Improving Artillery Camps

[hta1970]

As another break off from the "Improving Artillery Impressions" thread and based upon what others have mentioned as an area for improvement, I thought we should try to deal with how we can improve the artillery camps at reenactments.

Might be a nice place for us to share documented regaulations, circulars and orders which apply to the artillery.

Specific note to the theater of operations should also be made if possible.

Keep in mind that we should also make an effort to date the information as best we can, as what works for '61 may not work for '65.

[cannoneer]

Re: Improving Artillery Camps

This is great to see. This is the one thing that has caused me problems.
i.e. Encampment vs Campaign events

Most of the events that I attended are Encampments with a battle demonstration.

[hta1970]

Re: Improving Artillery Camps

I have attached some pdf files of General Orders from ANV and 2nd Corps ANV from the ORs.

Read, enjoy and feel free to discuss....especially GO 58 and its implications for summer of '63.

[hta1970]

Re: Improving Artillery Camps

Since improving artillery camps was discussed as one inexpensive but needed area for improvement, what do those of you out there reading this feel would constitute a more progressive artillery camp?

What mess gear should a battery be content with? what canvas? etc....

Thoughts?

[Haversack]

Re: Improving Artillery Camps

Personally,I do Infantry and Dismounted Cavalry,but I like seeing discussions about authentic Artillery and Mounted Cavalry.I hate going to events and there not being one progressive/hardcore Artillery and Cavalry.I like to learn more about the other branches.

[RJSamp]

Re: Improving Artillery Camps

Step 1:
GET SOME HORSES.

Even if they aren't used to pull the limbers.....an Artillery Battery in the field had upwards of 110 horses. Officer's and BUGLERS were mounted. You need a picket line, hay forks, piles of forage, horse hair on your uniforms, and an understanding of the watering, care, feeding, and watching of the equine stock. It's great to be the most thoroughly drilled #1 in the hobby....but do you know how much water a working horse can drink on a 90 degree day (your SWAG should be in 10's of gallons)?

Step 2:
Mounted Officer's
If the Captains and Major aren't on Horses, don't even show up at an event (including an encampment). Mounted Lt's are a bonus.


Step 3:
BUGLERS
If you don't have one for every 3 or 4 guns, stay home. If you don't know the calls, stay home.
Mounted Buglers, with a saber and pistol, you get bonus points.

Step 4:
Throw your kit under the gun and gun tarp.....you'll stay dry.....don't sit up suddenly when you hear Reveille (see Step 3) or you WILL get a bump on your noggin.

Fond memories of campaign camping at Camp Foster with the AOP/Frontier Brigade at Raymond 2001....on Saturday evening after a long day of carrying everything and fighting a couple of battles.....we marched into bivouac on the edge of a cotton field.....the artillery was already 'encamped' in mostly Wall Tents with Flat Gabled front porch flies...pink flamingo flying from a flag post....sitting in chairs.... a buzz kill.

[vamick]

Re: Improving Artillery Camps

Step 1:
Step 4:
Throw your kit under the gun and gun tarp.....you'll stay dry.....don't sit up suddenly when you hear Reveille (see Step 3) or you WILL get a bump on your noggin.

I'll heartly concur with RJ..however even without all the hosses. this last one would do wonders, ( and is very "DO-able" without a lotta cash) especially with a 'battery' of more than one gun! folks there is AMPLE room under the gun tarp with the gun limbered and a coupla implements as poles, plenty of room there for the whole gun crew, and with some hay its a much nicer bed down that the cavalry gets..its plush, its LUX-U-RY!! and a note* THERE WILL BE NO SMOKING) AND. if you like to get up in the night, get under the cannon axle, or limber axle to the rear, and DO watch that head!

[hta1970]

Re: Improving Artillery Camps

It is great to see some comments on this topic. Thanks for everyone who is contributing.

I think the whole topic of the cost of horses camp up in the "Improving Artillery" thread and it was agreed that though we all might like to have them the cost of care, feeding, training and transportation of a battery of horses is beyond the means of a battery which will cost $30-40k just for the gun, limber and impliments. But I also think it is a goal we all have when we win the lottery to get that 4-6 horses for our gun/limber.

As for mounted majors and captains. Again, I think that goes to the cost issue, but even more importantly, why would there even be a major of artillery at many events? A major is a division chief of artillery up through '62 or second in command in an artillery battalion from '63-65 in the ANV. To really justify it you need to have at least 2 batteries for a major and many majors were commanding up to 7 batteries in '62 (Andrews commanded 7 batteries with 28 guns total at Cedar Run) and 4-5 in '63-'65. A lieutenant colonel was allocated for every 28 guns. I think the senior artillery officer at both September Storm and At High Tide were/are captains.

I was just thinking about buglers. That is a good point and I think there does need to be a greater emphasis put on them at the same time making sure when four guns show up we don't have 4 buglers. Cross training them as a gunner would solve that issue.

I also agree about #4, there needs to be a complete removal of camp furniture and tents for events from Chancellorsville through Gettysburg. See ANV General Order #58. Officers get one fly tent, then rest should be under the gun paulin or under the stars.

Fall '63 fly tents appear.

Spring '64 the batteries should be using shelter tents.

Below are some notes from invoices for 2nd Corps Artillery ANV from the compiled military service records at the National Archives.

Lee Artillery (VA)

Charles W. Stratham
Invoice nov 3, 1863
3 fly tents

Jeff Davis Artillery (AL)

James W. Bondurant
Special requisition 22 dec 62
1 fly tent
Special requitision 20 jan 1863
1 tent fly

R.H. Christian
Special Requisition 9 Jan 64 (filed under Richard H. Christian 1st VA Arty)
4 fly tents

Orange Artillery

Charles William Fry
Special requisition
12 jan 64
1 wall tent
Fly tents
Received 22 Sep 1863 (filed under Thomas H. Carter King William Artillery)
4 skillets and lids
4 camp kettles
2 water buckets
1 wall tent and fly complete
7 tent flies

Morris Artillery (VA)

Lewis M. Coleman
Special requisition 4 jun 62
1 office stool
Special requisition 9 sep 61
1 quartermaster’s tent wall tent fly piles pins
1 adjutant’s tent wall tents fly poles pins
1 guard tent common tent complete
1 prisoner’s tent common tent complete
13 sep 61
1 forage tent common tent complete
Special requisition 26 aug 61
Fifteen mess pans
Special requisition 21 aug 61
3 common tents & poles and & pins

Charles R. Montgomery
Invoice 2 may 64
1 “A” Tent

Samuel H. Pendleton
Special requisition (no date)
4 skillets and lids
4 camp kettles
2 water buckets
1 tent fly

Alleghany Artillery (VA)

John Carpenter
6 apr 1863
Received $150 for expenses of sending baggage to the rear as per general order no 43 hd qrts ANV

Orange Artillery

William Allen Deas
14 aug 63
1 skillet
1 water bucket
1 boiler
1 axe

King William Artillery(VA)

Thomas H. Carter
Receieved 10 july 61
5 camp kettles
15 mess pans
Requisition (no date)
15 mess pans
5 camp kettles
3 wall tents (complete)
6 company tents (complete)
Special requisition (for battalion)
22 sep 63
1 wall tent fly and pins complete
1 wall hospital complete
1 fly tent
Special requisition
4 sep 61
4 mess pans
4 camp kettles

William P. Carter
Special requisition
22 sep 63
4 skillet and lids
4 camp kettles
2 water buckets
1 tent fly
Special requisition
9 jan 64
10 fly tents
1 wall tent

Charlottesville Artillery

James McD Carrington
Special requisition 30 jul 62
3 common tents complete (issued in place of 3 officers tents for 5 officers – abandoned in recent marches and battles)
Special requisition 28 apr 62
12 bell tents
3 officers tents wall
15 camp kettles
24 skillets
Special requisition 24 dec 63
2 fly tents
1 wall tent and fly complete
1 tent fly

Henrico Artillery

Alfred R. Courtney
Special requisition 27 july 61
8 camp kettles
8 skillets
Special requisition 7 sep 61
1 comm tent and poles and pins
Special requisition 8 jul 61
10 mess pans
4 bake ovens
8 camp kettles
Special requisition 7 sep 61
1 brass bugle for artillery battery

Staunton Artillery (organized 1 Nov 59)

Muster Roll Jul and Aug 61
It may be proper to add under this head that this company has never received from the state or confederate government nothing whatever, not blankets, not tents (except for a single yankee tent captured property) nor anything except its ammo, horses, harness and 100 knapsacks and canteens.

Alexander H. Fultz
Special requisition 23 dec 62
9 fly tents new

Andrews’ Battalion

William I. Hill (filed under First Maryland Artillery)
Special requisition 4 jun 63
For the use of the medical department of andrews’ artillery battalion
1 wall tent & fly
2 fly tents

First Maryland Artillery

R. Snowden Andrews (filed under General and Staff Officers)
Special requisition 2 jul 61
8 camp kettles
Special requisition 25 jul 61
6 camp kettles
10 mess pans
Special requisition 31 jul 61
6 comm tents, poles and pins
1 paulin
Received 31 oct 61
1 hospital tent

Carter’s Battalion

R.C.M. Page (filed under R.C.M. Page
Special Requisition 10 Nov 64
1 table
3 stools
1 desk
Special Requisition 13 Dec 64
1 wall tent
1 flies
1 felling axe

First Virginia Artillery

Robert A. Hardaway
special requisition 18 apr 64
1 desk
1 office table

John Selden
Abstract of articles expended in 4th quarter 63
1 ammunition box (for office papers)

Second Richmond Howitzers (VA) (filed under 1st VA Artillery)

Henry Hudnall
Special requisition 1 Mar 62
6 lanterns

Lorraine F. Jones
Special requisition 26 April 64
26 shelter tents
Special requisition 6 Apr 64
1 camp kettle
1 skillet with lid
Turned in 17 April 64
8 tent flies worn
1 wall tent complete worn

David Watson
Special requisition 2 Jan 64
2 fly tents
Special requisition 23 Sep 63
4 skillets with lids
Special requisition 22 July 64
1 skillet with lid
1 camp kettle
Special requisition 8 Jan 64
1 wall tent
4 fly tents
Fly pins and poles for wall tent
Special requisition 1 Oct 63
1 fly tent
Special requisition 10 Jan 64
1 fly tent
Special requisition 19 Dec 63
2 camp kettles
2 skillets with lids
2 tents (Johnstons’s)

Second Richmond Howitzers (VA)

Lorraine F. Jones
Special Requisition 30 April 1864
2 shelter tents

Rockbridge Artillery

Muster Roll Jul and Aug 61
The company is generally well provided with a plain gray domestic uniform and have an adequate supply of tents.
Muster Roll Sep and Oct 61
The company is generally well uniformed with plain gray domestic dress and has an adequate supply of tents.
Muster Roll Mar and Apr 62
Without tents. Clothing good.
Muster Roll May and Jun 62
No of tents (summer) 6. Clothing good.
Muster Roll June 30 to Oct 31 62
No of tents (summer) 6. Clothing comfortable.

Archibald Graham
Special requisition 23 sep 63
4 skillets with lids
Special requisition 1 oct 63
1 fly tent
Special requisition 8 jan 64
1 wall tent fly pins and poles
Special requisition 26 apr 64
30 shelter tents

[James Brenner]

Re: Improving Artillery Camps

FWIW, in late 1863, the 9th Ohio Battery settled into winter quarters at Ft. Raines in Tullahoma. In a letter to the editor of the Jeffersonian Democrat (20 November 1863), one of the battery's members wrote, "We are well housed, but that did not satisfy Captain York. He drew new bell tents. Each has a capacity for ten ordinary sized fellows. As soon as we received them we began improvements ... sewing on a flounce that forms a wall about two feet high and gives considerably more room ... more comfortably than our holey dog tents."