Revolutionary War Wooden Canteen, with British marking and initials

This is a rare canteen that came out of a Revolutionary War collection I acquired a while back. It has a 6” diameter with a raised bung and is 3 ¾” wide with two iron bands. At one time one of the bands was replaced. The soldier carved his initials “R x S” on one side, and on the other side is “OR…” faintly stamped or worn, which stood for the British mark Ordnance.

The core meaning of "ORD” was for The Board of Ordnance. This was a distinct department of the British government, separate from the regular army. It ran the factories, surveyed territories, and procured defensive supplies.

For proof of Imperial Ownership, canteens, cartridge boxes, and muskets were carved, stamped, or painted with "ORD" to formally log them as Crown property. Often, the letters "ORD" were accompanied by a "Broad Arrow" mark (a geometric symbol resembling a stylized arrowhead). If it was on this canteen, it has worn off over time.

British canteens are very hard to come by, and this one has a few flaws, but still remains solid. In my book “The Civil War Canteen – Third Edition”, I show and discuss some early canteens.

With the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding this year, interest in the Revolutionary War and its relics are significantly increasing. This renewed enthusiasm is driving the demand for virtually all Revolutionary War artifacts, further contributing to their scarcity and rising prices.