Union Soldiers carried few cooking utensils in order to keep their packs light on long marches. This plate was one of five utensils found in Second Minnesota Regiment soldier Matthais Schlinker's haversack. Schlinker carried it all the way to Savannah, Georgia on Sherman's March to the Sea. There is a hook on one side of the plate to make it easier to carry. Although meals were cooked for soldiers, they often got creative with their rations, combining their hardtack, meat, and sometimes dried vegetables.