Faulty Confederate Cartridges

[lelliott19]

Ord Officer McLaws Division
Nov 26, 1863

Lieut Francis W Dawson
Actg Chief of Ordnance
Longstreet's Corps

Lieut
In reply to a circular letter from the Chief of Ordnance C.S.A. dated Nov 2 1863 Calling for report from the Ordnance officer of this command of the best method of putting up the Elongated cartridges. After careful personal observations and having consulted the most intelligent field and company officers in this Division, I have the honor to report that as the letter supposes there is great destruction of cartridges where the confederate method is used of pinching the paper into the ball. Especially where the paper is of an indifferent quality (as it frequently is.)

I have noticed when inspecting the cartridge Boxes of the men that there were a great many balls broken from the powder and the powder wasted in the boxes and in the same box I have found cartridges put up Either in the Enfield or U.S. Method perfectly sound.

I find also that the machine used in pinching the paper in the ball frequently weakens the paper so that upon the least handling or rough usage of the cartridge the paper is liable to tear loose from the ball. Either the Enfield or U.S. Method is far preferable. My Experience with the Enfield method will not justify me in recommending it. But I think that any cartridges in which the powder is protected by an interior cylinder of stiff paper is by far the best.
Very Respectfully
Your Obdt Servt
A Edwards
Actg Ord Off McLaws' Division

 

[Tin cup]

One book that should be in the library of every Confederate ammo enthusiast of the Civil War is:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1577471512/?tag=civilwartalkc-20
This book details a lot of the problems the Confederate Arsenals had with ammo production.

Kevin Dally

 

[Tin cup]

http://www.baymediapro.com/gardner_machine.pdf

Kevin Dally

 

[UCVRelics]

Great Info. I really think the key to his report is the date (2 years deep in the war) and the "paper" When these cartridges were made in proper facilities with proper components it was a different story. The South had to reply on what they had plus a lot of cartridge making operations had to move due to the pesky yankees so we had to make due. From the report it sounds like it was a mess of powder and paper and no good for ANY soldier.

 

[Frederick14Va]

The respective CS cartridge placed in question in the letter is the CS Gardner bullet cartridge. The projectile is cast whereas the skirt is in two segments... During production the paper is wrapped around one part... It is then pushed through a swagging punch machine that crimps the outer flange of the skirt down onto the paper thus securing it in place... sandwiched between the two parts of the skirt.

It was a novel idea and design... The intended advantages was two fold... Ease of manufacturing since there was no double wraps nor need to tie the end, hence increased speed of production. Secondly ease of loading... since no need to remove the bullet from the paper wrap. Tear the tail end to dump the powder down the barrel, then ram the rest of it on down the barrel.

The soon discovered inherited disadvantages was that under normal handling, and any flexing of the single paper wrap where it was crimped into the bullet tended to be quite fragile and commonly resulted in tearing of the paper if one was not most careful in handling and storage in the cartridge box... Otherwise like the letter mentioned you would have broken cartridges and loose spilled powder inside. This was a well known and frequently discussed issue, that resulted in the Confederate Arsenals under orders to discontinue manufacturing the Gardner style cartridges in favor of using the English cartridge style.

Here is an image of two original CS Gardner cartridges for reference. The bullet itself is not enclosed as other methods were, the crimped on paper cartridge held the powder charge.

 

[mofederal]

Thank you for posting this I can't remember the last time I saw a Gardner, It has been a long time. Thanks again for posting this one. I enjoy reading about Ordnance matters.

 

[lelliott19]

Thanks @Frederick14Va !!!! I love it when you provide images that help me understand these things. I know next to nothing about firearms and ammo but am eager to learn more. Now I see what all the fuss was about. Thanks again!

 

[Drew]

John Pierpont Morgan would become one of the richest men in American history. He bought his way out of service in the Union Army during the Civil War and quickly set to work, making money.

Among his first very profitable endeavors was the sale of wildly overpriced and defective rifles to the Union Army. Men who fired Morgan's rifles had their thumbs blown off, due poorly manufactured breeches. He was sued in court and won, remarkably. The taste of profit lived with him, apparently...

Anyone can read about it, starting here.

 

[Package4]

Thanks @Frederick14Va !!!! I love it when you provide images that help me understand these things. I know next to nothing about firearms and ammo but am eager to learn more. Now I see what all the fuss was about. Thanks again!

This might help with the visual:

 

[lelliott19]

This might help with the visual:

Indeed! Thanks for posting that picture @Package4

Another question - probably not specific to Gardner ammo.......that little "nipple" on the nose of the bullet I presume was left from the casting? Assuming it was removed prior to ammo being finished and issued? How did they get that off? Did it break off? Or did it have to be filed off of each one?

 

[tbuckley]

With the bullet of the Gardner cartridge exposed, I assume that the lubricant in the grooves would tend to accumulate dirt, loose powder and etc.
I have two Gardner blow outs in my collection and found both of them in fired bullets at one of the tourist shops in Gettysburg.

 

[Frederick14Va]

Another question - probably not specific to Gardner ammo.......that little "nipple" on the nose of the bullet I presume was left from the casting? Assuming it was removed prior to ammo being finished and issued? How did they get that off? Did it break off? Or did it have to be filed off of each one?

The protrusion on the nose is the molding sprue... Its the excess lead from where the molten lead was poured into the mold. Some molds have a sprue cutter attached to the mold itself... Others do not... that its molding sprue is still attached to the single or multiple bullets if it has more than one bullet cavity in that case its commonly referred to as a molding tree. Simply each bullet is cut off flush at the nose cone with a pair of pliers cupped and beveled on just one side designed for the purpose.

Here is a period mold that has the sprue cutter... To use it the steel part is pivoted around so the holes line up... molten lead is poured into the mold.. it solidifies rather quickly... tap the arm of it with a wooden mallet and it easily cuts off the sprue flush with the top of the bullet... open up and it usually falls out... close back up and do another...

Most all Confederate production bullets were hot cast in molds... Majority of Federal production projectiles were made with a swage machine.. meaning... instead of being cast with molten lead, they were produced by being cold pressed by high pressure into the specially designed machine mold... hence why most Federal bullets do not have the usual molding sprue mark on the nose (or side of the nose) ... It also produced a much better properly caliber sized and consistent bullet without most of the usual defects that are frequent with molded ones...

 

[lelliott19]

Ahhhh the old "sprue cutter." That was handy I suppose. Much better than filing as I assumed.

Thanks @Frederick14Va !!!!

 

[Tin cup]

Then you have the " side cast" bullets where after molding, they had to cut the "sprue" off of the side of the bullet...This one a friend let me cast from his original side cast Enfield style mold.

Kevin Dally

 

[Specster]

John Pierpont Morgan would become one of the richest men in American history. He bought his way out of service in the Union Army during the Civil War and quickly set to work, making money.

Among his first very profitable endeavors was the sale of wildly overpriced and defective rifles to the Union Army. Men who fired Morgan's rifles had their thumbs blown off, due poorly manufactured breeches. He was sued in court and won, remarkably. The taste of profit lived with him, apparently...

Anyone can read about it, starting here.

Love him and hate him and love to hate him at the end of the day

 

[Jobe Holiday]

The incident referred to is the famous "Fremont Scandal", and the carbines in question are Hall percussion carbines. They were purchased as smoothbores and then rifled by the purchasers, then sold back to the Govt. as "Rifled Breech Loading Carbines". Although old and obsolete by model, I don't think they were as nearly as unsafe as they were deemed to be. If they were so prone to blowing up as claimed there wouldn't be so many of them around today. The Govt. was just angry that they bought their own recently sold carbines back at a huge profit to the seller. My opinions, only!
J.

 

[Noonanda]

The protrusion on the nose is the molding sprue... Its the excess lead from where the molten lead was poured into the mold. Some molds have a sprue cutter attached to the mold itself... Others do not... that its molding sprue is still attached to the single or multiple bullets if it has more than one bullet cavity in that case its commonly referred to as a molding tree. Simply each bullet is cut off flush at the nose cone with a pair of pliers cupped and beveled on just one side designed for the purpose.

Here is a period mold that has the sprue cutter... To use it the steel part is pivoted around so the holes line up... molten lead is poured into the mold.. it solidifies rather quickly... tap the arm of it with a wooden mallet and it easily cuts off the sprue flush with the top of the bullet... open up and it usually falls out... close back up and do another...

View attachment 167903

Most all Confederate production bullets were hot cast in molds... Majority of Federal production projectiles were made with a swage machine.. meaning... instead of being cast with molten lead, they were produced by being cold pressed by high pressure into the specially designed machine mold... hence why most Federal bullets do not have the usual molding sprue mark on the nose (or side of the nose) ... It also produced a much better properly caliber sized and consistent bullet without most of the usual defects that are frequent with molded ones...

Is this your mold? I am gauging interest in getting a reproduction mold made, posted in a nother thread in here

 

[lelliott19]

Found an invoice for ordnance which I assume is for some of those cartridges referenced in the OP?

Invoice of ordnance stores turned over by Lt. W L Allen ordnance Officer Barksdale's Brig'd to 21st Miss[issippi] Regiment

5 Enfield Rifles Cal. 57
480 Combustible Cartridges

I Certify that the above is a Correct Invoice of ordnance turned over <?> on this day Feby <or July?> 19, 1863.
W L Allen
Lt & Ord Off

 

[lelliott19]

@Bryce here in the OP is that document I was telling you about. Enjoy.

 

[Noonanda]

This might help with the visual:
View attachment 167826

I bought one of those Gardner repros a few months ago, looking at getting a mold made for personal use