Friends,

I'm looking for a new or used USSS mess kit, complete and undamaged, to add to my new knapsack. I have never owned one before and am unfamiliar with who provides a quality reproduction, but if you have one that you're willing to part with please let me know.

I am also interested in your opinions on any reproductions currently available, and your experiences with using them. I plan on using it in the field for cooking, storing rations, etc. at early war events so it would help to know a little more!

Please contact me here on the forum or through email at greencoat_van_ornum@hotmail.com. I am willing to consider trades for cloth, garments, or I can pay directly through PayPal, check, or money order.

Thank you!

_________________
Brian White
Wambaugh, White, & Company
http://www.wwandcompany.com
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Randolph Mess, U.S. Sharpshooters

try Dixie Tinworks $60.00 on his webpage (under misc)

Brian,

I pretty sure the Village Tinsmith makes them, http://www.csa-dixie.com/villagetinsmith/b.html Try this.

_________________
Joseph Edwards
The Deadeye Mess
Company C 2nd United States Sharp Shooters

Brian,

You dawg! I still can't believe that we walk into the first exhibitors building, to the first table and you score an unused, 1997-8 model Frank Packer knapsack!

I bought my Berdan Mess Kit from the Village Tinsmith back in 1996(they took photos of me in my USSS kit wearing my Packer knapsack/their messkit for their files). The mess kit is very good and serves the functions well. You need to be careful with the boiler/soup tin that serves as the large outer container. If you do not have water/soup beyond the bail wire attachments, they can get hot enough for the solder to melt and the bails to come unattached. I've had to re-solder the attachments twice and the kit is still fine. Also, it is easy to lose the little metal 'L' shaped handle--it also gets hot as hell if kept near the fire.

Bill(? owner of Village Tinsmith) reported that he had traveled to Germany to research mess kits and particularly tried to find the model that the USSS one was allegedly copied from. He was able to examine a number of original WW1-2 and Franco-Prussian War-era kits, but the factory owner was unable to locate the one that was allegedly shipped to the USA for USSS use. The owner shrugged and told Bill: "It probably got run over by a Soviet tank during the last War" ??!!

If you are going to skirmish in 'full marching order' be sure to fill the tin boiler with extras--coffee bag, utensils, spare rations-otherwise you are sure to make one heck of a racket. At one event, whenever I double-quicked during 'advance firing' it sounded like I had one of those wind-up monkeys inside my kit. Curtiss nearly fell on the ground in hysterics whenever I passed him.

Bill Skillman
Randolf Mess-USSS
Hudson Squad-USSS (150th's)

And now.... due to the magic of the InterWeb...



I've always thought the tin tray inside should fit much more snug into the top of the boiler to eliminate rattling/clockwork sounds(!), but having done little research with originals I will defer to the work of others in the field. Village Tinsmiths always made a first-rate product for other tinware, so they do get the benefit of the doubt from me in this regard.

For the curious... early 19th century Prussian mess kit, believed to match the first (1809) specifications:



I believe the Prussian mess kit of the 1850s is documented in McClellan's pre-war Armies of Europe if anyone wants to compare.

[Edit: Found it! From 1861 edition, page 305, although McClellan shows an oval mess kit not at all like the Berdan set...



I know this is about the cavalry, but earlier on in the Prussian infantry section he states that the infantry carried the same mess kits. Sooooo........ ]

My own opinion is that, much like the knapsack itself, it's a hybrid which Berdan formed from several concepts running through the military literature and different armies at the time.

Say Bill, have you changed any since then?!?

FWIW

Frank

Greetings Frank,

I wish I could say that I am still as handsome, hairy, hail and hearty today as I appear in the photo. But as the old saying goes: Time marches on...or in my case, 'rust never sleeps'.

The photograph of Bill and I (check out the brand new Chris Sullivan kersey trousers) was taken by his wife at the annual Cascades Civil War Muster (hosted by the 7th Michigan Infantry) in Jackson, Michigan. It is billed as the largest Civil War reenactment in the Midwest and draws wide range of US/CSA contingents and sutlers. Unfortunately, as time has moved on the original 'battlefield' has shrunk because of construction of a amphitheater where the artillery was posted (near the artisean well) and an ever expanding 'family canvas suburb' now covers most of the original US/CSA infantry camp ground. Fewer and fewer 'veterans' want to sleep on the ground or eat their own (or company cooks) rations anymore. Personally, I'm a sucker for Bayou Billy's jambalaya and root beer, so I can't complain about fellows breaking authenticity for a hearty meal now and again.

Jackson is still a good place to meet old friends (a couple years ago I was shocked to discover a bemused Thom Winter-who traveled west with the Regimental Quartermaster-standing behind me as I was conducting an impromptu lecture about the USSS to a gathering of spectators), catch up on research (Chris Czopek and I host a Saturday night 'fireside chat' to discuss and trade USSS and Co. 'K' 1st Michigan Sharpshooter 'nuggets'), and yes, check on the latest wares from craftsmen like Bill from the Village Tinsmith.

Thanks for sharing your research with us Frank. As always it is great to hear from you!

Bill Skillman
Randolph Mess-USSS
Hudson Squad (150)