ID’d Civil War Leather Covered Canteen To A 138th PA Infantry Soldier

ID’d Civil War Leather Covered Canteen To A 138th PA Infantry Soldier. Cleaning out several garage bays this past August, I discover some good old inventory that somehow got buried under newer purchases.  I bought this leather covered canteen from the Horse Soldier in Gettysburg in 2001 !

This had just come into their shop, and liking modified items, this one with the leather cover, bought it.

A local family who brought it in, had the name of the soldier, research was done, and I have that large packet of copied documents for the canteen.  His name was Edward C. Blocher, Co. “G” 138th PVI. He enlisted in August of 1862. There is information about his desertion in Feb of 1863, and arrested in Baltimore shortly after.  There is a lot of research material here, but in this statement recorded for then Pension Claimant Edward Blocher, by his sergeant in later years, stated   “Blocker was a private in Co. “G”…and was never able to  do anything but light duty around camp after the Battle of Gettysburg he having been afflicted with heart disease brought on by exposure and hard marching on the march from Frederick City Md. to Fox’s Ford on the Rappahannock River, Va…..He was sent to Alexandria Va. Hospital on the 10th day of Oct. 1863 from Camp near Culpepper Va. and returned to the Company at Brandy Station Va on the 1st day of February 1864, remained with the company until the 25th day of March 1864 when he was again sent to the Hospital, then being unfit for field duty and never rejoined the company again. My means of knowing the above facts are that i was First Sergeant of Co. “G” 138th Penn Vol Inft.  N.G. Wilson, late 1st Sergt Co. G. 138th Pa.”

Blocher was listed as a deserter, and sent back to his company. The charge of Desertion was later dropped,  as he was returned to his company without trail. He moved to Kansas after the war, hoping the climate would be healthier, but returned to PA as then “broken down.” Several men from his company attested to his heart disease during the war, and those statements are copied in the research collection.  The 138th was part of the Army “In pursuit of Lee’s Army, but were not engaged at Gettysburg.

1st Sergt. Nicholas G. Wilson

There is another section of the leather shoulder strap with the buckle contained in the packet of research folder. The leather on the canteen is largely intact, but there are age cracks and separations on one side.  No stopper. The leather surface is dry, and covered in old crusty dirt, and most likely original period dirt by the age of it. No visible Id on the surface, yet great provenance.

Glad I did some cleaning out.  Still looking for more buried treasures.

THE PHOTO OF SERGT WILSON WAS TAKEN FROM THE 138TH HISTORY ON LINE.