The Woodruff Gun
Annotations to “Researching the Woodruff Carraige”
68th Enrolled Missouri Militia
In the following image from records of the Missouri Adjutant General’s Office, Quartermaster Stock Records Account, Ordnance, Vol. C, 823 (Microfilm, Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City, Mo.), John V. Logan, Captain and Quartermaster, 68th Enrolled Missouri Militia, reports on line 9 that on January 31, 1863, the 68th received from F. D. Callender, Chief of Ordnance in St. Louis, 350 “round balls” [unspecified size] and 500 friction primers. Below, on February 22, 1863, they received 30 [units not specified–kegs?] mortar powder from James Lindsay. Click on the image to enlarge.
According to the Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Missouri for the Year 1863, James Lindsay was commissioned Colonel of the 68th EMM on 5 December 1863 and dismissed on 2 November 1863, after the Enrolled Missouri Militia was disbanded and replaced by the Provisional Enrolled Missouri Militia. Thus Lindsay’s acquisition of Filley guns occurred only shortly after he took command of the 68th.
The Western Historical Manuscript Collection, State Historical Society of Missouri, includes the Pilot Knob, Missouri, Civil War Telegram Collection, which contains photocopies of telegrams sent and received by Colonel John B. Gray, commander of the Union post at Pilot Knob, Iron County, Missouri. The dispatches include communications with district headquarters at Saint Louis, and with detachments throughout southeastern Missouri, especially those at Fredericktown, Patterson, Van Buren, and Barnesville. The telegrams cover the period from November 1862 to April 1863. The collection number is R0137.
Among these is a telegram from F. D. Callender, Chief of Ordnance in St. Louis, telling Col Lindsay to go through State channels if he wanted ammunition for his privately purchased guns. Lindsay apparently had difficulty in getting rounds for his guns from the St. Louis Arsenal.
Saint Louis Mo January 26, 1863
Genl. John B. Gray
Dispatch received. Will you please request Col. Lindsay to make a regular requisition stating the Regt and state to which he belongs and whether infantry or Artillery. Let him please state what guns he has—their calibre and number and if an unusual calibre whether furnished by the United States or not. If he belongs to the enrolled Militia of Mo will you please to request him to send to genl his requisition through his Adj Genl of the State.
F. D. Callender
Col & Chf of Ord
Thanks to the late David Hagler for providing a photocopy of the telegram.
