David,
     I don't know if this will help, but I think Jim Legg and Steve Smith
discuss bottles and barrels of wine (or beer) at Civil War sites. If I
remember correctly (you really should check for yourself though) their report
discussed transporting bottled goods in barrels. They did find a good many
barrel straps -- one of which was formed into a heating coil/element. Also,
the barrels were used in the construction of wells. I think the volume is
still in print and can be obtained from the South Carolina Institute of
Archaeology and Anthropology. The volume is entitled ""The Best Ever
Occupied..." Archaeological Investigations of a Civil War Encampment on Folly
Island, South Carolina". It is Research Manuscript Series 209.