Lynchburg Depot?

[pirateCSA]

Does anyone have any info on a Depot established in Lynchburg, VA to supply Western VA troops in '63? Trying to confirm that there was such a depot and what was coming out of there.

Thanks,
Bobby Small

[Silas]

Re: Lynchburg Depot?

How about the Staunton Depot? Here are a few threads I located after looking first for information about a Lynchburg Depot :

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?23198-Uniforms-amp-Gear-of-Southwest-Virginia-Confederate-Troops&highlight=staunton+depot

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?9472-SW-Virginia-and-the-Columbus-Depot&highlight=staunton+depot

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?1564-Depot-Names.&highlight=staunton+depot

[pirateCSA]

Re: Lynchburg Depot?

Thanks Silas! I am really starting to put the puzzle pieces together.

Thanks,
Bobby Small

[lwtaggart]

Re: Lynchburg Depot?

Bobby,
You may find Greg Starbuck helpful with this. He lives in Lynchburg. Well informed with the history there. I don't have his contact info in front of me.

George Taggart
Lee Lodge #30 F.& A. M.

[Mississippian]

Re: Lynchburg Depot?

There was a depot at Lynchburg, the Ordnance officer there was Capt. T. Getty. There is an interesting letter that he sent to Col. Gorgas in Richmond in February of 1863, in it he stated that with the 8 people working at the depot he could make in six months: 3100 Cap Pouches, 900 Waist Belts, 900 Shoulder Straps, and 30 Sets of Artillery Harness. He said he could not make Cartridge Boxes unless he had tin sent to him, for it was impossible to get tin there to make the cartridge tins. A few months later he requested cartridge box tins and saddle trees to be sent to him, so he could start producing those items.

Will MacDonald

[DBURT]

Re: Lynchburg Depot?

Great information as always Will.


Dave Burt

[Jimmayo]

Re: Lynchburg Depot?

He said he could not make Cartridge Boxes unless he had tin sent to him, for it was impossible to get tin there to make the cartridge tins. A few months later he requested cartridge box tins and saddle trees to be sent to him, so he could start producing those items.

Will MacDonald

Explains the pewter CS box tins which show up once in a blue moon.

[Mississippian]

Re: Lynchburg Depot?

Lynchburg seems to have had some ammunition production and repair capabilities as well, as their are noted shipments of gun parts and ammunition making materials being sent there from Fayetteville NC and from C.S. labs down in Georgia. They also sent locally mined lead to Richmond.

Will MacDonald

[pirateCSA]

Re: Lynchburg Depot?

Will,
You sir are a great man! I have decided that when we meet, I'm gonna have to buy you dinner.

Thanks,
Bobby Small

[Ken Knopp]

Re: Lynchburg Depot?

I compiled and published this info about ten years ago in my book MADE IN THE CSA, SADDLE MAKERS OF THE CONFEDERACY. I obtained most of this information from Confederate Records in the National Archives. Some of it may be incorrect in minor details and it is certainly incomplete in scope. Perhaps better information is available now. Hope this helps.

Ken R Knopp


LEXINGTON ORDNANCE DEPOT Lexington, Va.
Authorized as an arsenal by the Virginia State Assembly in 1789, apparently nothing was constructed here until 1816 when the legislature finally approved and funded the mandate. State government arms and equipment were stored here in 1861 and later issued to Virginia State troops. The Confederacy made it an Ordnance Depot. By September 1862, it is reported to have repaired or converted and issued “61,594 arms and 186 guns.” Confederate correspondence suggests a considerable amount of ammunition was made here as well as some manufacturing of infantry and cavalry accoutrements and possibly some minor horse equipment. During the Valley Campaign of 1864, Federal Gen. David Hunter destroyed the Ordnance Depot and burned the nearby Virginia Military Institute.



LYNCHBURG ORDNANCE DEPOT Lynchburg, Va.
From March 31st, 1862 until March 23rd 1865, Lynchburg was the location of an Ordnance Depot and Laboratory largely for the manufacture of ammunition. Although established early in 1862, as of February 1863 Lynchburg was still only a small facility employing some eight hands making or repairing cap pouches, waist belts, shoulder straps and some horse equipment including complete sets of artillery harness. However, by wars end the Lynchburg Depot had grown increasingly larger and more important.
In February 1865, depot commander Capt. G. Thomas Getty tried to make the case to the Asst. Adj. Insp. Gen., Lt. Col. A. S. Cunningham, that his duties encompassed operating an unusually significant facility that included accoutrement shops, armory, laboratory, carpenter shops and Military Store Room in Lynchburg. He therefore could with but little extra effort, repair three or four thousand stands of small arms for the coming spring campaign and make several thousand small arms cartridges per month, if, he could be supplied the additional gun powder. It is doubtful but not clear if any action was taken on this suggestion. Late in the war, some evidence suggests this depot’s operations may have been moved to Danville. Though some lessor horse equipment were certainly made and repaired here, saddles were not manufactured at Lynchburg.


STAUNTON ORDNANCE DEPOT Staunton, Va.
A depot was established in Staunton on December 1st, 1861 for the repair and manufacture of equipment and ammunition largely for issue to Shennandoah Valley troops. It was closed when Federal General David Hunter burned his way up the Valley in 1864. The Depot may have been reopened again before the end of the war.
Some horse equipment was evidently manufactured here. In fact, it is the only eastern ordnance facility outside of Richmond known to have manufactured saddles. The saddles were largely based upon the Richmond issues. However, complaints by Ordnance officer’s indicate some of their local contractors apparently made some saddles of an unapproved though unclear pattern.