Montgomery was a major center of manufacturing activity for the Western Confederacy. Large governmental facilities were located here including an Ordnance Arsenal, Quartermaster Depot, a Medical Depot and pharmaceutical laboratory, a Nitre and Mining District Headquarters and a Naval Storehouse. In addition, the ironclad steamer THE NASHVILLE was built at its docks along the Alabama […]
Sources for Nashville Arsenal Information
NATIONAL ARCHIVES, WAR DEPT. COLLECTION OF CONFEDERATE RECORDS-CHAPT. IV, GROUP 109. Records of the Ordnance Bureau, Vol. 8, 9, 19, 78 & 79, 104, 105. Records of contracts and Ordnance stores purchased, received and issued at Nashville and Atlanta 1861-1862. CONFEDERATE ORDNANCE MANUAL- REGULATIONS FOR GOVERNMENT OF ORDNANCE DEPARTMENT, C.S.A., Richmond, Va. 1862 PLOUGHSHARES INTO […]
Saddle Manufacturing at the Nashville Arsenal
1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 Civilian Purchases, some manufacturing April – summer 1861 of military patterns: McClellan: Summer 1861- Feb. 1862 NASHVILLE SADDLE PRODUCTION NUMBERS: (1861 is incomplete but 1862 accurate) 2,922 1,130 —– —– —– NASHVILLE CONTRACT PRICES Oct. 1861 through Jan. 1862 Saddles: $22.50-$26 Bridles: $ 3.50 Halters: $ 2 Saddle Bags: $ […]
Nashville Arsenal / Depot Pattern Calvary Saddle & Horse Equipments
In spite of the loss of many records in the Depot fire there is ample documentation surviving or available from contractor’s files which describe the horse equipment made under contract at Nashville during its brief existence. In a letter from Lt. Wright to Col. Gorgas on Jan. 31, 1862, Wright writes, “I get an excellent […]
Nashville Arsenal and Armory: October 1861 through February 1862
South 3rd and Mulberry St., Nashville, Tenn. October 1861 through February 1862 The Nashville Arsenal and Armory was first put in operation under the State of Tennessee The Nashville Arsenal and Armory was first put in operation under the State of Tennessee Ordnance Department in the Spring of 1861. On September 18, 1861 Capt. K. […]
Sources for Macon Arsenal Information
NATIONAL ARCHIVES WAR DEPARTMENT COLLECTION OF CONFEDERATE RECORDS, GROUP 109, MACON ARSENAL RECORDS, 3,4,6,7.32,36,58,59 _, 83 and 101. Microfilm Collection at the Washington Library, Macon, Ga. MACON, GEORGIA’S CENTRAL CITY By Kristina Simm, 1989 Windsor Pub. HISTORY OF MACON GEORGIA By Young, Gholson & Hargrove, 1950, Lyon, Marshall & Brooks Press of Macon. GEORGIA SUPPLIERS […]
Saddle Manufacturing at the Macon Arsenal
SADDLE MANUFACTURING AT THE MACON ARSENAL 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 Jenifer 1862? – Aug 1863 **McClellen Aug 1863 -May 1864 Texas May 1864-End ** Includes some cloth saddles MACON SADDLE PRODUCTION ISSUES: (Incomplete-Represents only numbers available) 1,850 387 ? ?
Macon Arsenal Pattern Saddle & Horse Equipment
A large collection of Macon Arsenal and Armory records have survived. Unfortunately, most of what is left is unrelated to horse equipment. What remains is very limited and widely scattered leaving one to piece together the available information. Nonetheless, the following information about Macon’s “purchased and fabricated” horse equipments can be discerned:
Macon Arsenal
Geographically located in the Deep South at an important transportation crossroads yet away from the threat of Federal forces, Macon was selected in April 1862 as the future location for the Confederate center of military manufacture and supply. That June, at the behest of the Ordnance Department’s Master Armorer James H. Burton, it was decided […]
Clarksville Ordnance Harness Shops Production
The following production output from the Clarksville Shops represents the only complete records available. June 1862 through August 1863: Wheel and lead harness 1,146 sets* Jenifer Saddles 206 “Plain” Jenifer Saddles 98 Officers Quilted (seats) & Hoods (Stirrups) Saddle 102 “Shafted” (seats) Jenifer Saddles 4 Skeleton Jenifer Saddles 5,350 Skeleton McClellan Saddles 230 Single English […]
Richmond Saddle Issues
Just a few days prior to the evacuation of Richmond in April of 1865, an editorial was published in the Richmond Enquirer showing the principal issues from the Richmond Arsenal from July 1st 1861 through January 1st 1865 . This list, provided by Chief of Ordnance Josiah Gorgas, indicates that 69,418 cavalry saddles (possibly including […]
Richmond Saddle Production
“TROOPERS” SADDLE MANUFACTURING: 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 Civilian Purchases, some manufacturing April – Fall 1861 of various models* —————– 1st Model “Patent” Jan. – Nov. 1862 Jenifer ——————– 2nd Model Nov. 1862- Spring 1863 New Jenifer* ———- Jenifer/McClellan June – Nov. 1863 and “Transition “ Saddle ——– 1st Model McClellan Nov. 1863 – April […]
Richmond / Clarksville Saddles & Horse Equipments
Trooper’s Saddles: Predominantly “Skeleton” Jenifer (or “New” Jenifer) pattern saddles were issued to troopers until the summer of 1863. At the same time the McClellan saddle (or some variance of it) was manufactured in limited numbers by a few commercial contractors until the summer of 1863 when the Ordnance Department began a gradual changeover of […]
Richmond Arsenal
The Richmond Arsenal was established with the Confederate government’s move to Richmond from Montgomery Alabama in May 1861. On June 2nd, Josiah Gorgas arrived in Richmond and sought to find locations for Confederate ordnance establishments and his headquarters. The James River front proved to be a natural location, for clustered in a surprisingly small area […]
Sources for Selma Arsenal
WAR DEPT. COLL. OF CONF. RECORDS, GROUP 109, “CITIZENS FILE” NATIONAL ARCHIVES, WAR DEPT. COLLECTION OF CONFEDERATE RECORDS-CHAPT. IV, GROUP 109. Records of the Ordnance Bureau, Vol. 90, 91, 91 _ Records of correspondence form the Richmond Arsenal. CONFEDERATE ORDNANCE MANUAL- REGULATIONS FOR GOVERNMENT OF ORDNANCE DEPARTMENT, C.S.A., Richmond, Va. 1862 Selma: Her Institution and […]
Saddle Manufacturing at the Selma Arsenal
1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 Jenifer: Spring 1862-Aug 1863 **McClellan Aug 1863 – End of War ** Includes issue of cloth covered saddles SELMA PRODUCTION NUMBERS: (Summary from major contractors only) 25 3,508 ? ? ?
Smith, N. – Selma, Ala
N. Smith was a large producer of every facet of, and obviously high quality cavalry and artillery horse equipments to the Selma Arsenal from August 1862 through June 1864. Very complete records of this company exist from March 1863 to March 1864 indicating this company had contracts for horse equipments and supplies totaling over $491,700! […]
Sample Saddle Sent to Selma Arsenal
August 17, 1864 Dinwiddie to Col. J. L White at Selma, NAWDCCR. “I send you by express a saddle tree for model. Its shape however is not exactly what is called for the Ord. Manual, nor have I one at hand which is exact except some which are not ironed. The general form and character […]
Inspection of Selma Saddles
On Sept. 8th 1863 Major W. S. Downer writes Chief of Ordnance, Josiah Gorgas regarding inspection of saddles from Selma: “I have received a saddle + saddle tree from Selma Arsenal and would respectfully report that on examination I find while the workmanship is good enough but that the shape of the saddle tree is […]
Selma Arsenal Pattern Saddle & Horse Equipment
As for horse equipment, it is believed the Selma Arsenal was a significant provider to the western armies though records are sketchy. While primarily known for its iron and general ordnance production it did contract with local manufacturers to supply many other equipment needs. The most prolific of these was the N. Smith Company of […]
The Selma Arsenal
With its relative safety and convenient proximity to significant resources including iron, timber, labor, railroad lines and year round water transportation, the little cotton town of Selma Alabama grew during the war to become a great center of Confederate manufacture and business. The Selma Arsenal began operation sometime in the Spring of 1862 initially with […]
Saddles of the Trans-Mississippi (Texas Arsenal and Districts)
In spite of the frontier-like state of civilization various Ordnance Arsenals, depots and manufacturing centers were established in Trans-Mississippi Texas. San Antonio already contained a fairly significant pre-war U.S. Arsenal and other major arsenals or depots were erected in Tyler, Marshall and Houston. Other important ordnance facilities or manufacturing centers were located in cities and […]
Saddles of the Trans-Mississippi (District of the Indian Territory)
The Indian Territory District comprised the areas of Indian Reservations established by the U.S Government prior to the war and known generally today as the State of Oklahoma. After a series of false starts and largely through the efforts of Albert Pike and several prominent Indian leaders, many of the inhabitants of several of the […]