AOT Muskets

[Rockbridge]

I have been doing some research into portraying a soldier in the AOT circa 1863 - 1864. And in my research i have come across a generally accepted fact, that being that .69 caliber muskets were still in wide use by the AOT in 1864. However, when I start digging into uits, they seem to have been armed with rifles at some point in early 64 before the Atlanta campaign. So, before i start pulling out whats left of my hair, does anyone happen to know of any infantry units in the AOT that were using smoothbores in 1864? Thanks for the help.

[FloridaConscript]

[http://www.blueandgraymarching.com/a...oods-corp.html

this is by division, but going on the #s I'd start with Stephenson's division and go from there.

[Rockbridge]

Thank you!!!

[LWhite64]

Jeff, Also, what particular unit are you interested in portraying? I might be able to help.

[Cyclesmith]

In a general sense Smoothbores, Springsfields and Enfield were all commonly seen the AOT in '63-64. In the Quartermasters report of April 1863 counts of the more than 37,000 arms in Bragg's army 44% were .69 cal Smoothbores, 37% were Enfields and 14% were captured Springfields with the balance being a variety of other weapons.

[Archie R. Lib]

Todd -

What about the Lorenz rifle muskets? They were pretty popular in AoT I thought....Especially in 63-64?

R

[Cyclesmith]

Rich-

Yes they were, especially in mid '63 through '64. I sorta skewed my last post more as a "common reproduction guns for the sake of impressions" answer and the original post was interested in Smoothbores, so I left out the Lorenz. The Quartermaster report of the spring of '63 (noted above) records 633 "Austrian" rifles. In the QM Report of the spring of '64 it is documented that 37% of the AOT carried the Lorenz. That shows a major increase in the Lorenz in 1863. Many historians that I have read concluded that many of the early imports of Lorenz Rifles were stored (no not all of them)... however, there was a effort to standardize the AOT with Rifles after Murfeesboro. Also there was very high demand for Rifled arms in 1863, consequently there was very high demand for foreign gun in 1863-64... This has much to do with the Tennessee depots being no longer available to the AOT, by January '64 they were mostly pulling out of the Atlanta Depot... so that put an increased demand on foreign guns... and the AOT soldiers documented nasty habit of tossing their guns during retreats also putting increased demand on foreign arms. Also exchanged trooped being re-equiped for battle. For example I know the 10th Texas was issue Lorenz after they were exchanged in (I think) 1863. All these things put an increased demand on these guns.

As far as reproductions go the best I've seen are from Lodgewood... they make a reproduction stock and assemble original parts on it, often with a springfield ramrod.

I would also note that I have found the numbers of Lorenz to be inaccurate, as it was not uncommon for some reports to list Lorenz as "Enfields"... I assume because they kinda looked alike, and I've also heard that some reports were a tad lazy and just listed all foreign guns as "Enfields"... I have no real documentation for that, but I did read that somewhere.

[Ghostrider_58]

Does anybody have any ideas on Cleburne's or French's Divisions during the '64 Tennessee Campaign?
Best,
Drew

[Gallo de Cielo]

Drew,

I have a manuscript presently with a publisher examining the 9th Texas Infantry which post-Murfreesboro served in Ector's (late Young's) Brigade, French's Division.

The only arms references I have for the unit are Enfield rifles which are referenced during the Atlanta campaign. One soldier reported that they literally shot the rifling out of their weapons due to the constant sharpshooting.

If you are interested in French's Division, I would strongly recommend "Two Wars"- his autobiography and journal from the Mexican and Civil Wars. Blue Acorn Press reprinted it a few years back and I believe it is still available. A fantastic reference.

Additionally, the OR's may offer some insight. Take this report from French of the Atlanta Campaign:
On several occasions over 2,000 rounds of artillery has been expended in a day on my front by the enemy…From time to time the enemy would continue to press in my vedette line until at last the skirmish line of the enemy was established by gradual advances in a few places to within 200 yards of mine. Along these lines the firing was incessant to the ends and so severe was the fire that all the ordinary timber between them of moderate size was killed and the foliage dried up and withered. In one small field in front of my line the expended balls covered the ground like hail, and from there I believe it was over 10,000 pounds of rifle-balls were picked up by my soldiers and delivered to the ordnance department

[huntdaw]

Wow! 10,000 lb.s of rifle-balls at an average of 1 oz. each = 160,000 rounds. That's a lot of shootin'!