A Soldier’s Essentials
The Artifact
Milligan’s Army Camp Kettle
Condition
The kettle is in very good overall condition. The lid has dents but retains most of its original japanned black finish.
Details
On September 3, 1862, John C. Milligan of Elizabeth City, New Jersey, filed a patent for an “improved camp-kettle” by which soldiers could transport “the necessary utensils for camp use” in something more compact and lighter than the typical, cumbersome camp chest. Made to accommodate four soldiers, the 12-inch-tall oval kettle was designed for efficiency, containing over 40 items. They included a sauce pan, frying pan, gridiron, soup tureen, coffee pot (with strainers), cups, plates, forks, knives, spoons (large and small), towels, liquor flask, corkscrew, condiment bottles, and ration boxes—all weighing an “exceedingly light” 11 pounds. As he boasted in his patent application, Milligan’s camp kettle—which ultimately sold for $12—“cost but about one-fourth the amount which a camp-chest embracing the same conveniences would cost.” While sales numbers aren’t extant for Milligan’s creation, the patent for which was approved in early 1863, anecdotal evidence suggests it was well received among Union soldiers.
Quotable
Milligan promoted his camp kettle with advertisements in a number of prominent newspapers, many of them accompanied by testimonials from notable military men. Milligan’s ad in the April 4, 1863, edition of Harper’s Weekly, for instance, included glowing endorsements from two Union generals. “It is so convenient and compact that I wish it were carried by all wherever this Army moves,” said Major General William S. Rosecrans. A quote from Major General Lew Wallace followed: “It is the most complete article of the kind I have seen. Its compactness commends it for transportation.”
Price
$3,410 (realized at Fairfield, Maine, in November 2023). “It must have been popular as excavated pieces are found in Civil War camp sites,” a Poulin Auctions representative noted then. “We are only aware of one other Milligan mess kit sold [at auction].”
