History Question: Lead Casting And The Civil War

Tonight on our local PBS station a fellow had a clock on the Antiques Road Show that was very old and stated that some of the weights inside were replacements since the original lead weights were melted for bullets during the American Civil War. This got me thinking and I wonder if any history buffs on the forum might know some answers. Where were the predominant lead mines for both the North and the South, and were their known companies supplying lead shot for both sides or was this a personal project where individuals made their own shot between battles? Thanks...

I can't answer your question, but here's one to make you cringe:

When I was growing up in Billings, Montana, my uncle gave me a cup full of lead slugs he had picked up at the Custer Battlefield. This was in the early 50's, and a lot of people did this sort of scrounging at the battlefield.

Even way back then I liked melting lead......you can guess the rest of the story.

Do you reckon General Lee furnished the South with relaoding equipment in the War of Northern Aggression? ;-)


prs

I'm in wytheville VA there is a shot tower not far from here and some lead mines close by that's about all I know. I'm a damn Yankee. one of them northern aggressioners. them low life no goodnics. that you all love to hate. you all know who we are.we lurk in the dark and watch.

Tower Hill State Park in southwest Wisconsin has an original/reconstructed shot tower that dates back to 1832. The Wikipedia has a lot of interesting information. The park is very close to Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin complex.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by prs

Do you reckon General Lee furnished the South with relaoding equipment in the War of Northern Aggression? ;-)


prs

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no wonder they lost.

i do know they used centrifugal casting machines back then that turned out an ungodly amount of boolits in a day [160k, airc] but took like 6-8 guy's to operate.

There were extensive lead mines in the upper Mississippi area around Galena, IL., which was also the adopted home of Ulysses S. Grant. It was a very prosperous community before the war. It's an interesting resort town now. Lead mining in that area goes back at least 100 years before that - both the French and Spanish were mining lead there before it was part of the USA.

Another interesting subject is the sources of saltpeter. I know that Mammoth Cave in Kentucky was the primary source for the US in the War of 1812. Whether it played a role in the Civil War I do not know.

From an original 1864 linen newspaper: Shenandoah Valley.

http://images16.fotki.com/v382/photo...ley1864-vi.png

Yankee = Dutch Janke = Johnny

http://youtu.be/AdHwFyesQwM
Gods and Generals- Going Home

Dutch
gr-gr grandson of Elias Garvin born 1845 Highview, Hampshire County, Virginia
died 1897 Chester, Nebraska
16th Ohio Volunteer Field Artillery 1861-1864
5th United States Veteran Volunteers 1864-1865 Sergent

Jacob Miller... who could tell a story about Civil War rifle bullets.....

Yes, it is what it looks to be...

http://images16.fotki.com/v363/photo...eMiller-vi.jpg

http://incass-inmiami.org/cass/bio_gen/millerjacob.html
Daily News Joliet Ill. Wed. June 14, 1911

JACOB MILLER, A WAR SCARRED HERO

Braidwood Veteran Carried Bullet in Head For Many Years After War

FELL PIECE BY PIECE

Story of Vicissitudes of the Veteran, Left on the field of Battle as Dead
Reviewed From His own Biography Receives $40 Month Pension

Braidwood is sending to the state G.A.R. encampment today one of the most remarkable hero survivors of the Civil War. His name is Jacob Miller and since Sept. 19, 1863, he has lived with an open bullet wound in his forehead. For a number of years the bullet remained in his head but piece by piece it fell out till now. It is thought none of it remains in the wound. During the time it was in the head it at times would produce a stupor, which sometimes would last two weeks, it being usually when he caught cold and produced more of a pressure on the brain. At other times delirium would seize him and he would imagine himself again on picket duty and would tramp back and forth on his beat, a stick on his shoulder for a musket, a pitiful object of the sacrifice for freedom. As these pieces of lead gradually loosened and fell out he regained his usual health and is now at the age of 78 years, one of the most, if not the most, remarkable survivor of the Civil war.

Wow! Thats about all I can say!

That is crazy and some people bitch about the small stuff

See, even a headshot isn't a guarantee! That is an incredible story of survival.

Lots of ammo factories pre-Civil war in US. Even in 1776. Lead mines all over the known US during both periods. Much import ammo also. Lots of people 'rolled-their-own' as factory ammo was expensive even then. To answer your question, during any war, needed metals are scrounged wherever they are found. I remember seeing balls of string and tin-foil saved during WWII.

Off the top of my head, no resources that I can quote. Both sides attempted a central supply system, the Union succeeded. General Gorgas did almost miracles for the Confederacy but the resources simply weren't there. Union supply was almost adequate for both sides, and in several instances (e.g. General "Supply" Banks) was adequate. It was not lead or powder that did in the Confederacy supply at the end, although there were shortages of both, it was the absence of sheet copper for percussion caps that hurt. Toward the end of the war Confederate supply was strongly affected by transportation issues. Torn up railroads, Union control of rivers, and Union control of strategic points caused local surpluses and shortages throughout the South.

The Union enjoyed a booming economy, increased immigration, and an increasingly organized supply system. Shortages at the beginning of the war of almost everything (both sides had entire units armed with smoothbore flintlocks) became surpluses for the Union by the middle to the end of the war. Both sides issued cartridges made for the firearms issued. None of the soldiers were routinely making their own ammunition except for partisans.

I read an account by a Confederate soldier who described he and his buddies casting .54 minié balls for their Mississippi Rifles using a sewing thimble for a mold. Any old port in a storm, I suppose.

For a detailed description of ammo and manufacturing processes used by U.S. forces of that period, may I recommend "Arms and Ammunition in the U.S. Service, 1776-1865" by Berkely Lewis. It is still considered to be top-notch research of the subject almost 60 years after being first printed. Now out-of-print, individual copies are scarce but it's available on Google Books for free.

I have no idea where the lead was mined but my great, great, grand father and one of his sons were involved in delivering supplies to the Confederate Army in Missouri. One of the supplies they were delivering regularly was lead. The son was killed in a raid on his lead wagon train by Union soldiers.