Here's a little info on Ohio arms-
I have included a few clips from the Executive Docs. where a list of muskets appears within each year. Although these are just the tip of the iceberg it should give the reader some sort of insight of what kind of muskets were under state control when the war began and when a transfer of arms was executed in 1863. For more and detailed information please visit the library at the Ohio Historical Society. For 1863 I included a list of muskets transferred to the state by the federal government. For the past two years I've been keeping a list of identifiable muskets where I've seen the Ohio Mark. Most match the list of arms transferred in 1863 but a few have escaped me. Maybe someone out there who has more knowledge on this topic can shed some light on it.
As for how the Ohio mark found its way on various arms remains to be seen. I once heard that most of these arms had to have been stamped early in the war. From what I have seen up to this point I haven't found any conclusive evidence that even suggests that Ohio owned such a large stock pile of arms. (At least not until 1863) Most of the evidence leans towards the US Ordnance Department providing Ohio the arms it needed so it could arm its regiments in 1861-1862. Then again maybe someone else has seen an article or report that says otherwise. However, if the arms did belong to Ohio and Ohio was using the mark to identify its property than I think there should be a US M1861 Springfield Rifle or a carbine used by the cavalry with the same mark. As for the arms being collected and held in storage and marked accordingly from 1862-65 remains to be seen also. As you will see Ohio was acting as an agent for the US Ordnance Department until September 1863. According to the evidence I have seen thus far all the arms held by Ohio belonged to the Federal government... not the state. Finally, the arms transferred to Ohio in 1863 were suppose to arm the state militia. It was this transfer that would haunt Ohio until about 1876 before it would receive the new Springfield 45/70. Most of the arms that were transferred to Ohio in 1863 were still on the books until 1881. This provides a timeframe when the mark could have possibly been used. As for the mark being applied during the war... no evidence yet. Like I said before, I have a huge pile of documents to go through. Hopefully someday I will be able to report back with some kind of evidence.
Ohio Historical Society
FLM 293
Executive Documents, annual reports of Ohio 1861
Page 583
During the period of eight months, from April 15th to Decemeber 15th, there has been received from the United States, for the use of troops called into active service, the following ordnance and ordnance stores, viz:
Page 584
U.S. muskets altered to percussion 26,533
U.S. muskets new percussion, 69 calibre 15,020*
Percussion rifle muskets, 69 calibre (Pondir’s) 4,991
French rifles 69 calibre 948,
French rifles 57 calibre 1,000
Saxony rifle muskets, 71 calibre 2,680
Sword bayonet rifles 894
Enfield rifles1,480
Smooth-bore Prussian muskets 5,020
Page 584
There has been received at the State Arsenal, on account of purchases made and for the State of Ohio, from April 15th to December 15th, 1861, inclusive, the following mentioned articles:
Page 585
Infantry
Enfield rilfes 11,480
Long-range Whitney rifles 420
All the bills for purchases by the State will be charged to the United States, and the distribution of the stores reported to the United States in our property return, so that the State is acting merely as agent for, or co-operating with, the General Government.
I presume it is not expected that any of the property thus turned over to the United States troops will ever be returned directly to the State.
Ohio Historical Society
FLM 293
Executive Documents, annual reports of Ohio 1862
Page 443
Ordnance Stores Received From January 1, 1862, To December 31, 1862, Inclusive;
(From U. States Arsenals And Officers)
Page 444
Infantry
U.S. percussion muskets, smoothbore 362
U.S. altered to percussion muskets, smoothbore 1,708
U.S. Percussion muskets, 69 cal., rifled 966
U.S. rifle muskets, “Springfield,” 58 cal 12,981
Enfield rifle muskets, angular bayonet 23,032
Rifle muskets, “Pondir’s” 69 cal. 706
French rifle muskets, 69-71 cal. 7,414
Austrian rifle muskets, 54 cal. 23,956
Austrian rifle muskets, 58 cal. 9,870
Austrian rifle muskets, 69-71 cal. 10,875
French rifle muskets, saber bayonet, 58 cal. 1,200
Jager rifles, 54 cal. 400
Prussian smoothbore muskets 10,623
Prussian rifles, brown, 69 cal. 100
Page 445
Purchased by the State of Ohio Under Authority of the War Department, from January 1, to December 31, 1862, Including deliveries on contracts made in 1861.
Page 446
Infantry
Enfield rifle muskets 1,500
Ohio Historical Society
FLM 293
Executive Documents, annual reports of Ohio 1863
Page 536
About the first of August application was made to the Secretary of War to relieve the State authorities from any further charge of ordnance stores belonging to the General Government”¦ The transfer was perfected on the first of October 1863, since which time all stores belonging to the General Government, though retained in the State Arsenal, have been under the exclusive control of the Ordnance Department at Washington, and issues therefrom made by a regular Ordnance officer of the United States”¦ The only care and responsibility of this department, as to Ordnance, is now confined to the arms, accoutrements and ammunition received by the transfer from the General Government.
Page 613
Memorandum of stores transferred by the United States to the State of Ohio “on account of any quota due or to become due, under the law of 1808, for arming and equipping the whole body of the Militia,” with the value thereof, as appraised by Captains Todd and Treadwell of the Ordnance Department, under instructions from the Chief of Ordnance. Transfer made September 24, 1863.
320 U.S. rifles, sword bay’t, cal. 54, serviceable at $17...$5,440 00
176 U.S. rifles, sword bay’t, cal. 54, bay’ts wanting, at $12..2,112 00
329 U.S. rifles, no bayonet, cal. 54, want repairs, at $12”¦”¦3,948 00
700 light French rifles, sword bayonet, new, at $18.50”¦”¦..12,950 00
1,500 U.S. rifle muskets, altered, cal. 69, want repairs, at $4”¦6,000 00
154 U.S. rifle muskets, altered, cal. 69, irreparable”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦
1,939 U.S. rifle muskets, model’42, cal. 69, serviceable, at $12”¦”¦23,268 00
182 U.S. rifle muskets, model’42, cal. 69, want repairs, at $12......2,184 00
1,210 Austrian rifle muskets, cal. 58, serviceable, at $10”¦”¦”¦...12,100 00
1,661 Austrian rifle muskets, cal. 54, serviceable, at $9”¦”¦”¦”¦.14,949 00
2,178 Austrian rifle muskets, cal. 54, want repairs, at $9”¦”¦”¦”¦19,602 00
632 Belgian rifle muskets, cal. 69, serviceable, at $9”¦”¦”¦”¦..5,688 00
38 Belgian rifle muskets, cal. 69, irreparable ”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦...
2,402 French rifle-muskets, cal. 69, want repairs, at $8”¦”¦”¦”¦19,216 00
100 French rifle-muskets, cal. 69, irreparable”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦.
2,346 French rifle-muskets, cal. 71, want repairs, at $8”¦”¦”¦”¦18,763 00
400 Jager rifles, sword bayonet, cal. 54, serviceable, at $10”¦”¦4,000 00
567 U.S. smooth bore muskets, model’42, serviceable, at $9”¦5,103 00
392 U.S. smooth bore muskets, model’42, want repairs, at $9”¦3,523 00
4,096 U.S. smooth bore muskets, model’22, want repairs, at $4”¦.16,384 00
549 U.S. smooth bore muskets, model’22, irreparable”¦”¦”¦”¦..
194 Prus. and Sax’y rifle-mus., cal. 70-71, serviceable, at $8”¦..1,552 00
1,454 Prus. and Sax’y smooth bore muskets, cal. 70-71, serviceable, at$7.50...10,905 00
4,212 Prus. and Sax’y smooth bore muskets, cal. 70-71, want repairs, at $5.00..21,060 00
783 Prus. and Sax’y smooth bore muskets, cal. 70-71, irreparable..............
$208,757 00
From which is deducted the sum of 75 cents each on 26,890 arms as the average cost of repairing them, equal to”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦ 20,167 50
Cost of muskets and rifles”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦. $188,589 50
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http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-25076.html