Blacksmithing

[scone]

Larry, the Stones River National Park has a battery wagon you might have seen it on the anv. I think someone was giving a a small talk on being a farrier.


The Guy that made the wagon also made a matching battery forge. It just so happens the capt of my unit has the forge that went to this wagon.

The Guy that built it offered it to park numerous years ago with the wagon but at the time they did want it.. Go Figure their loss was My capt gain.

The Forge does has a orginal axle.. and I think a few other orginal parts.

Many years ago The Chickamauga NP had bits a peices of a original Forge and asked this same guy to buiild him one and part of their deal was that he would get the left over parts . And with that he made his forge.

Its in working order and my capt brings it out every know and then.

I let ya know when so you can come see it . Last year he brought out to the Sam Davis Home when we did a our training camp there.

I would say that forge went with the army and although not very close to the action was not very fare away as the blaclsmith and farrier would be needed for what ever broke or need fixing.

Ranger Lewis at Stones River may be able to help you more with your answer.

[scone]

heres a photo of the battery wagon

[rock city guard]

Cavalry and Artillery had the same kind of forge. I had seen in a few rosters of Tennessee infantry troops were there prior occupation was a blacksmith and have been fighting in the lines. Artillery and Cavalry are the only branches that I know that had blacksmiths.

[rock city guard]

these folks have a nice travelling forge

http://www.oldsouthblacksmiths.com/

[rock city guard]

Steve,

I has going to say, that looks like a battery wagon. I've seen blacksmiths use them as a "Supply shed". I don't recall them actually using them as a travelling forge.

[rock city guard]

heres a union army setup i've never seen.

[whitworth]

Farriars were an important part of the Civil War army, due to the enormous number of horses used in the war.

The Union army had horseshoes manufactured and the farriar merely had to fit the premade shoe to the particular horse.

I read on one site that a soldier, a farrier, George Meach with the 6th NY Cavalry won a Medal of Honor at Winchester for capturing a flag.

The Army of Northern Virginia, in their invasion of Pennsylvania were serious short of horseshoes. Lee said that they were unable to make horseshoes on the move, so many horses were disabled. Both armies used portable forges, and the farriars always traveled with the armies.

[larry_cockerham]

Originally Posted by whitworth

Both armies used portable forges, and the farriars always traveled with the armies.

How closely would they have followed a calvary in pursuit of an enemy or one engaged in battle such as Nashville?

[rock city guard]

Larry,

Troopers often carried extra shoes with them. the army had a special saddlebag for that. The Blacksmith or farrier would have been at a regimental level. Troops would have gone out on partols or battles and come back to resupply. The farriers would have been back at a base camp outside of a town or such.

A Blacksmith capturing a flag would have been unheard of, there must have been a enemy patrol someplace close or a raid on the supply train.

[ole]

The "Official Military Atlas...." has drawings of both a battery wagon and travelling forge. The picture provided is a battery wagon. Jay's link lists the supplies carried. (Thanks, Jay.) A farrier with pre-made shoes would need only a hammer, nails, rasp, pliers and trimmer.

Suspect that the smithys -- like pioneers, teamsters, stewards and staff -- were kept back from the fighting and became involved only in desperate situations wherein every musket became necessary.
Ole