Identified Civil War Leather Covered Canteen To a 138th PA Infantry Soldier

Identified Civil War Leather Covered Canteen To a 138th PA Infantry Soldier.

I Purchased this canteen from the Horse Soldier in Gettysburg in 2001, and just found it again recently. A local family who brought it in had the soldier’s name- research was done and research was provided on him. Edward C. Blocher, Co. “G” 138th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry enlisted in August of 1862. Some of the information provided in his records show that he deserted in February of 1863 and was arrested in Baltimore shortly afterwards. Although listed as a deserter and sent back to his company, the charge of Desertion was later dropped, and he was returned to Co. G. without trial.

In a statement recorded in a Pension Claim, Edward Blocher, as conveyed by his sergeant, “was a private in Co. G…and was never able to do anything but light duty around the 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 Alexandra 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 first 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.  My means of knowing the above facts are that I was First Sergeant of Co. G. 138th Penn Vo. Inft. N.G. Wilson, Late 1st Sergt. Co. G. 138th Pa.”

Blocker 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 included in the research material.

The 138th PVI was part of the Army in pursuit of Lee’s Army, but were not engaged at Gettysburg.

The leather surface is dry, but mainly intact with some age cracks and separations on one side  (see photos). No stopper. Attached to the research binder is a section of the original shoulder strap with buckle attached.

Leather covered canteens from this era are rather scarce.  Good provenance with some history.