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MODEL 1870 DYER “E” POUCH CARBINE SLINGS - VERY
RARE EARLY INDIAN WAR ACCOUTREMENT:
Manufactured at Watervliet Arsenal, The Dyer “E” Carbine
Cartridge Pouch was one of the cartridge pouches and
boxes submitted for the 1870 Equipment Trials. Easily
the rarest of all of the Indian War period
accoutrements, these trial accoutrements were produced
at a rate of only 100 pieces of each type and the
survival of these rare pouches is very low today.
As the Dyer “E” Pouch and Sling was intended to carry
not only the carbine ammunition, but the carbine as
well, suspended from a snap swivel, it was apparently
anticipated that replacement slings would be needed as
the slings provided in the original issue wore out. A
small quantity of these “E” Pouch slings were discovered
when the last of the “good stuff” was cleaned off of
Bannerman’s Island prior to its condemnation by the
State of New York and these are the last of that small
lot.
Whether you own the “E” pouch or not, this sling is a
unique piece of the early Indian War era equipment,
specifically developed for the soldiers on the
post-Civil War Western Frontier, and would be an
interesting piece to add to your collection.
I am fortunate to have more than one of these scarce
slings to offer here. Each is described below with
accompanying photographs.
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