ANNUAL REPORT OF OPERATIONS AT THE ATLANTA ARSENAL C S A COMMANDED BY MAJOR M. H. WRIGHT, ORDNANCE OFFICER, DURING THE CURRENT YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH, 1863.
BUILDINGS AND ESTABLISHMENTS USED
HAVING ESTABLISHED THE LABORATORIES, ONE MILE FROM THE CITY, ON A FIVE BUILDING SPOT, OF FIFTY ACRES LEASED FOR THE WAR AT THE RATE OF TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS PER ANNUAL, WE WERE ENABLED TO GIVE UP THE BUILDINGS IN THE CITY USED FOR LABORATORY PURPOSES AND FOR THE PERCUSSION CAP FACTORY.
ONE BUILDING FOR STOREHOUSE,190 FT. X 40 FT..
ONE MACHINE SHOP, CARPENTERS, BLACKSMITHS, GUN CARRIAGES AND ARMORY SHOP EXTENDED.
RETURN OF 1861 AND 1862 AT, PER MONTH, $200.00.
ALL THE BUILDINGS FOR THE LABORATORY PURPOSES AS REPORTED IN RETURNS OF 1862 AND IN ADDITION STORE ROOM FOR LABORATORIES AND CAP FACTORY, ALL AT THE RACE TRACK.
ONE LARGE ROOM, 50FT. X 50FT AND ONE SMALL ROOM,20FT X 20FT FOR HARNESS SHOP AT PER MONTH…………..$45.00
TWO ROOMS AND BUILDINGS FOR TANNING PURPOSES, FINISHING UP LEATHERS AND ETC.,ETC., FREE OF CHARGE.
ONE TIN SHOP OVER STOREHOUSE, REPORTED AS SERVICEABLE FOR 1862 AT PER ANNUAL…..$1,000.00
SAME OFFICES OCCUPIED BY THE COMMISSARY OFFICES AS REPORTED IN RETURNS 1861-2.
OPERATIONS DURING THE YEAR
MACHINE, BLACKSMITH, CARPENTER AND GUN CARRIAGE SHOPS
THESE SHOPS WERE CONVENIENTLY ARRANGED WITH REFERENCE TO EACH OTHER AND FOR THE COMFORT OF THE MEN AS WELL AS EXPEDITIONS OF WORK. WE HAD A GOOD SET OF WORKMEN AND THEIR WORK WAS HIGHLY CREDIBLE, BEING WELL FINISHED SUBSTANTIAL AND SERVICEABLE. THE WORKS WERE USED IN CONJUNCTION CHIEFLY FOR REPAIRING FOR THE ARMY OF TENNESSEE. WE, OF COURSE, HAD THE GREAT DIFFICULTY OF BEING COMPELLED TO USE GREEN TIMBER TO CONTEND WITH, THAT EVERY EFFORT WAS MADE TO GET IT IN THE BEST CONDITION POSSIBLE FOR THE WORK IT WAS PUT INTO, BY GETTING OUT PARTS IN THE ROUGH AND STORING THEM IN DRY PLACES TO SEASON.
THE DEFECTIVE WORK RETURNED FROM THE FRONT IN THIS BRANCH ALMOST ENTIRELY CAUSED BY THE CLASS OF WORK DONE BY CONTRACTORS, ON WHOM THE DEPARTMENT WAS COMPELLED TO CALL TO AID IN SATISFYING THE UNFORESEEN DEMANDS FOR THE ARMY. IT IS RESPECTFULLY RECOMMENDED, TO BE THOUGHT ADVISABLE, TO WITHDRAW ALL SUCH WORK FROM THEM, AND PUT IT UP AT OUR OWN SHOPS. TO SAY THE LEAST, THE PROFITS GOING TO THEM CAN BE SAVED TO THE GOVERNMENT AND CERTAINLY BETTER WORK CAN BE DONE; FURTHERMORE, WE HAVE TO DETAIL THEIR HANDS TO THEM AND CONSTANTLY CALLED UPON TO FINISH LARGE AMOUNTS OF MATERIAL.
THE REPAIRS DURING THE YEAR WERE:
GUN CARRIAGES ABOUT 51
CAISSONS ABOUT 45
BATTERY WAGONS ABOUT 3
EQUIPPING THESE ????, TO SAY NOTHING OF THE GREAT QUANTITY OF EXTRA EQUIPMENT AND IMPLEMENTS FURNISHED THE ARMY ?????????.
THE MACHINE SHOP
WAS ENGAGED IN IRONING GUN CARRIAGES, CHIEFLY. BULLET MOULDS AND GAUGES WERE MADE FOR THE SEVERAL ARSENALS UNDER THE DIRECTION OF CAPT. A. W. MALLET, SUPERINTENDENT OF CONFEDERATE STATE LABORATORIES. IRON, COAL AND COKE , WE GOT WITHOUT DIFFICULTY FROM TENNESSEE. LUMBER WAS SECURED IN THE VICINITY OF ATLANTA FOR GUN CARRIAGES, ETC. PIERS LUMBER, BETWEEN ATLANTA AND AUGUSTA, AND AT MODERATE RATES.
ARMORY
THE ARMORY WAS USED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY FOR REPAIRING ???? COLLECTED FROM THE BATTLEFIELDS AND TURNED IN BY THE VARIOUS COMMANDS OF THE ARMY. MANY SMALL ARTICLES, SUCH AS “PENDULUM HOUSES” ETC. WERE FABRICATED IN THE ARMORY BECAUSE OF THE SKILL OF SOME OF THE WORKMEN EVER EMPLOYED IN THAT DEPARTMENT AND THE PRACTICE OF DOING SUCH WORK.
ALTHOUGH THE MACHINERY FROM KNOXVILLE, TENN. BELONGING TO THE FIRM OF MAXWELL ???, WAS SENT TO THIS ARSENAL, IT WAS NOT DEEMED ADVISABLE TO ATTEMPT TO MAKE NEW ARMS AS THE MACHINERY WAS VERY IMPERFECT AT BEST, AND MORE GOOD COULD BE DONE THE SERVICE BE REPAIRING ARMS. AND IN REPAIRING ARMS, THE REGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT WERE ADHERED TO, EXCEPT IN THE ITEMS OF BARRELS; THESE WERE CLEANED OF RUST AND POLISHED IN AN ORDINARY LATHE WITH SUITABLE REST, THUS CLEANING THEM, NOT LENGTHWISE OF THE BARREL, AS PRESCRIBED, BUT CROSSWISE, AS IT SAVED MANY FILES AND MUCH LABOR. CONSIDERING THE GREAT DEMAND FOR ARMS, THE SCARCITY OF LABOR, ETC., IT WAS THOUGHT THAT THIS WOULD BE NO SERIOUS OBJECTION, ESPECIALLY AS IT MUST NECESSARILY HAVE BEEN, THAT NO SERIOUS INJURY COULD BE DONE.
MANY MUSKETS AND NEW ENFIELD RIFLES WERE FOUND WITH A BULLET HOLE ENTIRELY THROUGH THE BARREL, LEAVING IT HIT LITTLE OUT OF SHAPE, EXCEPT WHEN THE BALL PASSED THROUGH (I.E. THE BARRELS WERE NOT BENT BY THE BLOW.). GUNS CONFISCATED FROM THE ENEMY WERE GENERALLY FOUND WITHOUT RAM RODS AND IN ALMOST EVERY INSTANCE WITHOUT BAYONETS, SHOWING THE EITHER THE ENEMY THREW THESE ARTICLES AWAY ON PURPOSE OR THE RAM RODS WERE IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE SHOT AWAY AND THE BAYONETS CARRIED OFF AND LEFT IN THE MARCH BEFORE BATTLE, POSSIBLY USED AS ??? FOR TENTS OR HOOKS FOR COOKING THEIR MEAT.
IT MAY BE THAT THE BLAME RESTS LARGELY WITH OUR OWN ARMY, AS UNFORTUNATELY, THE HABIT OF EXCHANGING GUNS ON THE FIELDS PREVAILED TO AN ALARMING EXTENT WITH OUR SOLDIERS, AND IN MANY CASES, OUR OWN ARMY DEFECTIVE OF PARTS WERE RETURNED TO THE ARSENAL. IT IS ONLY ASTONISHING THAT THE MOST SERIOUS DISASTERS HAVE NOT RESULTED FROM THIS PRACTICE, AS IS HAS COME UNDER MY PERSONAL OBSERVATION THAT LARGE AMOUNTS OF AM MUNITIONS HAVE BEEN RENDERED USELESS IN THE FIELDS THEREBY.
THE NUMBER OF ARMS REPAIRED WAS AS FOLLOWS:
MUSKETS ABOUT 6694
RIFLE MUSKETS ABOUT 2610
PISTOLS ABOUT 40
MAKING A TOTAL OF ABOUT 9344
LABORATORIES
THE LABORATORIES WERE, DURING THE CURRENT YEAR, ALL REMOVED TO THE NEW LOCATIONS AT THE “RACE TRACK”, ONE MILE FROM THE CENTER OF THE CITY, ON A HIGH ELEVATION AND WELL ADAPTED FOR THE PURPOSE.
1ST LABORATORY FOR SMALL ARMS AM MUNITIONS
THE RULES OF THE DEPARTMENT, WITH REFERENCE TO SAFETY IN BUILDINGS FOR OPERATIONS, WERE AS FAR AS POSSIBLE CARRIED OUT.
THE PLAN OF WORKING BY PIECE WORK WAS ADOPTED, WHICH GIVES MUCH BETTER RESULTS THAN DAY LABOR. AS TO HAVE GOOD WORK, ONLY REQUIRED STRINGENT RULES TO BE RIGIDLY ENFORCED. IT WAS ALWAYS DIFFICULT TO GET HANDS BUT AFTER ADOPTING THE SYSTEM OF PIECE WORK, THUS GIVING INDUSTRY REWARD OVER IDLENESS, WE WERE MUCH ?????.
THE MOLDS WERE MADE AFTER THE ENGLISH ENFIELD BULLET MODEL, THOUGH IT SEEMS TO ME NOT TO BE SO SERVICEABLE AS THE UNITED STATES PATTERN, FOR WANT OF THE RINGS CONTAIN THE LUBRICANT; THE DIFFERENCES IN
THE NUMBER OF ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION
FIXED DURING THE YEAR WAS……….20,395.
THE NUMBER OF ROUNDS REPAIRED OR REFINED DURING THAT TIME WAS………8,888.
PERCUSSION CAP FACTORY
THE MANUFACTURE OF PERCUSSION CAPS PRECEDED VERY WELL AND A GOOD SERVICEABLE CAP WAS MADE. THE RELIABILITY OF CAPS WAS ALWAYS A QUESTION OF INTEREST. BUT FROM THE DUCKTOWN MINES IN TENNESSEE, GOOD SUPPLIES WERE KEPT UP. THE CAPS WAS STILL ROLLED BY HAND AND THE SAME MACHINES FOR FILLING, PACKING AND VARNISHING WERE USED AS REPORTED IN THE RETURN FOR 1861-62. THE MACHINE FOR FORMING MADE BY I.A.CAULE {?}
I BEG TO RECOMMEND AS WORKING ADMIRABLY. IT IS BY FAR THE BEST WHICH HAS COME TO MY KNOWLEDGE.,IT’S CAPACITY IS ABOUT SIX THOUSAND PER SHIRRING{?} MAKING EASILY FOUR THOUSAND PER HOUR; THE DAY ROUNDS. A SAMPLE MACHINE WAS SENT TO RICHMOND, AS WELL AS OF ALL THE MACHINES USED AT THE CAP FACTORY. THE NUMBER OF MUSKET CAPS MADE DURING THE YEAR WAS ABOUT….19,395,4000. THE NUMBER OF PISTOL CAPS MADE, ABOUT… 3,711,OOO.
2ND THE PYROTECHNIC LABORATORY
THE WORK DONE AT THIS LABORATORY WAS SPECIFICALLY ON FRICTION PRIMERS, PORT FIRES, FUSES, ROCKETS AND PRIMING TUBES. THE FRICTION PRIMER PIPES WERE SOLDERED AND THE WIRE MADE OF CAPS DRAWN FROM STRIPS. THE PRIMERS WERE TOLERABLY FAIR, AND SO LONG AS KEPT DRY, FIRED WELL, BUT THE CAPS WIRE DID NOT ANSWER VERY WELL, IT WOULD BREAK TOO EASILY AFTER BEING BENT FOR SOME TIME. THE NUMBER OF PRIMERS MADE WAS ABOUT…285,927AND OF PRIMING TUBES….87,477.
THE LATTER, ESPECIALLY FOR BATTERIES IN POSITION, SEEMED TO GROW PRETTY GENERALLY INTO FAVOR AND ACTED WELL.
THE BUILDINGS FOR FITTING UP FIELD AMMUNITION WERE ATTACHED TO THE ABOVE, AND WERE UNDER ONE SUPERINTENDENT. AMMUNITION WAS PUT UP ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE FIELDS AND SUCH AS WAS CHIEFLY NEEDED BY THE ARMY OF TENNESSEE.
THE BOREMAN FUSES WERE DISAPPROVED BY THE BUREAU IN RICHMOND, BUT THERE WAS NEVER ANY COMPLAINTS MADE OF SUCH AS WE FIXED UP FOR THE ARMY OF TENNESSEE, AND THE CHIEF OF ORDNANCE OF THE ARMY PREFERRED THEM TO THE PAPER FUSES.
FOR SHIPPING, MUSKET CAPS WERE PACKED IN BOXES CONTAINING ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND CAPS IN TEN BAGS MADE OF HEAVY DUCK OR DRILLING. THE PISTOL CAPS WERE PACKED IN BOXES CONTAINING TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND PACKETS LIKEWISE IN BAGS CONTAINING FIVE THOUSAND EACH.
HARNESS AND SADDLE SHOP
LEATHER VERY GOOD SUCCESS ATTENDED THE EFFORTS TO SECURE LEATHER FROM TENNESSEE AND HAD THE DEPARTMENT NOT BEEN INTERFERED WITH, MUCH MORE WOULD HAVE BEEN SECURED. THE AVERAGE COST OF THE LEATHER SECURED, DELIVERED IN ATLANTA INCLUDING ALL EXPENSES, WAS ONE DOLLAR AND TEN CENTS PER POUND. ONE LOT OF FIFTY THOUSAND POUNDS WAS TAKEN FROM MY CONTRACTORS BY THE QUARTER MASTER DEPARTMENT TAKING OUT OF THE VATS WET AND GREEN AND NO DOUBT MUCH OF IT HAS BEEN LOST. IT WAS SO REPORTED BY MY AGENT.
A LOT WITH VATS ETC., ETC., NECESSARY FOR FINISHING UP LEATHER WAS SECURED FREE OF COST FOR THE GOVERNMENT AND ALL STOCK IN THE ROUGH WAS FINISHED UP IN THIS YARD.
ALL KINDS OF LEATHER EQUIPMENT WERE MADE AT THIS ESTABLISHMENT AND ALL REPAIRING FOR THE ARTILLERY AND CAVALRY OF THE ARMY OF TENNESSEE NOT DONE IN THE FIELDS.
THE PRINCIPAL ARTICLES FABRICATED WERE AS FOLLOWS
| ARTILLERY HARNESS (1 HORSE SET) | 719 |
| CAVALRY SADDLES | 21124 |
| BRIDLES | 21031 |
| CARTRIDGE BOXES | 11801 |
| BOX BELTS | 13334 |
| CAP BOXES | 17796 |
| WAIST BELT | 18246 |
(NO MENTION OF BAYONET SCABBARDS)
IN THIS CONNECTION MAY BE MENTIONED THE MANUFACTURE OF EIGHT THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY EIGHT HAVERSACKS, BY THE WIVES OF THE EMPLOYEES CHIEFLY IT BEING VERY DIFFICULT TO GET OSANBURGS THESE ARTICLES WERE MADE CHIEFLY BY CONTRACTORS.
TIN SHOP
AT THIS ESTABLISHMENT, WHERE DURING THE GREATER PART OF THE YEAR BUT TWO HANDS WERE EMPLOYED THERE WAS FABRICATED FIVE THOUSAND AND THREE HUNDRED AND TWELVE CANTEENS.
ARTICLES MADE AND INSPECTED, ETC. BY CONTRACTORS AND PURCHASERS
IRON GUNS FOR FIELD SERVICE WERE MADE BY MESSRS. BRENNAN, AND ELLIS & ??? OF NASHVILLE. THE FORMER AS CONFEDERATE STATES ACCOUNTS, THE LATTER AS CONTRACTOR WITH THE STATE OF TENNESSEE.
MR. BRENNAN USED THE “AIR FURNACE” AND MADE A MOST EXCELLENT GUN. THE GUN DID NOT EXCEED IN WEIGHT THE BRONZE GUN OF THE SAME CALIBRE. THE TESTS APPLIED TO THE ???? GUN WAS 6 POUNDS OF POWDER AND SIX POUNDS OF BALLS AND TWO WADS. THE GUN WAS NOT INJURED. THIS WAS THE EXTREME TEST AND ONLY APPLIED TO ONE OF EACH LOT OF CASTINGS.
OUT OF SOME 46 GUNS, AND 12 HOWITZERS ONLY ABOUT TWO HAVE BURSTED IN THE TESTING. ONE 12 POUND GUN EXPLODED WITH 10 POUNDS OF POWDER AND 2 BALLS, IT WAS A INFERIOR CASTING, AND AS IT WAS ATTEMPTED TO REDUCE IT’S WEIGHT AND DIMENSION TO THOSE OF THE BRONZE GUNS. I WAS NOT WILLING TO DECIDE UPON HAVING THEM SO WITHOUT APPLYING A GOOD PROOF. ALL THE GUNS BROKE OFF IN FRONT OF THE TRUNIONS AND THE BASE OF THE BREECH BLEW OUT IN A TRIANGULAR SHAPE, BUT THE BREAKAGE WAS NOT THROUGH THE VENT IN A SINGLE CASE. THE IRON WAS THAT COULD BE HAD, WHICH IS UNFIT FOR ARMY USE. A VERY GOOD GUN WAS MADE AT THE ESTABLISHMENT AT MURFREESBORO WHICH WAS CARRIED ON IN GOVERNMENT ACCOUNT, BUT THE LOCK WAS THE TROUBLE THERE. WILLIAM LEADBETTER WAS THE SUPERINTENDENT AND WAS FURNISHED WITH ABOUT $7,995.42 DURING THE YEAR. UPON LEAVING NASHVILLE WE BROUGHT FROM MURFREESBORO, ONE GOOD LATHE AND ALL THE TOOLS FIT FOR USE. AS INSTRUCTED EVERY ENCOURAGEMENT WAS GIVEN TO MANUFACTURERS OF ARMS, ONE CONTRACT WAS MADE BY THE STATE OF TENNESSEE WITH THE NASHVILLE ARMS COMPANY AND ONE WITH A.L. MAXWELL, FOR RIFLE MUSKETS, BUT NEITHER EFFECTED ANYTHING, BUT WOULD HAVE DONE WELL HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE ENEMY OCCUPATION OF NASHVILLE. ALL OF MAXWELL’S MACHINERY WAS SENT TO ATLANTA, SOME NEVER REACHED HERE, WHAT DID IS ALL UP AND IN USE. THE ENGINE HAS BEEN SENT TO COL. BURTON AT MACON, GA..THERE HAS BEEN RECEIVED FROM DIFFERENT ARSENALS ABOUT 73,346 POUNDS OF POWDER, CHIEFLY CANNON. THERE HAVE BEEN PURCHASED 260,450 “G.D.” CAPS FOR SHOT GUNS, ETC. AND 10,400 “HEICKI” MUSKET CAPS. THE FOLLOWING SHIPMENTS OF POWDER HAVE BEEN MADE SINCE DECEMBER 23, 1861.
TO COL. J. GORGAS, RICHMOND, VA 30,400 LBS.
CAPT. CHAMPENY COLUMBUS, KY. 17,600 LBS
MAJ. W. R. HUNT{?} MEMPHIS, TN. 5,500 LBS
LT. A.T. CUNNINGHAM SAVANNA GA. 5,000 LBS
CAPT. F.A.CHILDS CHARLESTON, SC. 15,000LBS
WHAT WAS SHIPPED PREVIOUS TO THE FIRE IS NOT KNOWN, BUT WE REMEMBER TO HAVE SENT SOME TO NEW ORLEANS TO GEN. GRIGGS, SOME TO MOBILE TO GEN. WITHENS AND A LARGE QUANTITY TO COLUMBUS, KY., MEMPHIS, TENN. AND SOME TO RICHMOND.
I ENCLOSE HERE WITH INVOICES OF ORDNANCE AND ORDNANCE STORES, SENT TO BOWLING GREEN ,KY. FORTS DONELSON HENRY, SINCE 23 DEC.,1861. THEY HAVE BEEN SHIPPED FROM THE ARSENAL SINCE 23 DEC., 4035 BOXES OF ORDNANCE STORES THE INVOICE OF STORES RECEIVED FROM THE STATE OF TENNESSEE WAS WAS LOST IN THE FIRE AND IT’S DUPLICATE ,NOW IN RICHMOND .
WE REMEMBER SOMETHING RECEIVED AMONG THEM ABOUT 102,000 LBS OF SULPHUR IN HOGSHEADS, 40,000 INGOTS CAPS, ALL THE MACHINERY FROM THE CAP FACTORY, QUITE A LOT OF BLOCK TIN, ZINC AND LEAD, ONE POWDER WAGON TWO MULES AND HARNESS.
THE TOOLS AND SOME MATERIALS FOR A SADDLERS OR HARNESS SHOP, BUT WE COULD NOT CARRY IT IN AS THE TIME AND THEY WERE DISPOSED OF AT COST.
HAD WE BEEN ABLE TO CARY ON THE SHOP, AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE OF COURSE ALL PROFITS MADE BY CONTRACTORS COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED, BUT TWO REASONS PREVENTED; FIRST BEING UNABLE TO SUPERVISE IT AS A GOVERNMENT SHOP SHOULD HAVE BEEN, SECOND THE DEMAND FOR LEATHER WORK THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH CAUSING SUCH COMPETITION IN TRADE AS TO DRAIN THE CAVALRY OF LEATHER, AS WELL AS HANDS, UNLESS THE LOCAL MANUFACTURERS COULD CONTROL TO A CERTAIN EXTENT THE MARKET.
REMARKS
IT HAS BEEN THE OBJECT IN ALL CASES TO ATTAIN IMMEDIATE RESULTS, AND MEET THE DEMAND OF THE SERVICE AND AT THE SMALLEST POSSIBLE EXPENSE
ECONOMY HAS BEEN EXERCISED IN EVERY EXPENDITURE AND GOOD SERVICEABLE ARTICLES AT A LOW PRICE, WE ALWAYS PREFERRED {???} THOSE OF A FINE AND MORE HANDSOME QUALITY AT A HIGHER PRICE, AND FOR TWO REASONS 1ST ECONOMY, 2ND THE ONE HAS SERVED THE NEW TROOPS, WE HAVE HAD TO PUT INTO THE FIELD JUST AS WELL AS THE OTHER, FOR BUT LITTLE CARE IS TAKEN OF THE BEST. FOR EXAMPLE, THE WHITE DUCK KNAPSACK AT ONE DOLLAR AND A HALF HAS BEEN PREFERRED TO THE PAINTED AT $3.00, AND RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING STORES;
INFANTRY ACCOUTERMENTS…. SETS OF INCLUDING THE SHOULDER BELT, WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS……..31,895
THE AVERAGE COST PER SET IS ABOUT $4.50
KNAPSACKS, WHITE DUCK WITH LEATHER STRAPS…27,248
THE AVERAGE COST ABOUT $4.50 EACH
HAVERSACKS, NO OSNEBURG, WITH PARTITIONS ABOUT 23,551
THE AVERAGE COST ABOUT .40 CENTS EACH
GUN SLINGS 28,862
THE AVERAGE COST .40 CENTS EACH
ARTILLERY HARNESS, SINGLE SETS PRINCIPALLY ROPE TRACES…..2,140
AVERAGE COST PER HORSE..$50.00
CAVALRY EQUIPMENTS, ETC. AND COMPLETE 8,214
AVERAGE COST PER SET….$23.00
SABER, CAVALRY 2,741
AVERAGE COST $10.-11.00 EACH
THE SABER WAS A VERY GOOD ROUGH ARTICLE, THE BLADE OF CAST STEEL, THE SCABBARD OF SHEET IRON AND LACQUERED. A CONTRACT WAS MADE WITH H. MARSHALL AND CO. FOR 4000 ARTILLERY AND CAVALRY SABERS AT $13.00-$14.00 EACH. THERE HAVE BEEN GATHERED UP IN THE CAVALRY ABOUT 176 DOUBLE BARREL SHOTGUNS. ABOUT 2 DOZ. GUNS HAVE BEEN MADE AT CAVALRY SHOPS, BUT THE ATTEMPT TO GET A GOOD GUN FAILED, THE DIFFERENCE THE WAY WAS THE LOCKS, ONLY COMMON RIFLE LOCKS.
THE PLAIN CAVALRY SADDLE, STOUT AND STRONG AS NEAR THE McCLELLAN PATTERN AS POSSIBLE HAS BEEN PREFERRED AT FROM 21.00 TO 26.00 DOLLARS, TO A FINER ARTICLE REQUIRING MUCH MORE LEATHER AND MUCH FINER FINISHES FOR 50. DOLLARS AND SO THROUGHOUT.
HAVING RECEIVED INSTRUCTION FROM THE GENERAL COMMANDING, TO OUR DISCRETION IN ISSUES AND REQUISITIONS, APPROVED IN MANY CASES, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN FILLED ENTIRE, BECAUSE THEY WOULD CALL FOR MANY THINGS NOT ALLOWED BY THE REGULATIONS. AND IN MANY CASES ONLY INDISPENSABLE ??? HAVE BEEN ISSUED, WHEN IT WAS IMPRACTICAL TO OBTAIN ALL THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED IN ORDINARY TIMES.
IT HAS BEEN NECESSARY TO WORK THE HANDS, VERY OFTEN EXTRA TIMES AND THEY HAVE BEEN ALLOWED PAY FOR THAT TIME, APPARENTLY IN REAL EMERGENCES HAVE ALWAYS EARNED IT ESPECIALLY DURING THE EXCITEMENT OF THE EVACUATIONS OF BOWLING GREEN AND NASHVILLE AND THE FIGHTING AT HENRY AND DONELSON. THE MEN ANSWERED ALL THAT HAS BEEN ALLOWED THEM
THE EXPENDITURES FOR THE YEAR AMOUNTS TO ABOUT(1,272,115 &15/100 DOLLARS) ONE MILLION TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY TWO THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED FIFTEEN DOLLARS AND FIFTEEN CENTS.
I HAVE THE HONOR TO SUBMIT THE FOREGOING ABOUT ATLANTA GA. ARSENAL
JUNE 30TH 1862 M. H. WRIGHT
CAPT. COMMANDING
A. ARSENAL
REMARKS
THE FOLLOWING IS A STATEMENT OF THE CASH ON HAND, RECEIVED AND EXPENDED DURING THE YEAR.
AMOUNT OF FUNDS ON HAND JULY 1, 1863 76,606.87
“ ” “ RECEIVED FROM TR’Y DEPT 1,406,000.00
“ ” “ ” “ MILITARY STOREKEEPER 0
“ ” “ ” TO DEPOSIT 28,007.30
TOTAL 1.509,614.17
AMT. OF EXPENDITURES DURING THE YR. 1,609,504.17
BALANCE DUE FROM THE C. STATES, JULY 1ST ‘64 99,890.00
THE ARSENAL HAS CLAIMS NOW AGAINST IT FOR ABOUT $500,000.00
AGGREGATE NUMBER OF HANDS EMPLOYED AT THE ARSENAL DURING THE YEAR 5,453
AVERAGE NUMBER EMPLOYED PER MONTH 456 _
TOTAL AMOUNT OF WAGES PAID TO RELATIVES(?) FOR THE YEAR $455,020.15
AVERAGE ANNUAL WAGES PAID PER HAND $834.44
AVERAGE MONTHLY WAGES PER HAND $69.53 2/3
“ DAILY “ ” “ $2.68 2/3
REPORT OF ARTICLES RECEIVED AND PURCHASED
RECEIVED FROM SUNDRY PERSONS
6 LB GUNS 65
RIFLED GUNS 47
12 LB HOWITZERS 30
NAPOLEON GUNS 3
MOUNTAIN HOWITZERS 2
FIELD GUNS CARRIAGES 138
CAISSONS 138
BATTERY WAGONS 7
ARTILLERY HARNESS SETS 2,198
FIELD AMMUNITION ROUNDS 27,979
SERVICEABLE MUSKETS 69 CAL. 7,871
RIFLED MUSKETS 8,743
PISTOLS 313
SABRES 11,214 PURCHASED
UNSERVICEABLE MUSKETS 69 CAL. 6,172
RIFLES, ASSORTED 5,701
PISTOLS 111
SABRES 3,876
SADDLES 5,807
BRIDLES 6,263
SADDLE BLANKETS 11,903
CARTRIDGE BOXES 36,192
CARTRIDGE BOX BELTS 14,767
CAP BOXES 35,663
WAIST BELTS 34,017
BAYONET SCABBARDS 43,083
KNAPSACKS 43,400
HAVERSACKS 42,889
CANTEENS 72,147
SMALL ARMS AMMUNITION 3,938,334
FRICTION PRIMERS 20,503
PRIMING TUBES 2,000
MUSKET CAPS 1,810,940 TO BE VARNISHED
PISTOL CAPS 455,000
ISSUES
12 LB HOWITZERS 36
RIFLE GUNS 45
6 LB GUNS 31
12 LB NAPOLEON GUNS 3
12 LB MOUNTAIN HOWITZER 4
ARTILLERY HARNESS SETS 1,007
FIXED FIELD AMMUNITION ROUNDS 42,941
MUSKETS 12,356
RIFLES 5,649
PISTOLS 217
SABRES 5,650
SADDLES 4,000
BRIDLES 4,905
BLANKETS 4,608
CARTRIDGE BOXES 51,035
CARTRIDGE BOX BELTS 25,361
BAYONET SCABBARDS 41,386
CAP BOXES 37,677
WAIST BELTS 53,072
KNAPSACKS 42,779
HAVERSACKS 67,834
CANTEENS 64,250
SMALL ARMS AMMUNITION ROUNDS 8,267,326
FRICTION PRIMERS 245,529
PRIMING TUBES 43,324
MUSKET CAPS 15,731,000
PISTOL CAPS 3,817,600
FIELD CARRIAGES 112
CAISSONS 101
BATTERY FORGES 1
BATTERY WAGONS 5
REMARKS
TOTAL EXPENDITURES FOR THE CURRENT YR. $1,497,385.69
EXPENDED FOR MATERIAL; PD CONTRACTORS
ETC., ETC. 1,213,945.63
EXPENDED ROLLS OF HIRED MEN 272,171.57
“ ” “ SLAVES 4,375.49
“ RENTS OF BUILDINGS 6894.00
1,497,385.69
TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES ENGAGED DURING THIS YEAR 5,433
TOTAL AMOUNT OF PAYROLLS DURING THE YEAR $276,546.06
AVERAGE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES FOR MONTH ABOUT 453
AVERAGE AMOUNT OF PAYROLLS FOR MONTH ABOUT $23,045.50
AVERAGE AMOUNT PAID PER HAND THIS MONTH ABOUT $40.87 _
AVERAGE DAILY WAGES $1.63
ARSENAL ATLANTA GA
JUNE 30, 1863
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED
M. H. WRIGHT