What happened to the captured weapons after the surrender ofVicksburg?

[a34]

Gents,

After the capture of Vicksburg, is there any documentation on what the Federals did with the weapons they captured? My ancestor's unit carried converted Model 1822's they picked up in Lynchburg, VA in June '61. I doubt the Federals would of had use for those for front line troops. So, wondering what they did with them? Return to arsenal, destroy, etc.

I hope to one day pick up an original for my own collection.

Thanks for any info!

[KPavia]

Re: What happened to the captured weapons after the surrender ofVicksburg?

I seem to remember a thread here years ago that mentioned this subject. If I remember correctly, the poster quoted either Grant's memoirs or one of his aide's memoirs where they mentioned that they switched out their inferior muskets for the ones they captured from the Confederates at Vicksburg. I'll try and see if I can find this reference somewhere.

[a34]

Re: What happened to the captured weapons after the surrender ofVicksburg?

Thanks Kenny, seems like I remember reading somewhere that the Confederates has some new ones in a warehouse they couldn't use for some reason. I'm sure those were taken first.

[LeftCoastYank]

Re: What happened to the captured weapons after the surrender ofVicksburg?

The Confederates indeed had many rifles at Vicksburg they couldn't use. The garrison was approximately 32,000 soldiers, but in his memoirs, Grant states that he captured approximately 60,000 rifles. Tens of thousands of these rifles were brand-new, unissued imports. Many of the Federal regiments present at Vicksburg were rearmed from these stocks.

[a34]

Re: What happened to the captured weapons after the surrender ofVicksburg?

Yes, that's what I read. I'm sure those shiny new Enfields made it to his troops. But those 40+ year old converted flintlocks? Where did they go?

[James Brenner]

Re: What happened to the captured weapons after the surrender ofVicksburg?

Generally speaking, the second and third class muskets and rifles were turned into the field Ordnance officers who then sent them to one of the arsenals, armories, or depots: St. Louis, Louisville, Columbus, etc. where they were likely re-issued to the states for home guard use. I can't say for certain that's what happened ,but I can tell you why I think that. Bear with me ...

I had a M1841 Mississippi rifle made by Robbins and Lawrence in 1850. After the Ordnance Department accepted it, the rifle sat in storage until 1861. In April, it was issued to Massachusetts and, four months later, Massachusetts sold 961 of these "Windsor" rifles to New Hampshire. New Hampshire altered the rifles to accept a saber bayonet at which time both the bayonet and the bayonet guide key/lug were stamped with matching serial numbers. This was the only M1841 variation with a serial numbered guide. Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores in the National Archives show that the 9th and 11th New Hampshire Regiments were issued these rifles. Both regiments were at Vicksburg in July 1863 and in the following month, the 9th moved to Louisville and the 11th moved to Cincinnati. According to those same records, both regiments received first class arms during the third quarter 1863. (I'll have to root around in my files to find out whether they got Enfields, Springfields, or both) in exchange for their Windsors.

In September 1863, the federal government turned over to the state of Ohio about 27,000 second and third class muskets - foreign and domestic - under the auspices of the 1808 Militia Act, including some of these rifles. At the time, the state had very few weapons for home defense; for the two years prior, virtually all of them had been issued to federal volunteers. In the wake of Morgan's Raid, Ohio had recently re-organized its militia and desperately needed any and all weapons for home defense. Upon receipt of the weapons, the state die-stamped them on the wrist and flat with OHIO. marking them with as public property. The Windsor rifle mentioned above has that OHIO mark.

So, if this anecdote is in anyway typical, the Ordnance Department used those serviceable second and third class muskets captured at Vicksburg and elsewhere to re-arm the northern states and make good upon their responsibilities under the 1808 Militia Act. As for any flintlocks captured, I suspect that they were sold at auction.

I hope this helps a bit.

Jim