Southern Contracts with the North

[rbruno]

I came across an article the other day written by General Gorgas about the Ordanance Department of the Confederate Government. It is taken from "The Confederate Soldier In The Civil War" published in KY in 1895. It seems like it is part of his memiors. Anyway, one paragraph caught my eye. The paragraph deals with contracts the Conf. Government made with the North.

"The first thing to be attended to was the supply of powder. Large orders had been sent to the Norht, both by the Confederate Government and some of the States, and these were being rapidly filled at the date of the attack on Fort Sumter. The entire product of one large Northern mill was being received at a Southern port. Of course all the ports were soon sealed to such importations from the North."

The rest of the paragraph goes on to describe what the South did to increase its production of powder and other ordnance.

My question is, has anyone come across any other documents or info on the kind of contracts the Conf Gov't or states had with Northern manufactures after the war started? I know Colt Manufacturing was sending guns south as quick as it could before and I think during the early parts of the war. I also know things were smuggled in or sent by families. I am just curious if anyone has any documentation on official contracts with Northern manufactures.

[PenPusher]

Re: Southern Contracts with the North

Rob,

Thought that the attached might be of interest, also the comment about abolitionists suggests that not everyone in the North was in agreement with Government policy.

[rbruno]

Re: Southern Contracts with the North

That is an interesting start especially about the target practice. The account I posted just got me thinking about how many Northern companies actually contributed to the Southern war effort essentially behind the government's back to make a profit. I know buttons were going south throughout the war. I wonder if the North contributed much more than I imaged.

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Southern Contracts with the North

The soon-defeated attempt to make Confederate coinage was contracted-out to a man from Philadelphia. According to legend, until after the war, he kept the protoype dies buried in his basement for fear of being called a traitor:

In 1861, Mr. Robert Lovett Jr. of Philadelphia was commissioned to design, engrave, and make a one cent piece for the Confederacy.

Here's the thread: http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...derate+coinage

I also seem to vaguely remember (was it Ft. Henry or Donelson or another Western Theatre fort??) that when Union troops took over the fort, they found-out the Confederates were ordering items from Northern mail-order catalogues to supply themselves while the war was still in its early stages. Can someone provide a period reference if this happened? I'd like to know more about it, but cannot seem to find the 1st person-reference. Perhaps I'm just dense... :p

All the best- Johnny Lloyd:wink_smil