miles southeast of Williamsburg and attacked on May 5, 1862.

Heavy fighting ensued along Johnston’s defenses as both sides brought up reinforcements. The Confederates counterattacked the Union left, while the Federals gained ground on their right. That evening, Johnston pulled back and McClellan followed. The battle was inconclusive, but there were 2,283 Union casualties and 1,560 Confederate casualties.

It was a common practice with soldiers splitting tin canteens in half to use as a plate – both sides did this. In two of my books “The Civil War Soldier – His Personal Items” and “The Civil War Canteen – Third Edition”, I show these half canteens. I acquired these pieces directly from the digger. Overall, the pieces are still solid. Dug Williamsburg artifacts are hard to find.