Supply wagon dimensions?

[richard]

I am looking for the distance between the ground and the floor of a standard civil war supply wagon.
Thanks

 

[redbob]

I'm not sure, but a member of the forum makes them at www.starkvillecivilwararsenal.com and I'm sure that he can help you.

 

[StarkvilleCivilWarArsenal]

I am looking for the distance between the ground and the floor of a standard civil war supply wagon.
Thanks

The distance form the ground to the bottom of the floor boards on the 1858 Model 6 mule wagon is 41 inches. I would like to invite you to look at the supply wagon at StarkvilleCivilWarArsenal.com along with the Wheeling Ambulance.

 

[richard]

I want to thank the posters for the information that they provided about the wagons. The reason that I am wanting this information is to use it for an upcoming program that involves the use of fords by supply wagons, limber, and caissons. It seems that the maximum depth of water recommended in a ford is 30 inches. According to the NPS located at the Chickamauga Battlefield Park, the load bearing bottom of a limber chest should be no more than 32 inches above the water. That sure does not leave much room for error if crossing a creek in high water.

 

[StarkvilleCivilWarArsenal]

I want to thank the posters for the information that they provided about the wagons. The reason that I am wanting this information is to use it for an upcoming program that involves the use of fords by supply wagons, limber, and caissons. It seems that the maximum depth of water recommended in a ford is 30 inches. According to the NPS located at the Chickamauga Battlefield Park, the load bearing bottom of a limber chest should be no more than 32 inches above the water. That sure does not leave much room for error if crossing a creek in high water.

If you would like to c0ntact me by phone, my number is on my website StarkvilleCivilWarArsenal.com. Please leave a message if I miss your call. I can share some information about deep water crossings with wagons and artillery carriages. Basically the wagons were turned into boats and floated across rivers. It didn't matter how deep the water was.

 

[richard]

This afternoon I had a chance to talk to with the owner of the Starkville Civil War Arsenal. He very helpful and answered all my questions that I had. He provided me with information about Army Training Film that was made in 1933 when they still had horse cavalry. It is on U Tube and it shows all about how they crossed streams with horses and other items.

1933 U.S. Army training film # TF-14, A Cavalry Command Crossing An Unfordable Stream. I read somewhere that the Army went from horses to the A-Bomb in a little more than a decade. Guess it's true.... Description at the National Archives: "TRAINING FILM: Stressing correct gear, tack and rider position,shows how to cross stream with cavalry troops and supply wagons. R.1etails how to convert escort wagon into ferry for crossing, and shows proper loading methods. R.2: Regiment of cavalry makes river crossing in combat training circumstances. Officers demonstrate process for selecting best site for crossing. Subunits set up defensive machine gun positions.Sections cross stream and resume march." National Archives Identifier: 36280

 

[Tom Elmore]

I want to thank the posters for the information that they provided about the wagons. The reason that I am wanting this information is to use it for an upcoming program that involves the use of fords by supply wagons, limber, and caissons. It seems that the maximum depth of water recommended in a ford is 30 inches. According to the NPS located at the Chickamauga Battlefield Park, the load bearing bottom of a limber chest should be no more than 32 inches above the water. That sure does not leave much room for error if crossing a creek in high water.

Letter of Henry C. Deshields, Quartermaster of Col. Brockenbrough's Virginia brigade, on recrossing the Potomac after Gettysburg, on July 14, 1863: Lowest water about 3 ½ feet deep, my [wagon] train had not left the water when the river began to rise again, and many wagons after me were used roughly, some washed down the stream and the animals drowned. We are overhauling the contents of our wagons after an hour and a half of soaking. Our sugar is very thin molasses, our little supply of bacon is very fresh and poor from the soaking. Our salt is of course in a bad state.

Letters of Col. E. T. H. Warren, 10th Virginia: Everything in my wagon was completely soaked in the river [Potomac] as the wagon crossed.

Letters of Alex McNeill, Company F, 2nd South Carolina: Our wagons crossed at the Williamsport ford and the officers' baggage of our regiment was perfectly drenched. This paper I am writing on has been under the waters of the Potomac. I had a very good supply of nice paper and envelopes and it was all wet; I partially dried it last night [July 14/15] but it all shows the effects.

 

[Pvt Sam Dile]

I am looking for the distance between the ground and the floor of a standard civil war supply wagon.
Thanks

The official nomanclature for the standard supply wagon for the union army was the 1855 six mule United States Army Wagon. The front wheels were 12 spoke, 3 inch tenons, 10 inch dia. hubs and stood 3 ft 10 in high. The hind wheels were 14 spoke, 3 in. tenons, 4 ft. 10 in. high, hubs 10 1/4 in. dia. and 14 1/4 in. long. They were linch pin wheels and not the wheel nut type as some have stated. The body or box was to be straight, 3 ft. 6 in. wide, 2 ft. deep and 10 ft. long. at the bottom and 10ft. 6 in. at the top sloping equally at each end. My best guess in answer to your question and measuring the drawing in the original contract is approx. 3 ft 4 in. & 3 ft. 6 in.