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 […]
Trans-Mississippi
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 […]
Saddles of the Trans-Mississippi (District of West Louisiana)
Except for the Red river campaign of early 1864, cavalry played an extremely minor role in the operations of this district. Largely garrisoned by artillery and infantry troops defending its many waterways the ordnance facilities here were taxed to the extreme to supply just the bare essentials for their needs. Still, ordnance facilities like those […]
Saddles of the Trans-Mississippi (Arkansas)
Very little information of any kind particularly concerning horse equipment manufacture has survived from Little Rock Arsenal. Surviving returns show only repair of a few horse equipment including twelve valise saddles in May 1863, 15 more in June and eleven in July. No other detailed information is known. SOURCE: (Misc. Record Book, Sept. 1862-April 1865, […]
Saddlery in the Trans-Mississippi Confederacy
Illustrating the history of Confederate saddle manufacturing and supply in the Trans-Mississippi presents a challenge. Relevant records and information from Ordnance facilities there are exceedingly rare. It seems the farther an Arsenal was located from Richmond, the fewer records were kept, or at least survived and thus one can only speculate in broad terms when […]