Cincinnati Clothing Depot Report - July-November 1861

[cavscout148]

From the Cincinnati Daily Commercial, November 29 1861. There were a few numbers I could not make out from the microfilm, so I annotated with a _. No attempts to guess the numbers. Gives a good idea of what was coming out of Cincinnati in mid to late 61.

Military Clothing Distributed from this City.
We are permitted by Capt. Bullock, Assistant Quartermaster General of Ohio, to publish the following, viz:

Clothing Depot, Cincinnati, O,
November 27, 1861
Capt. J.H. Dickerson, A.Q.M:
Dear Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of clothing and camp equipage, which I have issued on your order, from the 1st of July, 1861, to 26th November, 1861.
I have the honor to be,
Very respectfully your ob’t servant,
WM. H. GILL
M.S.K., Q.M.D., U.S.A.

Boots (pairs)………….…………………………6,107
Bootees (pairs)…………………………………115,714
Blouses (lined)…………………………………49, 564
Blouses (unlined)………………………………49,199
Blankets…………………………………………93, _81
Great coats (foot)……………………………….36,459
Great coats (mounted)…………………………2, _77
Drawers (pairs)………………………………….165,610
Shirts……………………………………………..170,410
Stockings (pairs)………………………………...172,745
Trowsers (foot)…………………………………..92,1_2
Trowsers (mounted)…………………………….5,1_9
Caps and covers…………………………………75, 703
Artillery jackets…………………………………..374
Private coats (infantry)………………………….12,4_0
Cavalry jackets…………………………………..4,584
Zouave trousers…………………………………2,000
Zouave hats……………………………………..1,980
Zouave jackets…………………………………..2,000
Zouave leggings………………………………...2,000
Hats (felt)…………………………………………_7,637
Wall tents, complete…………………………….2,107
Bell tents, complete……………………………..4,033
Sibley tents, complete…..………………………1,621
Common tents, complete……………………….997
Hospital tents, complete………………………...85
Bugles, with ex. M.P……………………………..60
Drums, complete……………………………..….410
Fifes………………………………………………380
Canteens, complete…………….………………76,970
Haversacks, do………………………………….82,833
Knapsacks, do…………………………………..74,372
Axes and Handles………………………………10,890
Picks and Handles……………………………...10,890
Hatchets and Handles………………………….10,671
Spades…………………………………………...10,190
Shovels…………………………………………..727
Camp Kettles…………………………………….10,166
Mess Pans……………………………………….23,542
Knives…………………………………………….44,775
Forks………………………………………………44,805
Spoons……………………………………………30,281
Tin Cups…………………………………………..47,961
Tin Plates……………………………………….…47,905
Reg. Description Books………………………….86
do. Letter, do ……………………........86
do. Order, do …………………………85
do. Index, do ………………………...35
Gen’l Order. do …………………………86
Co. Morning Rept, do …………………………876
do. Description, do ………………………….878
do. Order, do ………………………….878
do. Clothing, do ………………………….878
Comforts…………………………………………..3,612
Knapsack Blankets………………………………5,000
Knapsack Traps…………………………………..5,000
Hatchet Handle…………………………………..100
Post Guard Books………………………………..40
Pick Handles……………………………………..150
Axe Handles……………………………………...600
Leather Stocks……………………………………15,000

[GrumpyDave]

So, here's my issue. These records are great, no doubt but, who made it, what did it look like, and where did it go? That's what we'll never know.

[Jam3853]

It does shoe a relatively close stocking of Lined vs. Unlined blouse for the early months of the war.

Also bell tents being more common then sibley at this particular arsenal

also caps/covers stocked in equal numbers?
possibly distributed as such

[CompanyWag]

Thank you for posting.

This is one important part of the puzzle. Piecing together a complete sense of what was used, what it was like and where it was sent obviously requires handling completely vetted artifacts of known provenance, more first hand accounts and descriptions, photographic records, & etc. We may never have a complete understanding, but over the last several decades, a much clearer picture has emerged.

When I started in this hobby, the cutting edge were happy with generic representations of uniforms and equipment made from moderately correct materials and patterns. It was unheard of specifying a JT Martin sack coat over a Schuykill Arsenal or a Cincinatti Depot, let alone even recognizing the difference or knowing when and where in the war they would be appropriate. Thanks to early research and the internet, rank and file reenactors have resources available to them just for the asking. I can only imagine our understanding of the material culture of the war will continue to accelerate.

I found the bell tent reference interesting as well as the couple thousand zouave uniforms issued out in the west. Equal numbers of lined vs unlined blouses issued out throughout the Summer and Fall months. I regretted the first digit missing on the "felt hats". I would have like to compare with the numbers of forage caps issued in that timeframe.