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This topic has come up in various other discussions on this forum. I for one asked for some primary source documents to support these claims. While researching the medical department at the Battle of Olustee, I was searching the records of the Confederate artillery which served in that battle and came upon three very interesting documents.
The first two are from the Chatham Artillery and were found in the compiled military service record of Captain John F. Wheaton. One is a Abstract of materials expended in the 4th quarter 1863. It shows 350 rounds ammunition for Colt's pistols expended in field service along with 6 Colt's navy pistols lost in service while at James Island, SC. Note also that only friction primers were used in experimental firing and no artillery ammunition was expended.
The second from the Chatham Artillery shows an Invoice of Odrnance Stores turned in Lt. A.T. Cunningham, Ordnance Officer at Savannah, GA. In this invoice 62 Colt's Revolver Pistols, along with 61 psitol sheaths, 25 artillery swords, 29 frogs, 90 waist belts, 1464 Colt's revolver cartridges and 2 ammunition boxes were turned over to the ordnance officer.
Tha last document I found is from the Florida Light Artillery and was found in the compiled military sevrice record of Captain Robert H. Gamble. It is an invoice of ordnance and ordnance stores turned over to Captain T.E. Buckman, ordnance officer for the District of East Florida dated February 22, 1864. Along with the four guns blonging to the battery and the associated equipment are listed 12 Mississippi Rifles and accoutrements.
Based on this information, it would seem that while the Chatham Artillery possesed a large number of Colt's Navy Revolvers and they were used in field service, that this was not done while service the field pieces in any manner since there is no record of any artillery rounds being expended other than 100 friction primers in experimental firing. Also these weapons were used on James Island and were all turned in prior to the battery serving at Olustee.
The Florida Light Artillery turned in the 12 Mississippi Rifles 2 days after the Battle of Olustee. Unlike the artillery pieces on the same invoice, no ammunition for the Mississippi Rifles was turned in to the ordnance officer. It should also be noted that Lt Buckman made a separate accounting of Ordnance captured in the 1st Quarter 1864 and the artillery pieces on Gamble's invoice are not listed, clearly making these the guns of the battery ar the battle. There were 370 Mississippi Rifles captured on Buckman's invoice, so these 12 on Gamble's invoice could reasonably be battery property like the cannon as it was not the duty of a battery to collect weapons from a battlefield, but the duty of the Ordnance Officer and those detailed to him.
Buckman's invoices are also attached for your reference.
The first two are from the Chatham Artillery and were found in the compiled military service record of Captain John F. Wheaton. One is a Abstract of materials expended in the 4th quarter 1863. It shows 350 rounds ammunition for Colt's pistols expended in field service along with 6 Colt's navy pistols lost in service while at James Island, SC. Note also that only friction primers were used in experimental firing and no artillery ammunition was expended.
The second from the Chatham Artillery shows an Invoice of Odrnance Stores turned in Lt. A.T. Cunningham, Ordnance Officer at Savannah, GA. In this invoice 62 Colt's Revolver Pistols, along with 61 psitol sheaths, 25 artillery swords, 29 frogs, 90 waist belts, 1464 Colt's revolver cartridges and 2 ammunition boxes were turned over to the ordnance officer.
Tha last document I found is from the Florida Light Artillery and was found in the compiled military sevrice record of Captain Robert H. Gamble. It is an invoice of ordnance and ordnance stores turned over to Captain T.E. Buckman, ordnance officer for the District of East Florida dated February 22, 1864. Along with the four guns blonging to the battery and the associated equipment are listed 12 Mississippi Rifles and accoutrements.
Based on this information, it would seem that while the Chatham Artillery possesed a large number of Colt's Navy Revolvers and they were used in field service, that this was not done while service the field pieces in any manner since there is no record of any artillery rounds being expended other than 100 friction primers in experimental firing. Also these weapons were used on James Island and were all turned in prior to the battery serving at Olustee.
The Florida Light Artillery turned in the 12 Mississippi Rifles 2 days after the Battle of Olustee. Unlike the artillery pieces on the same invoice, no ammunition for the Mississippi Rifles was turned in to the ordnance officer. It should also be noted that Lt Buckman made a separate accounting of Ordnance captured in the 1st Quarter 1864 and the artillery pieces on Gamble's invoice are not listed, clearly making these the guns of the battery ar the battle. There were 370 Mississippi Rifles captured on Buckman's invoice, so these 12 on Gamble's invoice could reasonably be battery property like the cannon as it was not the duty of a battery to collect weapons from a battlefield, but the duty of the Ordnance Officer and those detailed to him.
Buckman's invoices are also attached for your reference.
Attached Files
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