Attached to this canteen is an old tag that reads ARMY CANTEEN CARRIED BY REUBEN W. COY DURING CIVIL WAR 61 TO 65 on one side and the other side reads PRESENTED BY MRS CA------? BEECHER LIVONIA N.Y. MARCH 10 1922. Interestingly the crudely made tin canteen has one convex side and one flat side and is thought to be of Confederate manufacture. My thoughts are that this could be a captured canteen that was brought home as a war trophy by Private Coy. My research indicates that Private Reuben W. COY served as a bugler in company K of the 1st New York Mounted Rifles from 1862-1865. The 1st New York Mounted Rifles, a 3 year regiment served mostly in the Virginia theater with the Army of the James and also in the Department of Virginia. As for the presenter of the canteen my research indicates that she was Caroline C. Beecher. Caroline was the daughter of Edwin Coy of Livonia, New York, Reuben's brother. After the war Ruben moved to Michigan were he would raise a family and pass away on January 12, 1896 at the age of 52 in Alden , Michigan. As for Reuben's niece Caroline, she would live to the ripe old age of 89 passing away in Livonia, New York in 1950.

The canteen shows use and is dented on the convex face. Some rust is visible on the front and back and for some unknown reason 4 holes have been drilled in the back on the flat side. The canteen measures 6 inches in diameter and is 1 3/4 inches on the sides and is missing the spout and sling.