Ordnance Records of the 2nd Flordia Cavalry

[Mississippian]

I found these in the papers of Capt. A. Pope, a ordnance officer who spent time in Florida and Georgia. I know it's kinda limited, but there is some interesting things in it, Like the 99 Kerr Pistols issued in 1863 and mentions of Columbus Arsenal carbines.

July 18th 1863 (For Co. H)

1000 Cartridges cal .58

Sept. 26th 1863

499 Saddles
500 Bridles
348 Halters
500 Curry Combs
500 Horse Brushes
99 Kerr's Pistols
100 Power flasks
100 Cleaning Rods
99 Nipple Keys
500 Spare nipples
20 Pistol Moulds
20 Main Springs
20 Triggers
10000 Pistol Cartridges
10000 Caps

Ordnance Stores turned over to Ordnance officer on Oct. 1st 1863 by Co. A

13 Columbus Arsenal Carbines cal .54

Will MacDonald

[Mississippian]

Re: Ordnance Records of the 2nd Flordia Cavalry

Hmmm....time to update I think.....

CSR of Capt. H. Blocker, Co. "E" 2nd Florida Cavalry

Ordnance stores received on May 14th 1862

150 lbs Lead
25 lbs Rifle powder
2000 Percussion Caps

Received June 2nd 1863 at Tallahassee

6 lb's rope for halters

Ordnance Received on October 21st 1863

40 Altered Muskets with Bayonets
40 Cartridge Boxes
40 Cap Pouches
40 Bayonet Scabbards
40 Waist Belts
40 Shoulder Straps
2000 Musket Cartridges
3624 Musket Caps

CSR of Capt. W. Chambers, Co "C" 2nd Florida Cavalry

Ordnance Stores received Feb. 25th 1863:

10lbs Rifle Powder
1500 Pistol Caps

Ordnance Stores turned over to District Ordnance Officer, June 3th 1864

9 Belgian Rifles
4 Austrian Rifles
16 Maynard Rifles
14 Sabers

Damaged Ordnance Stores turned over to District Ordnance Officer, June 11th 1864

14 Mississippi Rifles
4 Belgian Rifles
3 Enfield Rifles
3 Austrian Rifles
2 Maynard Rifles
2 Pistols, Colt Army
3 Saddles
30 Saber Belts
2 pr Holsters
1296 Cartridges

Ordnance Stores turned over to District Ordnance Officer, June 22nd 1864

2 McClellan Saddles
2 Bridles
2 pr Saddle Bags

CSR of Capt. J. Dickison, Co. "H" 2nd Florida Cavalry

Ordnance Stores turned over to District Ordnance Officer, June 1864

30 Enfield Rifles
5000 Cartridges cal. 58
1000 Cartridges cal .69
16 Cavalry Swords
9 Cartridge Boxes
85 Bayonets

Will MacDonald

[Mark Choate]

Re: Ordnance Records of the 2nd Flordia Cavalry

Will,

Do you happen to know what the roster headcount (present and available for duty) was for this unit at the time of this report??

Mark

[Mississippian]

Re: Ordnance Records of the 2nd Flordia Cavalry

Mark, I'm not sure, I'll have to look that up, I seem to think the companies were pretty full in the Spring of 1863, not sure about the fall.

Here are the last few.....

CSR of Capt. H. Gray, Co. "B" 2nd Florida Cavalry

Ordnance Stores received, Feb. 1864:

1500 Enfield Cartridges
500 Mississippi Rifle Cartridges
1500 Musket Cartridges
500 Pistol Caps

CSR of Capt. H. Simmons, 2nd Florida Cavalry

Ordnance Received, Oct. 25th 1863

1500 Sporting Caps

Ordnance Stores turned over to District Ordnance Officer, Undated 1864

15 Maynard Rifles
15 Sabers

Will MacDonald

[rbruno]

Re: Ordnance Records of the 2nd Flordia Cavalry

I came across a receipt for rope for halters as well. I started a thread on the AC a while back with a question of what they may have looked like or if anyone had a period description of them. Not much luck. Most seemed to think, and I tend to agree, that they were very common in every day life, meaning just about every farmer knew how to make one, that no one ever described them. I also have never seen one in a photo. It would be great to come across a photo of one or a description.

[ButtermilkRanger]

Re: Ordnance Records of the 2nd Flordia Cavalry

The painting of Texas cavalry in the TMD at the beginning of the war clearly shows some of their horses sporting neck ropes, which I believe was pretty common here. I remember my dad and some other old timers using a neck rope configuration to picket plow horses and mules. As for rope halters, the conversations I've had with western guys who've researched them in the antebellum period, the consensus seems to be that they would have been almost identical to a rope halter you buy today. They are easy to make and require no hardware. Of course I have no documentation to support this theory, so it remains speculation at this point.

[Mississippian]

Re: Ordnance Records of the 2nd Flordia Cavalry

Little update....

CSR of Lt. F. Clark, Co. "K" 2nd Florida Cavalry

Ordnance Stores issued Feb. 1st 1863 at Lake City Florida:

1900 Enfield Cartridges
5000 Musket Caps
1000 Small Caps

Ordnance Stores issued Feb. 10th 1863 at Lake City Florida:

17 Enfield Rifles

"In exchange for same number of double barreled guns, (which belong to private individuals) and to give my command an effective arm."

Will MacDonald

[floridawar]

Re: Ordnance Records of the 2nd Flordia Cavalry

There is an inspection report for the Florida Cavalry from Jan./Feb. 1864 in the ORs: (from page 582)

http://books.google.com/books?id=x0V...page&q&f=false

It mentions the saddles for Scott's (5th FL) CAv. BN. were not very good, plain trees, narrow at the pommel, and made the horses sore, etc. Co. D, 2nd Fla. CAv. Maynard rifles, sabers, and old pattern holster pistols, plain tree saddles...Co. I 2nd CAv. a mixture of Maynards, Enfields, Hall Carbines, shotguns, sabers, and plain tree saddles. This report mentions other cos. of the 2nd Fla. (G, and E) with Maynards and sabers, but notes the inability to procure ammo for the Maynards. Co. A was equipped with private arms, including rifles, shotguns, etc. (no Govt. arms!). F and K cos. armed with Enfield Rifles...



Cheers,

[Mark Choate]

Re: Ordnance Records of the 2nd Flordia Cavalry

Thanks for the added info on this, Archie.

While neither your report, or Will's specify the exact type of saddle issued. It just says the "plain tree saddles." I have to think that they were some of the skeleton rigged Jenifers. Yes there were some good ones made, but it seems that the wide variance of makers and specs being used brought about a nightmare of saddle-fitting problems and a ton of "sore-backed" horses. Those bars were just not wide enough (or in some cases too wide) and they tore those backs up.

thanks,
Mark