Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. Prior to 1810, a British artisan-inventory had developed a system of machinery by which he could cut and form all of the component pieces of wood, as well as assemble them into finished canteens, thereby cutting the time and expense of hand-coopering, as such had previously been made. The mass-produced water bottles were made with oak faces or sides, with flat staves cut and inlet with grooves, allowing them to function similarly to the shaped staves made by traditional coopering, all held together by iron bands. This new methodology was a boon to the Quartermaster General, who needed to acquire tens of thousands of water bottles on an annual basis to equip British and allied troops in the field.

This is a gorgeous Napoleonic era canteen marked on the side with the following designation:

VII
G
38

The other side also has the VII painted. This likely indicates issue to Company G of the 7th Regiment of Foot, with 38 likely being a soldier or inventory number. The 7th Regiment of Foot was originally formed in 1685 & saw extensive service in the Nine Years’ War, War of the Spanish Succession, 

The canteen is in fair condition and displays very well, but due to its age and the way that wooden canteens react without water, the individual panels of the canteen’s construction have all shrunken somewhat, and many of them are loose, and will even slide out if it is not handled carefully. Something could likely be done to better affix them, but it is probably best to display it upright and leave it as is. The canteen displays very beautifully and even retains its original leather strap meant to hang the canteen off of.

This is a tremendous example unit marked to the 7th Regiment of Foot, ready for further research and display! Please handle with care!

The regiment embarked for Holland and saw action at the Battle of Copenhagen in August 1807 during the Gunboat War. It was then sent to the West Indies and took part in the capture of Martinique in 1809. BIt embarked for Portugal later that year for service in the Peninsular War and fought at the Battle of Talavera in July 1809, the Battle of Bussaco in September 1810, and the Battle of Albuera in May 1811.

The regiment then took part in the Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo in January 1812, the Siege of Badajoz in spring 1812 and the Battle of Salamanca in July 1812 as well as the Battle of Vitoria in June 1813. It then pursued the French Army into France and fought at the Battle of the Pyrenees in July 1813, the Battle of Orthez in February 1814 and the Battle of Toulouse in April 1814. It returned to England later that year before embarking for Canada and seeing action at the capture of Fort Bowyer in February 1815 during the War of 1812.

A 2nd Battalion was formed in 1804 and also took part in the Peninsular Campaign from 1809 to 1811. Both battalions took part in the 1811 Battle of Albuera. The 2nd Battalion was disbanded after the war.