"...every man who has or can procure a Gun have it instantly put into the best order a Bayonet fitted to it, a Bayonet belt, Cartouche Box, Canteen with its strap, Tomahawk, Blanket and knapsack. Some of these articles are necessary for his own safety and some for his Health & Comfort. The constant exhausture of the Public Stock of these Articles by calls from all Quarters renders it vain for the Militia to expect to be supplied from thence when they come into the Field, and nothing is so easy as for every man to have them prepared while quiet and at Home. The cartouche box with a leathern Flap, a wooden canteen with its strap and a knapsack of thick linen (the better if painted) are what may be had in any man's family and there are few neighborhoods which do not afford artificers equal to the repair of a Fireloack and furnishing it with a Bayonet..."
Although a shot bag with horn or a cartouch (aka "Belly" ) box is more suitable for some militia impressions, a proper cartridge pouch is necessary for a few scenarios. In the 1780s, Virginia, Maryland and the Carolinas at times issued cartridge pouches for militia service, in addition to use by State and Continental troops ( see a previous discussion here ).
Many of the pouches sent South during 1780 and the Yorktown campaign appear to have been roughly used and abused soft or "old construction" pouches taken out of service as the New Construction pouches were becoming predominant with the regulars, so I based this build on a typical northern early war soft pouch. I used hemp for the strap instead of leather because of the Stephens to Gates complaints that "what straps there are to the boxes of are linen."
The materials used were a block of 12 x 4 inch ash (actually two 2x2s glued together), an awl, a round punch, a ruler, leather needles, beeswax, a sharp utility knife, coarse linen thread, steel carpet tacks (#8 or 9/16s) a drill with 1/8th and 3/4 inch bits, a hand saw, and a hemp strap. The vegetable tanned leather for the pouch body was scanty, about 3 ounces, and the rough out flap was heavier as observed in some original pouches I examined. I dyed the smooth side black before cutting. Rusty iron or steel in a jar of vinegar for a week or so will produce a nice blackish dye, especially when well oiled afterwards.
My local hardware store carried blocks of 2x2x12 ash that I clamped and glued together for the block. Obviously a larger non composited chunk of pine or any other native wood would be optimal, but the purpose of this build was to do a minimal tooling "off the shelf" hardware store exercise. I used a hand saw to cut the block down (ripping to 2 x3 high first) and then filed and sanded it. Holes were marked and started with a smaller bit, then I followed up with my 3/4 inch bit, with 2.75"s marked on my bit. Don't sweat perfect spacing or a slight run out, as both show up in original blocks as can be seen above and below.
The original block I was using as my model had several small tacks placed in the wood. I am unsure if these were all done after the pouch body was assembled but I chose to used four tacks to place my hemp webbing strap (careful to hit the wood in between holes). The center two rear tacks for my reproduction were placed after the leather pouch body was on.
The body was formed from two "D" shaped pieces of scanty leather, add about an inch on the sides and 2 or 3 inches to the bottom after making your block (there should be a goofy looking void under the block). I stitched them together rough out, then wet them, and flipped them so the smooth side was on the outside and my seams were in the pouch interior. Let the leather dry in the sun with the wooden block inside it.
Before the box goes in the pouch, a small leather button in the center bottom of the pouch should be added. There are several fasteners to choose from, I elected to use a small toggle button. These are made by taking a piece of middling weight leather and cutting it to resemble a spade, or a rectangle with a skinny tail on one side. The rectangle is folded/rolled on itself and a punched hole makes a cavity for the tail to go through. Once pulled taught the other end is knotted inside the pouch body.
