A ‘ditty bag’ is a small bag of varying types that were used by either a sailor or soldier to keep small tools, equipment and small personal items/food.

 

Most of the time these small bags are of a non-descript type and are only known when they are found with a soldier’s effects from an old household. This bag is of private manufacture, being a simple cut of patterned fabric, an added draw string, and a added machine sewn red 6th Corp Badge on the center front. Machine sewn items were found in the CW period when associated with private manufacture and selected homemade items. I’m confident this piece to be an 1860-1865 War used soldier’s ditty bag as it came many years ago out of a Mass. Estate sale with several of the unknown soldier’s equipment and war gear.

 

If laid flat the bag is approximate 9 1/2 inches wide by 11 ¾ inches tall. The Corp badge is about 2 1/2 by 2 3/4 inches. This honest piece has some period dark staining to the body that over time has reacted with the fabric to dissolve the fabric in small areas. The impact of old oils, food particles, and etc on 140 year old fabric can create these age holes. Yes, it does have the damage, but that is what guarentees that this is right.

 

This is a rarely encountered actual CW soldier’s ditty bag with the neat 1st Division (red) 6th Corp badge.