Ordnance Records of the 3rd South Carolina Cavalry

[Mississippian]

This regiment was posted mostly along the coast of South Carolina, and didn't see sustained action until the Carolinas Campaign.

CSR of Col. C. Colcock.

Ordnance Stores received June 11th 1862

190 lbs Rifle Powder
295 lbs Buckshot
360 Navy Pistol Cartridges
1250 Army Pistol Cartridges
1000 Horse Pistol Cartridges
7000 Sporting Caps

Ordnance Stores received June 30th 1862

2000 Sharps Carbine Cartridges

Ordnance Stores received July 17th 1862, for the "Ashley Dragoons" Co. H

75 Cartridge Boxes
75 Cap Boxes
75 Waist Belts
75 Shoulder Straps

CSR of Lt. Col. T. Johnson, 3rd SC Cavalry

Ordnance Stores received July 19th 1862

15 Harpers Ferry Rifles
21 Springfield Muskets
12 State Muskets
10 Altered Muskets
1000 Harpers Ferry Cartridges
2000 Musket Cartridges with Caps
1000 Musket Caps
1 Enfield Rifle with Bayonet and Accoutrements

Ordnance Stores received July 19th 1862

65 Saber Belts
125 Waist Belts
240 Gun Slings
3600 Blank Cartridges
70 Sheets Cartridge Paper

And just because I thought it was interesting.....

Shoes for Capt. Smarts Company, 3rd S.C. Cavalry May 19th 1862

3 pr No. 11
3 pr No. 10
17 pr No. 9
15 pr No. 8
16 pr No. 7
4 pr No. 6

Will MacDonald

[rbruno]

Re: Ordnance Records of the 3rd South Carolina Cavalry

Ok, what is a shoulder strap?

[Mississippian]

Re: Ordnance Records of the 3rd South Carolina Cavalry

Another name for a Cartridge Box Belt usually....

Will MacDonald

[rbruno]

Re: Ordnance Records of the 3rd South Carolina Cavalry

Why would they need that if they were issued the same number of waist belts as cartridge boxes? I guess is it suggesting that they had a waist belt for cap boxes and wore the cartridge box on the shoulder belt more like infantry?

[Mississippian]

Re: Ordnance Records of the 3rd South Carolina Cavalry

It's not really unusual for C.S. Cavalry to be wearing infantry gear. Perhaps the Cartridge Boxes were copies of the '39 box and werent made for being carried on a belt.

Will MacDonald

[Ken Knopp]

Re: Ordnance Records of the 3rd South Carolina Cavalry

In general, it was quite common for CS cavalry to be issued infantry accoutrements although geography, transportation abilities and needs have a considerable amount to do with it too. As far as unit supply numbers this is researched/documented (for some western cavalry) and is speculated upon relative to reenactors in an article. Please see the link for a generalized article on this subject("Western Cavalry Equipped as Infantry").

http://confederatesaddles.com/cswp/?p=483

While I have not conducted any similar research on eastern cavalry I tend to believe (opinion, speculate, surmise) from readings, that given the documented accoutrement manufacturing from Clarksville, issues from Richmond, as recipients of the lions share of imported equipments and given their relatively consise area of operations, that this was NOT nearly the case for ANV cavalry. Most of their accoutrements appear to have been a bit more (but not always) "standardized" including saber belts, etc. This makes some sense on another level given their larger "appreciation" of the saber as a weapon and employment of carbines over infantry weapons in general. This again, is my general and humble but educated opinion.
I also believe that Carolina cavalry units seem to have traveled a still different path from those in the east and in the west. While not quite experiencing the resource procurement, manufacturing and transportation issues that befell western arsenals, the Carolinas were also not quite as generously endowed (probably by design) with supply as were eastern (ala ANV) units. The TMD is yet another story unto itself. In general, the farther one went from Richmond the more difficult the supply issues.

In short, geographically and within reason more cavalry reenactors should probably consider a simple shoulder belt and standard infantry cartridge box than the usually seen over-abundance of cart. boxes, pistol boxes, saber belt, etc. Authentic and,....its cheaper too.

Cudos to Will for his continued postings of this sort. They add a great deal of value to this understanding with the hopes someone may someday construct an effort that provides of a more clear consensus.

Ken R Knopp

[rbruno]

Re: Ordnance Records of the 3rd South Carolina Cavalry

I completely understand that cavalry troopers used infantry equipment and gear. I had a chance to see a cartridge box that a 1st MD cav trooper carried and it was a US 58 cal infantry box with the US plate taken off. It still had the cuts in the leather where it was originally. So, I understand them having infantry gear. It was more why would they have a belt and shoulder strap. I guess it could be the design of the box.