CONFEDERATE POUCH KNIFE

Museum labeled example of typical Civil War alteration of a table knife. This appears to be Southern made as some cutlery was. The lack of a maker’s mark suggests a “cottage industry” on a plantation. Many if not most plantations had alternate manufacturing operations which produced a variety of commodities including bricks, nails, textiles, farm tools etc., to utilize the vast labor forces during agricultural slow demand times. Unmarked 4 5/8” blade, unmarked, which had been reshaped to produce a slashing weapon. Wood scale grips slightly shrunk from age. Reshaping the blade allows its use for mess purposes but also provides a good throat-slashing weapon for a clandestine guerilla attack as was often, with Confederates outnumbered and fighting on their own soil.