Ordnance Sergeant - Confederate Army Ordnance Sergeant

Confederate Army Ordnance Sergeant

On May 20, 1862, the duties of the Confederate regimental ordnance sergeants were officially spelled out by the chief of ordnance:

• "Duties of ordnance-sergeants.
  • "First. To obey the direction of the division ordnance officer of the brigade ordnance officer (if the brigade is a separate command) in all relative to care and preservation of arms and duties connected therewith.
  • "Second. To take charge of all supplies, arms, and ammunition of the regiment and make returns of the same according to "Ordnance regulations." Issues to be made on written requisitions approved by the colonel or commanding officer of the regiment; which requisitions are to be filed with his "Return of property.'
  • "Third. To take charge of the ordnance wagon or wagons attached to each regiments, and to see that it always contains at least fifteen rounds per man of the regiment—surplus arms or accouterments to be turned over to the brigade or division ordnance officer.
  • "Fourth. To supervise the condition of the arms of the regiment and get a detail of at least two mechanics to assist him in the necessary repairs to the arms, an account of these repairs to be kept as far as possible against each man of the regiment; repairs to be made on the order of the colonel of the regiment.
  • "Fifth. To take charge of the arms and accouterments of the sick of the regiments in hospitals, which will be kept until the sick are sent to the general hospital, when their arms be turned over to the brigade or division depots.
  • "Sixth. In battle it will be the duty of the ordnance-sergeants to remain with the ammunition wagons and act with the details assigned to them from the regiments, under the orders of the ordnance officer, in supplying the troops with ammunition, collecting arms of the killed and wounded, and securing captured arms and ammunition."

While Union ordnance sergeants were few in number and marked by a distinctive uniform, Confederate ordnance sergeants were as numerous as Confederate infantry regiments, whose colors they may have also adopted.