shot guns

Here is a thread we had on this subject. Many Southerns brought shotguns from home early in the war.

 
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Here is a thread we had on this subject. Many Southerns brought shotguns from home early in the war.

Interesting thread. Bookmarked for future reference. Thanks!
 
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any one know what % of them were used in the war. also were they ever an issued item?
My great grandfather and his brother served in the 36th Miss. Below is copied/pasted from an old thread the early inspection report from the regiment just prior to Iuka, it’s first action. It is certainly a hodgepodge and includes enough double barreled shotguns to arm a company.
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The 36th Mississippi Infantry was organized in March 1862 at Rienzi, Miss., too late for the battle of Shiloh but in time for the first Corinth campaign. Their first action occurred soon after at Farmington on May 9, 1862. My great-grandfather was a private in this regiment, his brother a lieutenant. They served together throughout the war; captured and paroled at Vicksburg, were exchanged and fought in the Atlanta, Franklin and Nashville campaigns.

I found this early inspection report for the 36th; an ancestor of another soldier in the Regiment had gleaned it from the State Archives and posted online. It is interesting as it shows how poorly equipped the unit was in the beginning, even though it was one year into the war. This report was written less than 3 weeks prior to their first battle.

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[Copy of Inspection Report of the Condition of the 36th Regiment Mississippi Volunteers, Colonel Drury J. Brown, Commanding]

Rienzi, Miss. Camp Rives
April 21st, 1862

[To:] Brigadier General. H. Little, commanding
1st Brigade, West. Army

General,

In obedience to Orders No. 83 directing me to inspect the 36th Regiment (Miss.) Colonel Brown commanding and to report in writing, etc. I have the honor to report that I have made said inspection and find said Regiment armed as follows, to wit: thirty seven (37) Rifled Muskets - Forty one cartridge boxes - Thirty seven Bayonets and Bayonet scabbards- Thirty seven Waist and Shoulder belts - Thirty seven (37) cap pouches - 25 screwdrivers - one (1) Thumbvice - 360 Altered Rifles - Two hundred and seventy Double barrel Shotguns and Rifles. The altered Rifles I find almost wholly worthless - badly bored out and the locks of the most indifferent kind. The main spring being entirely too weak to explode our Army Gun caps. The rifled Muskets are all excellent also the accoutrements belonging thereto. The doublebarrel Shotguns are some of them, say enough to arm one company, good as they are of the right calibre to carry the B.B. [buck and ball ?] cartridge. The others are either too small or unfit for service - Some being without tubes [!!] and some without hammers [!!]. Upon the whole, taking into consideration the kind of arms and the way they are distributed; with exception of the 46 cartridge boxes and the 37 waist and shoulder belts I find the Regiment without accoutrements - The Regiment has on hand 18,000 G. D. [?] Percuss. Caps, 15,000 Miss Rifle Cartridges, 1,480 Rifle Musket cartridges, all in good order. In camp and garrison equipage, The Regiment has an abundance of Tents all of [extra ?] size and a fly to each. This leaves nothing to be desired so long as they are transported by Railroad but would be cumbersome to transport by waggons - being composed of Osnaburgh [fabric] without the fly they would not keep out the rain. The men are comfortably clad and shod. The Regiment is composed of a fine body of men and properly armed would doubtless do effective service though now laboring under that curse of all new troops the measels [sic]. I would further state that said Regiment is without waggons [?]fore having been transported by rail, and with exception of the want of a few camp kettles leaves nothing to be desired in the way of cooking utensils.

All of which is respectfully submitted

(signed) D. McRae Colonel
Commanding Regt M [?] Vol
 
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