The M-1910 Canteen Cover
Along with the introduction of the M-1910 canteen & cup, the Army Infantry Equipment Board also had to come up with a new cover to carry the canteen and cup. Before the M-1910 canteen and cup, the Army relied on a circular canteen design in various forms since the 1700’s. The M-1858 canteen included a wool or jean cloth cover that kept the contents of the canteen cool, especially when wet. After the Civil War, the Model 1878 Canteen was introduced. The cover was now canvas, and featured the “U.S.” motif on the front, or in the national guards/militias, the abbreviation of the unit’s home state. The covers came half-sewn, to slip up over the body of the canteen, then were hand sewn the rest of the way up to the spout. These canteens were used during the Indian Wars and Spanish-American Wars, with some even seeing use in the Mexican Expedition and WWI!
The M-1910 canteen cover was different in many ways. The cover was cotton, and lined with felt. It had two ears that folded over the shoulders of the canteen and snapped onto the front of the cover. The ears originally were clipped on the ends and had twist fasteners or eagle snap buttons but soon after production, this design was cancelled and the ears were rounded and bound on the hems. They had eagle button fasteners until 1917, when they were replaced with the Lift-The-Dot fasteners. The Marine Corps had Eagle, Globe & Anchor button fasteners on their canteen covers, but these are very rare to find, as they too were issued canteens with LTD fasteners in 1917. The covers had a wire hanger on the back with a reinforced square of canvas to help prevent the hanger from tearing away from the cover.
There were seven rows of stitching on the front of the body to help reinforce the material, and each cover included the “U.S.” motif stenciled on the front. Units also stenciled their units on the front of the canteen cover, usually crossed rifles, cannons or sabers, with the regiment number above it and the company letter below. This can be seen on some canteens prior to WWI. Under the ears of the canteen cover can usually be found the manufacturer logo, date, or patent date. This style of marking also carried over to the M-1928 canteen cover, depending on the manufacturer.
Mounted M-1910 Canteen Cover
In 1917, a new cover for mounted troops came into production. It closely resembled the dismounted version, however, the mounted cover had two canvas loops on each side, and one on the bottom of the canteen. A leather strap passed through these loops, and had a cavalry carbine hook on the end. This design took the weight off of the back of the cover, and the canteen was more secure. This cover proved popular with mounted troops, and even some ground troops.
*Cover photo courtesy of National Archives
American Militaria Reference
Disclaimer
All material on this Website, including design, text, images, and logos, are owned by AMR, either through copyright or trademark, unless otherwise indicated. All rights are reserved by AWR. Content may not be copied, reproduced, transmitted, distributed, downloaded or transferred in any form or by any means without AMR’s prior written consent, and with express attribution to AMR. Copyright infringement is a violation of federal law subject to criminal and civil penalties.