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The Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania NMP has recently posted some very interesting information. The park has uploaded a document, which the public can download, that lists the armament in the Army of the Potomac during the final quarter of 1862. The data is taken from the ordnance returns for that period and lists the number and type of weapon, down to the company and battery level, within each regiment. You can access the data, which is in a pdf format, by visiting this page: http://www.nps.gov/frsp/historycultu...ericksburg.htm
Some companies, batteries and regiments failed to file returns, or the returns were lost, so the data is not entirely complete. That said, the majority of the units did comply and it presents some interesting and useful information. It appears that, for the most part, regiments were uniformly armed. A notable exception was the 46th New York. One can only imagine what the poor Ordnance Sergeant went through to keep that regiment supplied with the correct ammunition.
Here are some stats I came up with for the infantry. The names of the weapons are as given on the tabulated returns.
80,569 infantry weapons reported
37,417 – Springfield Rifled Muskets, model 1855, 1861, N.A. and contract. Calibre .58 – 46%
20,135 – Enfield Rifled Muskets. Calibre .58 and .577 – 25%
8,292 – Austrian Rifled Muskets, quadrangular bayonet. Calibre .54 and .55 – 10%
7,882 – Smooth-bored Muskets, model 1842. Calibre .69 – 10%
1,622 – Rifled Muskets, model 1842, N.A. or contract. Calibre .69 – 2%
1,214 – Austrian Rifled Muskets, leaf and block sight, Q. bayonet. Calibre .58 – 2%
804 – Smooth-bored Musket altered to percussion. Calibre .69 – 1%
618 – U.S. Rifles, model 1840. Calibre .54 – less than 1%
456 – French Rifled Muskets, triangular bayonet. Calibre .58 – less than 1%
422 – Sharp’s Breech-loading Rifles, triangular bayonet. Calibre .52 – less than 1%
380 – Enfield Rifles, sabre bayonet. Calibre .58 and .577 – less than 1%
317 – U.S. Rifles, sword bayonet, model 1840, 1845. Calibre .58 – less than 1%
289 – Austrian Rifled Muskets, leaf and block sights, Q. bayonet. Calibre 577 – less than 1%
280 – Belgian or Vincennes Rifles, sabre bayonet. Calibre .69 to .71 – less than 1%
271 – “Jager” Rifle, sword bayonet. Calibre .54 – less than 1%
76 – Austrian and Prussian Rifled Muskets. Calibre .69 to .70 – less than 1%
72 – “Dresden” and “Suhl” Rifled Muskets. Calibre .58 – less than 1%
17 – Rifled Musket “altered to percussion,” N.A. or contract. Calibre .69 – less than 1%
3 – Austrian, Belgian or French Rifled Muskets. Calibre .70 or .701 – less than 1%
2 – Light French Rifle or “Leige,” sabre bayonet. Calibre .577 – less than 1%
Imported – 31,470 – 39%
Smooth-bored – 8,686 – 11%
Austrians – 9,795 – 12%
The Ordnance Department classified the weapons, based upon type.
1st Class Weapons – 59,819 – 74%
2nd Class Weapons – 11,988 – 15%
3rd Class Weapons – 8,762 – 11%
Eric
Some companies, batteries and regiments failed to file returns, or the returns were lost, so the data is not entirely complete. That said, the majority of the units did comply and it presents some interesting and useful information. It appears that, for the most part, regiments were uniformly armed. A notable exception was the 46th New York. One can only imagine what the poor Ordnance Sergeant went through to keep that regiment supplied with the correct ammunition.
Here are some stats I came up with for the infantry. The names of the weapons are as given on the tabulated returns.
80,569 infantry weapons reported
37,417 – Springfield Rifled Muskets, model 1855, 1861, N.A. and contract. Calibre .58 – 46%
20,135 – Enfield Rifled Muskets. Calibre .58 and .577 – 25%
8,292 – Austrian Rifled Muskets, quadrangular bayonet. Calibre .54 and .55 – 10%
7,882 – Smooth-bored Muskets, model 1842. Calibre .69 – 10%
1,622 – Rifled Muskets, model 1842, N.A. or contract. Calibre .69 – 2%
1,214 – Austrian Rifled Muskets, leaf and block sight, Q. bayonet. Calibre .58 – 2%
804 – Smooth-bored Musket altered to percussion. Calibre .69 – 1%
618 – U.S. Rifles, model 1840. Calibre .54 – less than 1%
456 – French Rifled Muskets, triangular bayonet. Calibre .58 – less than 1%
422 – Sharp’s Breech-loading Rifles, triangular bayonet. Calibre .52 – less than 1%
380 – Enfield Rifles, sabre bayonet. Calibre .58 and .577 – less than 1%
317 – U.S. Rifles, sword bayonet, model 1840, 1845. Calibre .58 – less than 1%
289 – Austrian Rifled Muskets, leaf and block sights, Q. bayonet. Calibre 577 – less than 1%
280 – Belgian or Vincennes Rifles, sabre bayonet. Calibre .69 to .71 – less than 1%
271 – “Jager” Rifle, sword bayonet. Calibre .54 – less than 1%
76 – Austrian and Prussian Rifled Muskets. Calibre .69 to .70 – less than 1%
72 – “Dresden” and “Suhl” Rifled Muskets. Calibre .58 – less than 1%
17 – Rifled Musket “altered to percussion,” N.A. or contract. Calibre .69 – less than 1%
3 – Austrian, Belgian or French Rifled Muskets. Calibre .70 or .701 – less than 1%
2 – Light French Rifle or “Leige,” sabre bayonet. Calibre .577 – less than 1%
Imported – 31,470 – 39%
Smooth-bored – 8,686 – 11%
Austrians – 9,795 – 12%
The Ordnance Department classified the weapons, based upon type.
1st Class Weapons – 59,819 – 74%
2nd Class Weapons – 11,988 – 15%
3rd Class Weapons – 8,762 – 11%
Eric
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