George Washington's Camp Chest
date: label: Date made
content: 1775-1776
name: label: user
content: Washington, George
notes: label: Description
content: Armies on campaign must carry with them much besides their weapons. At the time of the American Revolutionary War (1776-1781), various boxes and chests transported soldier's individual effects, wardrobes, official military payrolls, and other necessities. Camp chests or canteens as they were called in the 18th century, carried utensils and cooking apparatus to be used by officers and their staff when in the field during campaigns.
label: Description
content: George Washington's well-appointed personal camp chest, or "mess kit," enabled him to dine in a manner reflecting his position as commander of the Continental Army. Two sets of leather covered canteens, or camp chests, were bought by General Washington, on May 3, 1776. Another set of "canteens" captured on a British prize ship were sent for Washington's use in October 1778. By 1782, General Washington's camp equipage which included canteens, tents, tables, traveling beds, and various other field equipment, was so extensive that he had to request that two horses, "natural pacers," be selected by the Quartermaster General, Timothy Pickering, just to carry the General's camp chests.
label: Description
content: We do not know which of the several camp chests belonging to Washington is in our collections; however, this example is complete with all original utensils. It contains tin plates and platters, tin pots with detachable wooden handles, glass containers for condiments such as salt, pepper, and sugar, as well as knives and forks with dyed black ivory handles. The chest also contains a tinder box, candle stand, and folding gridiron.
place: label: used
content: United States
topic: label: related event
content: American Revolution
label: related event
content: Revolution and the New Nation
setName: label: See more items in
content: Military and Society: Armed Forces History, Military
label: See more items in
content: Food
label: See more items in
content: Military
label: Exhibition
content: Price of Freedom
label: Exhibition Location
content: National Museum of American History
publisher: label: Related Publication
content: Nation of Nations, A
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: AF.016111
label: accession number
content: 13152
label: catalog number
content: 016111
label: accession number
content: 013152
objectType: label: Object Name
content: mess kit
label: Object Name
content: camp chest
label: Other Terms
content: mess kit; camp chest; Equipment, Individual
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: green (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: cloth (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: leather (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: brass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: iron (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: tin (plates and platters material)
label: Physical Description
content: glass (containers material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 10 3/4 in x 21 1/4 in x 14 in; 27.305 cm x 53.975 cm x 35.56 cm