Ordnance and QM records of 3rd & 5th Confederate Infantry Spring-Summer 1863

[Mississippian]

Since I've had a couple of people ask me about this unit during the Chickamauga campaign, here are somerecords of 3rd & 5th C.S. Infantry during the spring and summer of 1863.

CSR of Lt. R.D. Smith, O.O. Polks Brigade:

Ordnance issued to 3rd C.S. Regiment, Col. J.A. Smith commanding, during April 1863:

April 7th:

8 Haversacks
20 Canteens
21 Canteen Straps
20 Waist Belts and Plates
13 Cartridge Boxes
13 Cartridge Box Belts
7 Cap Pouches
10 Canteen Straps

April 22nd:

56 Haversacks

April 23rd:

20 Knapsacks
24 Bayonet Scabbards
10 Shoulder Straps
12 Cartridge Boxes
4000 Cartridges cal .577

Ordnance issued to 3rd C.S. Regiment, Col. J.A. Smith Commanding, during May 1863

May 4th:

1 Curry Comb
4 Spring Vises
1 Screw Drivers
1 Cone Wrench
10 Wipers
10 Knapsacks
13 Haversacks
22 Canteens and Straps

May 9th:

11 Waist Belts and Plates

May 16th

5 Enfield Rifles
2 Bayonets
6 Cartridge Boxes
6 Cartridge Box Belts
6 Cap Pouches
6 Bayonet Scabbards
6 Waist Belts and Plates

May 22nd:

38 Enfield Rifles cal .577
32 Bayonets for same
14 Cartridge Boxes
6 Cartridge Box Belts
14 Cap Pouches
14 Bayonet Scabbards
14 Waist Belts & Plates
1 Set Implements

May 23rd:

40 Cartridge Box Belts
13 Haversacks

May 25th:

2 Cartridge Boxes
2 Cartridge Box Belts
2 Cap Pouches
2 Waist Belts and Plates
10000 Percussion Caps

May 29th:

10 Enfield Rifles cal .577
3 Bayonets for same

Short on time for now, will post more later.

Will MacDonald

[Mississippian]

Re: Ordnance and QM records of 3rd & 5th Confederate Infantry Spring-Summer 1863

More from Lt. R.D. Smith:

Ordnance stores turned over to 3rd C.S. Infantry during month of June 1863:

June 12th

6 Cartridge Boxes
6 Cartridge Box Belts
6 Cap Pouches
6 Waist Belts and Plates

Ordnance Stores turned over by 3rd C.S. Infantry during month of April 1863 to Ordnance Department:

April 1st:

4 Rifle Muskets cal .58 unserviceable
2 Bayonets:

April 22nd:

1 Austrian Rifle cal .54 with Bayonet
1 Mississippi Rifle cal .54 unserviceable
1 Belgian Rifle cal .70
1 Enfield Rifle cal .577 unserviceable
80 Cartridges cal .577 damaged and condemned
8 Cartridge Boxes damaged and condemned
5 Canteens damaged and condemned

May 31st:

2 Enfield Rifles cal .577 unserviceable
30 Rifle Muskets cal .58
26 Bayonets

Ordnance stores turned over to Polks Brigade, August 24th 1863:

6 Rifle Muskets cal .58
1 Musket cal .69
39 Canteens
32 Canteen Straps
70 Haversacks
150 Knapsacks
30 Cap Pouches

Will MacDonald

[Mississippian]

Re: Ordnance and QM records of 3rd & 5th Confederate Infantry Spring-Summer 1863

Ok, these are from the CSR of the commander of the 3rd-5th. Col J.A. Smith, a West Pointer.

Ordnance stores expended in service during 2nd Qtr 1863

1180 Cartridges cal .577
1843 Percussion Caps

Ordnance Stores received July 13th 1863:

6600 Cartridges cal .69

Ordnance Stores received July 27th 1863:

5 Percussion Muskets cal .69
40 Cartridges cal .69

Ordnance Stores received undated July 1863: (note: regiment has 192 Privates and NCOs)

10 Cartridge Boxes
12 Cap Pouches

Ordnance Stores received undated August 1863: (note: regiment still has 192 men)

5 Enfield Rifles cal .577
11 Cap Pouches
14 Waist Belts and Plates
47 Haversacks
85 Canteens
80 Canteen Straps

Ordnance Stores received undated August 1863:

5 Percussion Muskets cal .69
1 Bayonet
39 Haversacks
35 Canteens
24 Canteen Straps

Ordnance stored turned over by Col. Smith to Lt. Smith. O.O. during July 1863

July 13th 1863:

5000 Cartridges cal .58

July 22nd 1863:

8600 Cartridges cal .69
1000 Cartridges cal .69 unserviceable

Ordnance Stores turned over by Col. Smith to Lt. Smith, O.O. during August 1863:

1 Rifle Musket cal .58
39 Knapsacks
3 Sabers, unserviceable
2 Non Commissioned Officer Swords, unserviceable
1 Saber Bayonet and Scabbard, unserviceable
14 Percussion Muskets, unserviceable

Now it looks to me that some of the NCO's of this regiment would be carrying swords per regulation..........


Will MacDonald

[PogueMahone]

Re: Ordnance and QM records of 3rd & 5th Confederate Infantry Spring-Summer 1863

What if those two NCO swords were the only ones in the regiment? Were any issued or are there any records that indicate they may have had more than just those two?

[Mississippian]

Re: Ordnance and QM records of 3rd & 5th Confederate Infantry Spring-Summer 1863

Joe,

I don't know yet...but the fact that 3 sabers were there too make interesting possibilities, could be they were using regular sabers as NCO swords due to the lack of proper NCO swords. I seem to recall the Confederate Arsenal at Columbus MS stocking NCO swords. Col. J.A. Smith had been a Regular and Gen. Polk's AAG, so he could have been very by the book......

Here is some QM stuff.....

CSR of Capt. M. Dixon, Co. "C"

QM Stores received during month of April 1863:

30 pr Pants
52 pr Shoes
26 Jackets
1 Shirt
4 pr Drawers
3 Hats
21 Hats

QM Stores received during month of May 1863:

18 Hats
7 pr Shoes
6 Shirts
11 pr Pants
32 pr Drawers
4 Water Buckets

QM Stores received Aug. 31st 1863:

11 pr Shoes
30 pr Drawers
24 Shirts
13 pr Pants
2 Flies
1 Water Bucket
5 Hats
1 Officer Fly
1 Oven and Lid
1 Shovel

Still plenty more to post.....

Will MacDonald

[Mississippian]

Re: Ordnance and QM records of 3rd & 5th Confederate Infantry Spring-Summer 1863

CSR of Capt. J.H. Beard Co. E (note: Capt. Beard was mortally wounded at Chickamauga)

QM stores received during April 1863

15 pr Pants
20 pr Shoes
17 Jackets
4 Shirts
4 pr Drawers
1 Hat
17 Hats
2 pr Pants
1 Shirt

QM stores received during May 1863

13 Hats
8 pr Shoes
5 Shirts
9 pr Pants
19 pr Drawers
2 Water Buckets
1 Jacket

QM stores received during June 1863:

24 pr Shoes
7 Shirts
21 pr Pants
6 pr Drawers
4 Jackets

QM stores received Aug 31st 1863:

11 pr Shoes
18 pr Drawers
11 Shirts
17 pr Pants
5 Mess Pans
2 Files
1 Water Bucket
6 Hats
1 Axe

Will MacDonald

[dixieflyer]

Re: Ordnance and QM records of 3rd & 5th Confederate Infantry Spring-Summer 1863

Will, why are we seeing two different entries for hats on some of the above?

"15 pr Pants
20 pr Shoes
17 Jackets
4 Shirts
4 pr Drawers
1 Hat
17 Hats
2 pr Pants
1 Shirt"

And

"30 pr Pants
52 pr Shoes
26 Jackets
1 Shirt
4 pr Drawers
3 Hats
21 Hats"

etc.

[GrumpyDave]

Re: Ordnance and QM records of 3rd & 5th Confederate Infantry Spring-Summer 1863

Will, What would the "belt plates" have looked like?

[Mississippian]

Re: Ordnance and QM records of 3rd & 5th Confederate Infantry Spring-Summer 1863

Warren,

When you see two different listings for the same item in the same form 40, it usually means that there is enough of a difference in the price/quality of the item in question to merit duplicate listings. Like the difference between a pair of imported English shoes and confederate cloth shoes. In this case, we have hats.

Dave,

Your guess is as good as mine. God only knows how many confederate buckle variations there are. Lee White may have a good idea.

I do have a theory about "belts" vs. "belts with plates" that you see in different forms. It is my belief that "belts" are belts that have a buckle attached them like a roller or frame buckle. While "belts with plates" have the separate plate like the "CS" or "CSA" variations we see.

Will MacDonald.

[dixieflyer]

Re: Ordnance and QM records of 3rd & 5th Confederate Infantry Spring-Summer 1863

Will, that was my feelings regarding the belts too, and based you this record, I'm thinking that perhaps I should get one of the CS/CSA plates associated with the AoT at this time period.

Thanks for clearing up the hat issue. Guess we should have some great and some crappy hats then? :tounge_sm