Reb_Cav Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 I am looking for plans to make a Cavalry Pack forge. I am a civil war reenactor that portrays a Cavalryman. I would like to get a portable Cavalry forge for demos and just to have in camp. I also plan to use this forge for my scouts and my own personal use. I found the Portable Artillery Forge but am looking for something for the Cavalry. And of course this has to be from the period of 1861 - 1865 Can be from a little earlier but no later than 1865. Thank you for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Welcome aboard Reb Cav, glad to have ya. As a matter of interesting coincidence the thread about Dave's Demo Trailer is evolving into a Civil War era traveling forge. Not that that's what you're looking for but at the moment there are some civil war reenactors in the discussion. There is also at least one thread about cavalry forges easily found with the site's search engine. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 (edited) Here are two online references containing information about equipment used during the American War Between the States circa 1860s. Free online searchable version of the Official Records a compilation of the official records of the union and confederate armies is available at: Civil War Ordnance Manual for the Use of Officers of the United States Army (1861) at: The Artillery Reserve My humble understanding is that unless a group was similar to Mosby's Raiders, their cavalry unit was likely attached to an Army on both sides of the conflict. While some wheeled Traveling Forges were attached to Batteries (sometimes referred to by modern folks as Battery Forges), other Traveling Forges were designated and outfitted/supplied for use by the rest of the Army, including the Calvary (and sometimes referred to by modern folks as Field Park Forges). The Official Records and the Ordnance Manuals all refer to the wheeled forges simply as Traveling Forges. The supplies for each Traveling Forge setup is documented in both the 1861 and 1863 versions of the Ordnance Manual. The numbers and use of forges are referred to in reports found in the Official Records, just go to the web site Civil War and search on the word "forge" in the Official Records. Two other types of forges were documented in the Ordnance manuals as accompanying both the Northern and Southern armies, the "Portable Forge" and the "box forge". The Portable Forge was a fold-up sheet-metal box arrangement designated for use in mountainous areas, designed to accompany and only be used with units using the mountain howitzer. Wood box forges were documented in the Official Records as being used by Sheman's army during his march to the sea. At least one wood forge was photographed at Petersburg in 1864 (see photo below). If you are looking for the most common forge servicing the cavalry on both sides I suggest a Traveling Forge. If you are looking for a sheet metal forge that was historically accurate for that time period I suggest the Portable Forge. Official 1850s-1860s government drawings and specifications for both the Traveling Forge and the Portable Forge are available both on the Infernalnet and various vendors providing supplies to Civil War buffs. I purchased many sets of these drawings from The Regimental Quartermaster in Gettsyburg, Pa, since they are a store near where I live. If you are looking for the least costly solution, I suggest a wooden box forge as described in a letter in the Official Records. All forges used by both armies during the Civil War used bellows. Hand-cranked blowers were after the American Civil War. To my knowledge there were no forges prior to WWI designed specifically for only cavalry. Sorry. Edited May 30, 2009 by UnicornForge Add photographs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Antique Ordnance Publishers took the original roll of blue-print type rolls or plans and photocopied them into separate books. The collection of Captain Mordecai's drawings for the sheet metal folding horse-pack forge is sold by them as: Title: The Civil War Mountain Artillery Portable Forge, Book Number 29 Author: Captain Albert Mordecai circa 1848 through 1850s Reprinted by Antique Ordnance Publishers The collection of Captain Mordecai's drawings for the Traveling Forge wagon is sold by them as: Title: The Field Artillery Traveling Forge book No. 61 Author: Captain Albert Mordecai circa 1848 through 1850s Reprinted by Antique Ordnance Publishers The collection of Captain Mordecai's drawings for the limber that is attached to a Traveling Forge, No. 1 canon carriage, battery wagon, or caisson is sold by them as: Title: Civil War Field Gun Limber, Book No. 21 Author: Captain Albert Mordecai circa 1848 through 1850s Reprinted by Antique Ordnance Publishers You may purchase plans from various vendors, either online or in Gettysburg, or you can contact Antique Ordnance Publishers. ANTIQUE ORDNANCE PUBLISHERS BOX 434, 3611 OLD FARM LANE FORT GRATIOT, MI 48059 Phone 1-810-987-7749aop434@webtv.net Fax 1-810-982-1052 Their catalog may be viewed:Antique Ordnance Publishers - Catalog Sheet ------------------- The statistics for this thread has not been showing up correctly. Hopefully posting this reply will fix the statistics. If not, then hopefully one of the moderators will fix the lack of statistics under the general discussion category. -- It didn't work, the statistics are still showing up under "solid fuel forges" only! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reb_Cav Posted June 4, 2009 Author Share Posted June 4, 2009 Thank you for the help. I will be getting plans to make the Portable Artillery Forge for my Civil War persona. I was looking for plans for the square box design that I have seen at some demo's but have realized that this design post dates the war and would not be in existence during 1861-1865. Thank you for the help and hope to have pictures of the forge some time in the near future but also have other projects with my children to finish first. Thank you again Reb_Cav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 ..I will be getting plans to make the Portable Artillery Forge for my Civil War persona. ... I suggest checking out, the Official Records at Civilwar.com, L. C. EASTON, Brevet Brigadier-General, Chief Quartermaster in a letter to General Meigs felt that wood box forges worked much better than the Portable Artillery sheet-metal Forge. I question whether you would be happy with the sheet metal portable forge, as a friend has built one and the design seems flawed. I humbly suggest a wood-box forge. Official Records for Use of Officers....: Series III Volume V Pages 392 through 394 of 1046 - Union Letters, Orders, Reports Numbers 90. HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Morehead City, N. C., March 16, 1865. Major General M. C. MEIGS, Quartermaster-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reb_Cav Posted June 6, 2009 Author Share Posted June 6, 2009 (edited) Will be sure to give it a look prior to my purchase. Will a wooden forge be portable enough to take to events for the weekend and then pack it up and move on? I am not questioning your experience but I would like to have a forge that is portable and also be period correct. Thank you for your recommendations. Edited June 6, 2009 by Reb_Cav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Will be sure to give it a look prior to my purchase. Will a wooden forge be portable enough to take to events for the weekend and then pack it up and move on? I am not questioning your experience but I would like to have a forge that is portable and also be period correct. Thank you for your recommendations. You have a good question. General Sherman's army apparently felt that a wood box forge was the best combination of function and portability, however they used whatever wood box they found at each stop. I would not suggest a massive wood forge as used in Petersburg, but a small or moderate sized box forge made from a box under 2 foot square. Just a box, something to line the bottom and a bellows stuck into the side, supported by fence posts. Another option is to build a sheet-metal portable forge and increase the size the bellows and its nozzle. General Easton's letter describes a box forge, not a full sized wood forge. Series III Volume V Pages 392 through 394 of 1046 - Union Letters, Orders, Reports Numbers 90. HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Morehead City, N. C., March 16, 1865. Major General M. C. MEIGS, Quartermaster-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.: GENERAL: In obedience to instructions contained in your letter of the 26th of December, 1864, I have the honor to make the following report: From the 14th to the 25th of October last found me at Chattanooga, Tenn., hurrying and giving all the assistance in my power to the repair of the road from Chattanooga to Atlanta, which had been destroyed by General Hood's army. On the 26th I joined General Sherman at Gaylesville, a small town about thirty miles west of Rome, Ga., .................. The portable forge is almost entirely done away with in General Sherman's army. Nearly all the officers prefer carrying a small-sized bellows, using any ordinary box filled with dirt as a fine- box. The bellows is swing between two stakes, usually cut from the woods or taken from some fence, driven into the ground, with a piece nailed across the top to suspend the bellows handle. The box (usually a broad box) is placed at its proper height on four forks or stakes driven into the ground, with pieces laid from one to the other to set the box on. They transport simply the bellows, anvil, and tools, making use of any empty box or barrel for a fire-box. Nearly all the iron-work on the march from Atlanta to Savannah was done with forges of this description. Officers prefer this arrangement to the portable forge, because it does not get out of order and gives a better heat. Since writing this I have received a circular describing Captain John H. Cickerson's portable forge, which is, I presume, got up from this idea. In the absence of portable forges I would suggest the plan for a forge now used in General Sherman's army, which answer every purpose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grafvitnir Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Sorry to intrude but do you know what kind of tuyere they used; bottom, side blast, duck's nest, pipe with holes... I have another question not related but you mentioned that and English not being my first language I want to be sure: "...but a small or moderate sized box forge made from a box under 2 foot square." I'm almost sure foot square and square foot is not the same. I think 2 foot square is 2X2 foot (or feet)[or 4 square feet] while 2 square foot (or feet) is 1.4142 X 1.4142 ft. but I don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 Sorry to intrude but do you know what kind of tuyere they used; bottom, side blast, duck's nest, pipe with holes...Rub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reb_Cav Posted June 8, 2009 Author Share Posted June 8, 2009 UnicornForge, Thank you for the history lesson. I will look into making a box forge since I believe I have a few 2x2 boxes at the house and they would do the job. I guess I still need to make a bellows but that should not be to much trouble. Thank you again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Unicorn; so when you buy 1/2" square stock you get stock that is 1/2" by 1"? How odd. I read 2 foot square as a square 2' on a side----just like 1/2" sq stock is 1/2" by 1/2" Makes better sense for a forge too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grafvitnir Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 I believe he meant that a 1 foot square is a 1X1 foot square and 2 square feet is 1X2 feet. In this way a 4 foot square is 4X4 while 4 square feet could be 2 X 2 feet or 4 X 1 or 1.33 X 3 or whatever. I was thinking of a square (that's why I said 1.4142 X 1.4142) but it could also be a rectangle as in his example. The thing is (and this is what I didn't knew for sure) it is not the same "x"foot square and "x"square foot (or feet) Rub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Or for people doing Russian reenactments, here is an 1800s Russian army traveling forge: :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 Here is a scaled down Traveling Forge modeled after the Civil War era Traveling Forge apparently made by and for the National Park Service. Not sure why the smith is wearing a beret and a pocketed skirt for a Civil War reenactment though. Its a nifty little forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PICKETTR Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 here is a scaled down traveling forge modeled after the civil war era traveling forge apparently made by and for the national park service. Not sure why the smith is wearing a beret and a pocketed skirt for a civil war reenactment though. its a nifty little forge. it's called a kilt, cause if you call it a skirt (or dress) you'll be kilt' . Yeah, i'm not sure why he is dressed in semi-scotish attire for the civil war...revolutionary war maybe, but not civil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 (edited) At least he is not wearing red long john underwear, bib overalls, and a two dollar amusement park style straw hat, from the wrong century. A.D. please let me help you find better clothing for the museum's historic forge. Pretty please please please. The Servants store in Gettysburg was having a Sheriff's sale yesterday and clothing was 50% off! I bought a new pair of mid-1800s period brogans. Please folks, I'm not asking for perfection at historic blacksmithing presentations. I am just asking everyone who does period historic public blacksmithing demonstrations to make their best effort, at least a French-cut shirt, canvas suspenders that fasten with buttons, a bellows for the mid-1800s, and no hat when inside a building, please. A little more period-professional blacksmith and a little less Li'l-Abner. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NkruCmVTXs&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFKt_3Z2tQs Edited July 6, 2009 by UnicornForge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Yes and *everyone* knows that the civil was was 1641-1651 or was that the one 1936-1939? (though I hold out for that little to do between Stephen and Maude in the 12th century...) As for historical dress---anything not modern must be historical right? Might be interesting to show up at a "celtic" event wearing a poodle skirt; but I'd worry about their sense of humour....(though there is nothing like smithing in a tunic and bare feet to keep you light and lively and concentrating on where the hot steel or scale is going!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian.pierson Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 it's called a kilt, cause if you call it a skirt (or dress) you'll be kilt' . Yeah, i'm not sure why he is dressed in semi-scotish attire for the civil war...revolutionary war maybe, but not civil. Still wrong for the Rev war too. He is dressed more like a Englishman during the Victorian Scottish revival. Would be perfect for modern smithing if he doesn't mind scale on his shins and shoes. Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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