In the various records I have for my great-great-grandfather is a voucher for 16 bushels of charcoal received at Griffin, Georgia, August 22, 1864. He was 1st lieutenant for Company K in the 12th MS Cavalry. I assume they wanted the charcoal for gunpowder but, knowing absolutely nothing about how one makes gunpowder, I'm hoping for some context. Would the cavalry be making their own gunpowder at this point in the war? How much would 16 bushels make? It seems like a lot. And if so, was this just for his company or was he getting supplies for the battalion? Any insight anyone has would be welcome!
A lot of great information has already been provided regarding this OP. I would add that each company in a cavalry regiment had a Farrier and a Blacksmith in its ranks and they were essential in keeping the regiment`s horses and equipment in service. So on average, each cavalry regiment would have about 10 Blacksmiths and 10 Farriers on hand to service it`s needs. The Blacksmiths were required to make numerous things for the regiment from iron, and charcoal was necessary for them to do so. They were responsible to shoe horses, mules and repair equipment such as wagons and horse tack (saddles, stirrups, bridles, halters, reins, bits, harnesses, martingales, breast plates, etc...). I am pretty certain that the charcoal was for the Blacksmith and Farrier as no-one else in the regiment would have need of it.
lupaglupa, I would be interested in seeing the voucher request, from which to glean more information. The 12th Regiment Mississippi Cavalry were in Brig. General Samuel Wragg Ferguson`s Cavalry Brigade at this time and operated alongside the 2nd Regiment Alabama Cavalry, the 56th Alabama Partisan Rangers, the 11th Regiment Mississippi Cavalry and the 9th Regiment Mississippi Cavalry. Could you post the voucher here so that I can look at it?
On 20 Aug 1864, the 12th Regiment Mississippi Cavalry as part of Ferguson`s Cavalry Brigade, had just experienced some very difficult fighting against Brig. General Judson Kilpatrick`s U. S. Cavalry at the Battles of Nash`s Farm and Lovejoy`s Station south-east of Atlanta. On 21 Aug 1864 they were reported out on raids in the area of Decatur, Georgia east of Atlanta and patrolling along the 3 major railroads that connect through Atlanta, skirmishing and fighting in spots all day long. Which brought them to Griffin on 22 Aug 1864, where they went into camp for a couple of days, south of Atlanta below Lovejoy`s Station and were reported as being out on raids along the railroads which also included quite a bit of skirmishing and fighting. On 24 Aug 1864 they were responding to more threats of Federals
"tearing up (R/R track) and burning (bridges and locomotives)" in the same areas.