Primitive Iron Barrel Auger found at Gettysburg, as in Lord's Encyclopedia

This is another unusual piece being offered, it is a primitive Auger Drill hand tool. It measures 14” x 2 ¼”. The tiny tip of the auger is threaded to start the hole in the barrel. It was found in a field at Gettysburg many years ago.

During and after the Battle of Gettysburg, there was a dire need for supplies. The Union alone had 95,000 troops who were in need of food, water, ammunition, and medical supplies. The Commissary Department had to have a continuous wagon train of supplies to fill the voids of the quartermasters. A great deal of the essentials were in barrels and an auger such as this would have been a necessary tool (see pictures).

In "The Collectors Encyclopedia of the Civil War", by Francis Lord, there is an example of one of these augers. It was recovered from a Confederate trench at Orange Court House, Virginia (see pictures). Dr. Lord mislabeled it as a digging implement (although it may have been used for that), but close examination shows the threaded tip. The auger has overall surface rust, but it is in very solid condition with no chipping or flaking. This would make a great addition to any Civil War collection.