That particular form of tent-rope adjuster was invented and patented in 1880. I wrote an article about them for the North/South Trader's Civil War magazine, which was published a few months ago, with proof that those are strictly from after the end of the civil war. At that time, a tent rope adjuster was called a "tent slip." That form was adopted for service in the US Army in 1889. (But I should mention, they were also sold for civilian usage.) See the original 1880 US Patent diagram and 1889 US Army document, below.