Supply Depots / Regiments

[Bob 125th NYSVI]

Re: Supply Depots / Regiments

The regiment drew from the local quartemaster's depot not directly from an arsenal (like New York). Of course which local depot they used varied according to where they were assigned.

Centralize Depots behind the lines (example City Point in the Petersburg Campaign) were replenished by the central arsenals.

The central arsenals got goods either their own work force or contractors (New York used at least 23 different manufacturers that supplied 20,000 or more sack coats each to the arsenal and many more who supplied lessor amounts).

If one arsenal didn't have the requisitioned items they could get it from another arsenal.

That was the beauty of the federal logistics system. They had the ability to move massive quantities of material around to support the entire war effort.

If you were representing an early war militia unit or early raised regiment then that material would have come out of a specific state or local arsenal butonce you were in federal service you'd get what they decided to give you no matter where it came from.

Another fly in the oinment was material recovered from the battlefield. If it could be salvaged with inly a little work, it went directly into the local quartermasters depot for reissuance.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Supply Depots / Regiments

Hallo!

Herr Jack, in brief and to over-generalize...

The Federal arsenals were complex being a mix of "construction," "repair," and "deposit" meaning some made things, some repaired things, some stored things, and some let out contracts for uniforms and gear.
For example, Philadelphia Arsenal had production, New York Arsenal did not.
And Quartermaster "open market" purchases and contracts" mess things up.

At any rate, the arsenals often contracted locally, as well as shipped between themselves.

The level of detail as to what arsenal a requisition for say widgets was filled from for such-and-such a unit, NUG, was not something the Period system seems to have preserved or recorded. Such-and-such unit requisitioned and received say "100 fatigue blouses" what arsenal or contractor made them was not typically part of the "detail."

The Ordnance Department often did the same. I recall an Ohio unit that had to wait until it got to Washington, D.C. to get its arms.

Curt

[Jack Enright]

Re: Supply Depots / Regiments

Thanks, Brian - that's very helpful. I hadn't realised that which depot supplied a certain regiment was set by which army the regiment was part of, rather than which state it was recruited in.

Cheers, mate! :)

Jack

[Brian Baird]

Re: Supply Depots / Regiments

Jack,
My notes are at home but in very general terms, NY & Phil. Depots supplied the AOP. Cinn. supplied the Army of the Cumberland, St. Louis supplied the Army of the Tn. When the A. of the Tenn. moved to eastern Tn in late 1863 then Cinn. became the main supply depot. To resupply Sherman's army on the march to the sea, his QM went to NY and shipped supplies from there.
I have read where the depots would send needed items to other depots especially to St. Louis which had limited manufacturing and did not let out contracts for uniforms.
Hope this helps.
Brian Baird

[Jack Enright]

What is the best way to find out which depot supplied equipment to a specific regiment?

On vendors websites, I've often seen reference to a certain pattern of sack coat, canteen, etc, as being "as supplied by the New York Depot, or Cincinnatti Depot", but I don't know how to cross reference between the regiment and the depot.

Is the best source a detailed regimental history, or are there internet accessible records of shipments from the individual depots?

Being in England, I don't have easy access to State archives or museums, so any advice on this point would be very helpful. :)

Best regards,

Jack