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“KENTISH GUARDS” RHODE ISLAND MILITIA SET – MODEL
1874 CANTEEN (TYPE 3) w/ CHAMBERS SHOULDER SLING MODEL &
1878 HAVERSACK w/ CHAMBERS SHOULDER SLING – RARE
HISTORIC STATE MILITIA IDENTIFIED SET IN EXCELLENT
CONDITION:
This matched set of a Model
1874 Canteen and a Model 1878 Haversack is unique having
survived together intact as a set in excellent
condition, and, for having the matching stenciled
identification to the “Kentish Guards”, a quite famous,
and very historic unit in the Rhode Island Militia.
The Kentish Guards of East Greenwich, Rhode Island,
chartered on October 29, 1774, is a historic militia
unit which has been in continuous service since its
founding. The Guards established a record worthy of
note during the American Revolution, which included the
service of such notables as Major General Nathaniel
Greene, and soldiers of the Kentish Guards made up
“Companies H” of both the 2nd and the 7th
Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry Regiments. The Guards
were on alert during the Spanish American War, and in
later years as most of the state militias were absorbed
into the National Guard system, the Kentish Guards
elected to remain autonomous as strictly a state militia
unit. While this decision prevented the Guards from
being mobilized as an integral unit during national
emergencies, individual members have continued to
advance the unit’s record of service in all of the
nation’s wars since 1900. The Kentish Guards operates
today under the laws of the State of Rhode Island, and
is subject to the command of the Adjutant General and
the Governor, providing service as a ceremonial unit
This version of the Model 1874 (Type 3) Canteen is one
of the scarcer types of the earlier conversions of the
surplus Civil War canteens during the early years of the
Indian Wars, featuring a canvas cover and the Chambers
Cloth Sling with the brass adjustment buckle.
Well documented in Doug McChristian’s The US Army In
the West, 1870-1880 on pages 211-212, the conversion
process involved covering the existent woolen cover with
a brown canvas cover and replacing the Civil War linen
sling with the drab web Chambers Sling. This Type 3
conversion involved the removal of the bottom sling
guide as no longer necessary as the Chambers sling was
held in place by the canvas cover, and eliminating the
bottom guide removed this point of wear on the cover.
This canteen has been covered with the two piece canvas
cover, the Civil War linen sling has been replaced with
the woven Chambers Sling, and the bottom sling guide has
been removed. The cover is legibly stenciled “K.G.”,
for Kentish Guards; “R.I. M.”, for Rhode Island Militia;
and “40”, a unit inventory number.
The canvas cover does show wear, with some overall
staining from use, but the canvas is completely intact
with no holes or wear spots, and the seams of the cover
are intact. The cork stopper is in excellent condition,
and is complete with the retention chain and brass
collar around the spout.
These early Indian War period canteens are scarce due to
the use they received in service, and this one is
particularly nice due to the condition and the
significance of the unit.
Introduced in 1878 along with other improvements to the
soldier’s equipments as developed by Col. P.V. Hagner,
and continued in service during the Indian Wars and
through the Spanish American War, this standard Model
1878 Haversack is in very good condition. It is
somewhat unique in that rather than being fitted with
the standard brass “D” rings for attaching the wide
leather Model 1885 shoulder sling, this haversack is
fitted with the Model 1874 Chambers Clothing bag sling,
matching the sling on the canteen described above.
Matching the stenciling on the canteen, the haversack is
legibly marked on the outer front cover “K.G.”, “R.I.M”
and “14”. All of the seams, interior pockets for the
mess utensils and personal effects, and closing billet
and buckle on the cover and bag gusset, are intact and
there are no rips, tears or holes – and for the most
part appears unissued.
The full length Chambers slings on both the canteen and
the haversack are complete with the brass adjustment
buckle and are in “like new” condition with none of the
wear or “stringing” commonly seen on these slings if
they have seen any use.
This is a particularly nice
offering, and a matched set of the basic equipment that
was necessary to every soldier. Due to the
historically small complement of the Kentish Guards
during the post Civil War era, this is a set that would
be hard to duplicate, particularly in this excellent
condition. (0232) $495
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