AoT uniform question

[FloridaConscript]

Re: AoT uniform question

Dan,

great find. i have entrepot but haven't waded in too deep. sooo does this mean WW will be offering an NC jacket now? :)

[Dan Wambaugh]

Re: AoT uniform question

Bryant,

No, it means there are 3" of snow on the ground that I am refusing to shovel, and as such I'm finding excuses not to go into my unheated workshop this morning...

[creed1939]

Re: AoT uniform question

Dan,

Thanks for sharing that as I have attempted to purchase a copy of Entrepot, but cannot find one under $100 now. So I appreciate you taking the time (even if it was stalling) to share that. I am headed over to Bentonville, today to see if I cannot drum up some possible first hand account etc..

Bob,

Thanks for supplying the letter!

[oldbaldie]

Re: AoT uniform question

http://www.amazon.com/Entrep%C3%B4t-Mark-McMorris/dp/1566892368

[Dan Wambaugh]

Re: AoT uniform question

Bill,

While the link you provided will lead you to a book that apparently is filled with poetry "utterly devoted to the sensual beauty of language" this is the book referenced which concerns importation of goods into the southern Confederacy:

http://www.amazon.com/Entrepot-Government-Imports-Confederate-States/dp/1889020370/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303142762&sr=1-2

Was good for a chuckle, though!

[creed1939]

Re: AoT uniform question

Not to drift to far off the subject but through further reading in “Confederate Industry” By H.S Wilson pages 116-124

There seams in mid 1863-early 1864 a struggle with the confederate Government and state run mills in acquiring goods for the Confederate Gov. Through several correspondence noted in the above book, Lawton and Vance went back and forth arguing over uniforms and textiles. Stating that a warehouse in Richmond had set for 1 year with uniforms from NC without being issued, and that NC “depots were filled with over 92,000 uniforms (Dowd 490)”
It also goes to state that in late summer of 1864 “Vance remained in control of the six mills producing woolens, although he allowed Chisman to share the production of Rock Island and Mountain Island and take half the production of the James Town factory-some 2,000 yards a month-on condition furnishing the raw wool” It further goes on to state numbers of goods taken by various mills by the Confederate Gov. by which Vance had agreed to.

So even though Vance was maintaining control of some goods purchased by the state whether it be locally or from international sources. By mid 64 the Confederate Gov. had worked its way in and was purchasing goods from the state in rather large quantities. A lot of goods noted were English shoes as early as fall of 1863, as well as cotton and osnaburgs for tenting and sand bags around Charleston.

It is also interesting to note other states were taking note of “Vances tactics” and started to request control over mills within their own states arguing that the Gov. was interfering in the clothing of their troops. During July 1864, Alabama Governor Thomas H Watts raised a dispute and won having Lawton respond with “ I certainly had no desire to interfere unnecessarily with the operations of State authorities, whose aim it was to clothe the army.”

Ok I will try tie all of this information together for this conversation. All this being presented shines some light in my eyes some of the difficulty that would be placed on Johnston’s army to be re-supplied. However with the consolidation of the western forces into North Carolina ,I would gather some sort of re-supply prior to the battle being feasible. As some of the army was coming up from South Carolina who had many mills and stores of her own to include international goods, not to mention troops coming from Georgia as well, which even though large amounts of goods were destroyed during the retreat there is a great possibility stores could have been distributed there. So possibly not only looking at re-supply in or around Charlotte but also from elements traveling through SC/GA as well.

So here posses another question.. Has anyone found evidence of troops being re-supplied in GA or SC prior to crossing the NC boarder?

[oldbaldie]

Re: AoT uniform question

Whoops!! Got in too much of a hurry. I am familiar with, and own the proper book. Try this one

http://www.edinborough.com/Books/entrepot.html

Bill Tometich

[creed1939]

Re: AoT uniform question

Through further research (which is not complete) I have found a reference to units coming out of Charleston headed for NC. The reference comes form the book "Last Stand in the Carolina The Battle of Bentonville" By: Mark L. Bradley Pg. 30

Note these units were composed of "coastal artillerymen or garrison troops unaccustomed to hard marching." These units were part of Hardee's Corps.

" recalled Cpl. A.P. Ford a South Carolinian in Hardee's Corps. "[M]any of us had no shoes, but trudged along in the cold and mud barefooted as best we could." Hardee's soldiers quickly learned a valuable lesson: travel light. "Our men had started on this march with as much baggage as they. . .could carry." Corporal Ford continued, but soon began to throw aside the impedimenta and settle down to. . .one blanket per man and suit of clothing each actually wore. For some miles both sides of the road were strewn with knapsacks, articles of clothing, etc., . . .and the highway appeared as if fleeing troops in a panic had passed along."

The source noted for this is: OR 47 pt. 2. pp 1281-1282, 1288; Thomas B. Roy Diary, February 25, 1865; Ford, Life, p.42; Ford