RARE – Confederate Leather Percussion Cap Box, as in Gettysburg Museum

Being offered is a Confederate-made percussion cap pouch. This pattern has the “square” outer flap with closing tab sewn to the underside and the latch tab is unbroken. The interior flap is supple and both side “ears” remain firmly sewn in place. It has the brass finial and as most cap boxes, no fleece remains. The back has the typical single belt loop, which is associated with Confederate cap boxes, that is 1 ½” wide x 1 ¾” high – the stitching is complete and tight.

Confederate percussion cap boxes were vital, often crudely made, leather pouches used to store copper caps for firing muskets or revolvers, designed to protect them from moisture. Unlike standardized Union boxes, Confederate versions varied wildly in size and construction, with many manufactured by regional contractors.

This cap box is in very nice condition with the leather still pliable. The outside is mostly black while the inside shows faint brown-tone coloring. In the Gettysburg NPS Museum collection there is one example that I very similar to this one (see pictures).