"How do I get to the Richmond Depot?"

[Yellowhammer]

If you went to Richmond and 1862 and asked directions to the "Richmond Depot," you would likely be directed to the train station. I mention this because, in a number of posts, I'm noticing any item related to the ANV is too often incorrectly referred to as "Richmond Depot."

The Central QM is Richmond, Virginia supplied most of the uniforms and equipage to the ANV but not all of it.

The term "Richmond Depot" comes from Leslie D. Jensen's works on the CS Central QM system. Using his typology, "Richmond Depot" refers to the Clothing Bureau in Richmond. According to Jensen, "This Clothing Bureau had two branches: the Shoe Manufactory under Captain Stephen Putney and the Clothing Manufactory under O.F. Weisiger."

Anyway, my point is that we tend to generically refer to any ANV issue item as a Richmond Depot item. While this is correct per the Jensen typology for clothing, it probably isn't correct for accoutrements like cartridge boxes and ground cloths. For example, I have excellent notes on a South Carolina-made cartridge box issued to an Alabama soldier serving in the ANV. While it was probably issued to him through the QM system in Richmond, it is clearly an oversimplification to refer to that as a "Richmond Depot" item.

In the end, this is just semantics but we should be clearer with our terms.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: "How do I get to the Richmond Depot?"

Hallo Kameraden!

I would also argue extremely few, if ANY, soldiers would have even known the supply source(s) for their issuances... and , in that respect, we tend to know way too much detail for our impressions (not for our ability to present a believable image, just for the material culture minutaie not known by period soldiers).

While in Richmond:

The Quartermaster General's office can be found at the corner of 10th and Main Streets, 2nd Floor.

The Assistant Quartermaster-General, at teh corner of 10th and Bank Streets, 2nd Floor, Office No. 3

The Assistant Quartermaster for transportation, the 3rd door down from 10th and Bank Streets

The Assistant Quartermaster for lumber, wood, coal, forage, commutation, officer's quarters and fuel, corner of 10th and Bank Streets, 3rd Floor, Office No. 8

The Assistant Quartermaster for accounts for railroads, stage lines, etc. corner of 10th and Bank Streets, 2nd Floor, Office No.4

The Assistant Quartermaster for horses, mules, wagons, harness, etc., the extreme end of Brook Avenue

The Assistant Quartermaster and Store Keeper for clothing, shoes, tents, etc., the corner of 14th and Carey Streets

Hallo Kameraden!

I would also argue few soldiers would have even known the supply source(s) for their issuances... and , in that respect, we tend to know way too much detail for our impressions (not for our ability to present a believable image, just for the material culture minutaie not known by period soldiers).

Hmmmm. While in Richmond:

The Quartermaster General's office can be found at the corner of 10th and Main Streets, 2nd Floor.

The Assistant Quartermaster-General, at teh corner of 10th and Bank Streets, 2nd Floor, Office No. 3

The Assistant Quartermaster for transportation, the 3rd door down from 10th and Bank Streets

The Assistant Quartermaster for lumber, wood, coal, forage, commutation, officer's quarters and fuel, corner of 10th and Bank Streets, 3rd Floor, Office No. 8

The Assistant Quartermaster for accounts for railroads, stage lines, etc. corner of 10th and Bank Streets, 2nd Floor, Office No.4

The Assistant Quartermaster for horses, mules, wagons, harness, etc., the extreme end of Brook Avenue

The Assistant Quartermaster and Store Keeper for clothing, shoes, tents, etc., the corner of 14th and Carey Streets

The Quartermaster in charge of the Richmond Clothing Bureau, on 14th Street, between Main and Carey Streets

The CS Laboratory is located at the foot of 7th Street, one the left side, going down to the James River

The CS Armory is located at the extreme end of 7th Street, near the James River.

And for the few times I had to ever visit there, the 5th Texas Depot was located at the corner of Cary and Virginia Streets.

Just a-funnin' is all. But "too much information" can ruin an otherwise Believeable Image and Impression/Persona just as quickly as too little..

Curt-Heinrich Schmidt
Former Captain,
5th Texas Infantry, Company "A," (LH)

[Fod]

Re: "How do I get to the Richmond Depot?"

The reference to depots as a function of the QM is not completely anachronistic....

"CIRCULAR. QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL’S OFFICE,
Richmond, March 24, 1863....

... 4th. Main depots of supplies will be established at Richmond and Staunton, Va., Raleigh, NC., Columbus, Atlanta, and Augusta, Ga., Huntsville and Montgomery, Ala., Jackson, Miss., Alexandria, La., Little Rock, Ark., , Tenn., San Antonio, Tex., or elsewhere, as may hereafter be indicated. These will not be subject to the orders of commanding generals, but will be under the exclusive control of the Quartermaster-General, and issues there from will be made only on requisitions approved by him. Minor depots may be established by the principal purchasing officers at such other points within their districts as the necessities of the service may require, and their locations will be reported from time to time to this office.
5th. The chief quartermaster of each separate army will draw supplies as far as may be practicable from the established depots of stores, and will make purchases thereof in the military department within which the army operates only when circumstances render that course absolutely necessary. He will then, whether acting in person or through subordinates, confer, if possible, with the principal purchasing officer of the district within which he may be, and use every precaution to avoid competition.
OR Ser 1 Vol 14 page 726

The use here of the term depot, seems to refer to the physical stockpile of supplies, whereas the our general modern usage, as I think you correctly describe, refers more to the activity. (Like in the modern military when we refer to "depot level maintenance"). Mr Jensen could say which way he meant it when he defined his typology, but he was using a period term.

[tomarch]

Re: "How do I get to the Richmond Depot?"

F.Y.I....If you're trying to find the Railroad depot, you will first have to know which railroad, as I belive they all have their own depots.( I think there were three serving Richmond) ;)

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: "How do I get to the Richmond Depot?"

F.Y.I....If you're trying to find the Railroad depot, you will first have to know which railroad, as I belive they all have their own depots.( I think there were three serving Richmond) ;)

Tom is correct, and each one had both a frieght and passenger depot. :wink_smil

[Yellowhammer]

Re: "How do I get to the Richmond Depot?"

Dan,

My point is not that the term "depot" is an anachronism because clearly it isn't. My point is that not every item issued to an ANV soldier was a product of the Richmond Depot any more than every item issued to an AoT soldier was a product of the Atlanta Depot.

To Tom and Robert, I was just making a point. Had we been discussing railroads (an interesting subject deserving of more study), I would have been more precise. :wink_smil

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Richmond Railroad Depots...

Hallo Kameraden!

One can find the the Virginia Central Depot, on Broad Street near 18th Street.

The Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Depot, on Broad Street and the corner of 8th Street.

The Richmond and Petersburg Depot, on 8th Street, at the corner of Byrd Street.

and the York River Depot on Dock Street near 22nd Street.

For times of leaving and arrival, one must consult the daily papers.

Curt-Heinrich Schmidt

[Fod]

Re: "How do I get to the Richmond Depot?"

John,

Got it, I just wasn't clear enough in my post. I support your point that simply because an item is linked to ANV troops does not mean that it was "Richmond Depot." The terms RDI, II, and III are useful to us because we have a common understanding of what they mean. Those terms are well defined, and therefore useful to us in the hobby. Claiming "Richmond Depot" on other gear is not useful because the terms are not well defined, i.e. what do you call a cartridge box made at the Augusta Arsenal then issued in Richmond? That's what I understood your point to be.

My point, I guess, is that I believe that "the Richmond Depot" may have been a physical location of stockpiles of supplies, or an organization overseeing such stockpiles, therefore one could ask how to get there.

[Yellowhammer]

Re: "How do I get to the Richmond Depot?"

Dan,

I think Curt addressed where the "stockpiles" would have been located in his post.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: "How do I get to the Richmond Depot?"

Hallo Kameraden!

"what do you call a cartridge box made at the Augusta Arsenal then issued in Richmond?"

More than likely, a .58 Cartridge Box or a .69 Cartridge Box.

To help reinforce what John has said...

1. we are talking about "hobbyist" and "collector" terms/nomenclature and typologies that do not have a CW Period context, (a forage cap is often a "cap" and never a Type I or Type II forage cap, or a "jacket" a RD I, II, or II jacket, etc.)

2. We are misunderstanding the nature of the U.S. and C.S. Quartermaster Department depot, arsenal, laboratory systems. In brief, the closest and what would seem the most obvious depot, arsenal, laboratory was not always the one "supplies" were drawn from- as they drew and shipped from amongst themselves as needed- sometimes yes, and sometimes not seeming to make sense or reason.

Curt-Heinrich Schmidt

[Fod]

Re: "How do I get to the Richmond Depot?"

"what do you call a cartridge box made at the Augusta Arsenal then issued in Richmond?"

More than likely, a .58 Cartridge Box or a .69 Cartridge Box...."

My point (and John's I think) exactly.