Repro Ammunition Wagon

[JHarper]

Hi,

Looking for your thoughts on a wagon like this for reenactment purposes. Doesn't have to be an "ammunition" wagon.

Too small? Not period enough? Wheels are wrong but bad enough to make it unusable as a prop. Those type of things.

 

[major bill]

I am not sure what to think.

 

[Kurt G]

It looks like it should be in some ones garden filled with Petunias .
Yes , too small , wrong wheels and not period at all. I think if you could find an old farm wagon you may have better luck with some additional paint and construction. I have never been a reenactor and can appreciate your enthusiasm , but I don't think this piece passes muster .

 

[JHarper]

It looks like it should be in some ones garden filled with Petunias .
Yes , too small , wrong wheels and not period at all. I think if you could find an old farm wagon you may have better luck with some additional paint and construction. I have never been a reenactor and can appreciate your enthusiasm , but I don't think this piece passes muster .

 

[JHarper]

I am not sure what to think.

Lol

It looks like it should be in some ones garden filled with Petunias .
Yes , too small , wrong wheels and not period at all. I think if you could find an old farm wagon you may have better luck with some additional paint and construction. I have never been a reenactor and can appreciate your enthusiasm , but I don't think this piece passes muster .

That's kind of what I was thinking - not very period at all. I agree, a farm wagon may be a better fit. The problem is finding one... well, and transport.

Thanks for the input.

 

[EJ Zander]

Not sure what area of country you are in but around here old farm wagons are not too hard to source. Buckboard or spring wagons would be too small. Thinking produce or market wagon, big enough but not to hard to transport. Amish harness and carriage shops I have had dealings with usually have a few old ones around they would part with. If not they have the contacts to know someone who does.

 

[JHarper]

Not sure what area of country you are in but around here old farm wagons are not too hard to source. Buckboard or spring wagons would be too small. Thinking produce or market wagon, big enough but not to hard to transport. Amish harness and carriage shops I have had dealings with usually have a few old ones around they would part with. If not they have the contacts to know someone who does.

We're in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Amish areas I know of are a good ways NE of our location. Maybe someone knows of a closer one, I'll start checking around.

I'd look at buying one from a wagon manufacturer but they're a bit out of my price range - quite a few thousand dollars. A bit of labor for a cheaper one would suit us better.

 

[Cannondragger]

 

[Cannondragger]

I'm sorry folks, but I messed up with this post.
The above Baggage Wagon is for sale. It was used in the movie "Glory". If you are interested, more info can be attained from [email protected]

 

[Story]

@JHarper There's a lot of logistics involved in a wagon; will it be horse, mule or donkey drawn? will you rent or own a draught animal? Where will you store the wagon when not in use? Do you have a trailer and tow vehicle?

 

[James N.]

The wheels are hideous - refer to the photo posted above by @Cannondragger to get an idea of how far off you are!

 

[James N.]

View attachment 401119

An interesting point about this ordnance wagon that may not be apparent at first glance - IT HAS NO SEAT FOR A DRIVER! That's because the drivers were mounted on the off (left-hand) horses in exactly the same way as on the team of an artillery piece.

 

[UCVRelics]

View attachment 401119

Very Nice ORD wagon.

 

[JHarper]

I'm sorry folks, but I messed up with this post.
The above Baggage Wagon is for sale. It was used in the movie "Glory". If you are interested, more info can be attained from [email protected]

Thanks for the image and contact.

@JHarper There's a lot of logistics involved in a wagon; will it be horse, mule or donkey drawn? will you rent or own a draught animal? Where will you store the wagon when not in use? Do you have a trailer and tow vehicle?

Some of these are certainly issues... that I've been researching how to solve. I assume even if we start soon, it would take until spring at earliest. The plan for the wagon is as a stationary part of a quartermaster impression so no real need to be drawn. A tow vehicle has to wait until we figure out exactly how to proceed (size, etc).

The wheels are hideous - refer to the photo posted above by @Cannondragger to get an idea of how far off you are!

Agreed, the wheels aren't accurate. The goal is moreso to approximate something visitors will still appreciate while we decide whether to spend thousands on a better wagon. The wagon I originally posted isn't ours, it's the property of another organization. We've decided to wait on the wagon until we can find something better that isn't $6000+.

An interesting point about this ordnance wagon that may not be apparent at first glance - IT HAS NO SEAT FOR A DRIVER! That's because the drivers were mounted on the off (left-hand) horses in exactly the same way as on the team of an artillery piece.

Totally agree, I noticed that as well. Thanks for the additional information as well as pointing that out.

 

[Cannondragger]

View attachment 401197

 

[Cannondragger]

Here is another quartermaster baggage wagon

 

[Cannondragger]

This is a Battery Wagon.

 

[American87]

This is a Battery Wagon.View attachment 401200

Good, I prefer the battery wagon. Just give me the ammo.

 

[James N.]

Note the difference in color, which had to do with what department to which the vehicle was assigned - ordnance was the same liquid olive as the gun carriages, limbers, and battery forge; the quartermaster used what was designated as Prussian Blue for the bodies and Venetian Red for the wheels. (I believe the shade of red in the photo is really too DARK; Venetian Red was brighter, almost scarlet, while that stuff looks BROWN.) Those colors lasted well into the Indian Wars and maybe until ca. 1902, a year many changes were made to the U.S. military.

 

[Lampasas Bill]

I realize the purchase of an authentic-looking wagon is prohibitive for most, but as reenactors, especially those who aspire to be "living historians," there is a responsibility not to give the public a false impression about soldier life in the 1860s. I guess the best you could do with what you have would be to get some wooden wheels that would be appropriate for a civilian wagon and tell the public that you "conficated" it while foraging.