Longarms of General Joseph E. Johnston’s command in Mississippi during the summer of 1863

An unidentified Confederate holding a Mississippi rifle at the photographer's studio in Corinth, Mississippi. Mississippi rifles were a common arm of Johnston's army in mid-1863. 

After serving on the staff of General William J. Hardee as chief ordnance officer for more than a year, in July 1863, Major James M. Kennard reported for duty in his home state of Mississippi (he was a native of Port Gibson), joining the staff of Lieutenant General Joseph E. Johnston as his chief ordnance officer.

Writing from Morton, Mississippi on August 17, 1863, he crafted the following report detailing the arms utilized by the troops under Johnston’s command which provides some insights into the remarkable array of weaponry carried by this army at the midpoint of the war. The document, titled “Statement of Arms in Gen. J.E. Johnston’s Command, including those at Demopolis,” resides as page 60 of Major Kennard’s military file hosted by Fold3.

 

At Demopolis [Alabama]

.69 caliber percussion muskets              392

.69 caliber percussion rifle muskets       15

.75 caliber British muskets                   2,198

.75 caliber rifles                                   55

.58 caliber rifles                                   81

Sporting rifles of various calibers          780

.54 caliber Austrian Lorenz rifles          500

.54 caliber Mississippi rifles                  20

Double-barreled shotguns                   221

Total                                                  3,482

 

In the hands of troops, including cavalry:

.57 caliber Enfield rifles                       7,409

.58 caliber rifle muskets                       860

.69 caliber percussion muskets             7,394

.70 caliber British muskets                   77

.71 caliber British rifles                        193

.44 caliber rifles (cavalry)                     72

.70 caliber rifles                                   164

.52 caliber Sharps rifles                        415

Maynard rifles                                     272

Shotguns                                            1,500

Musketoons                                       13

Sharps carbines                                   367

German rifles                                      187

.54 caliber Austrian and Mississippi      1,926

Grand Total                                       25,389

 

“More than 3,000 small arms belonging to this army were shipped from Demopolis to Selma for repairs,” Major Kennard noted.

 

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