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'[[File:Traveling Forge built by David Einhorn author of the book Civil War Blacksmithing.jpg|thumb|right|A reproduction traveling forge. Circa 1850s through 1860s U.S. blacksmith's traveling forge.]] [[File:WikipediaCWForgeDrawing.jpg|thumb|right|Sketch of U.S. Civil War Traveling Forge from the Ordnance Manual of 1863.]] [[File:Civil War BatteryWagonDrawing.jpg|thumb|right|Sketch of U.S. Civil War Battery Wagon with Limber from the Ordnance Manual of 1861.]] [[File:British 1840s Blacksmith Traveling Forge Wagon.jpg|thumb|right|British 1840s Period Forge Wagon side view by Royal Engineers, British Service. Image is from Volume 1 of 6 volumes, An Aide-Memoire to the Military Sciences, 1845, Col. G.G. Lewis, senior editor.]] [[File:British 1840s Blacksmith Traveling Forge Wagon top view.jpg|thumb|right|British 1840s Period Forge Wagon top view by Royal Engineers, British Service.]] A '''traveling forge''', when combined with a [[Limbers and caissons (military)|limber]], comprised wagons specifically designed and constructed as blacksmith shops on wheels to carry the essential equipment necessary for [[blacksmiths]], [[artisans]] (called Artificiers in the Army) and [[farriers]] to both shoe horses and repair wagons and artillery equipment for both [[U.S.]] and [[Confederate States Army|Confederate]] armies during the [[American Civil War]],<ref name=Civsmith>{{cite book |author=David Einhorn |title=Civil War Blacksmithing |publisher=CreateSpace Publishers, a subsidiary of Amazon.com |year=2010 |isbn=1-4563-6481-2 |isbn13=9781456364816 }}</ref><ref name=Confed>{{cite book |author=Josiah Gorgas |title=The Ordnance Manual For The Use Of The Officers Of The Confederate States Army |publisher=Morningside Press |location= |origyear=1863 |year=1995 |isbn=0-89029-033-4 |url=http://www.archive.org/details/ordnancemanualfo00conf }}</ref> <ref name=US>{{cite book |author=Theodore Thaddeus Sobieski Laidley |title=The ordnance manual for the use of officers of the United States army |publisher=Scholarly Publishing Office, University of Michigan Library |edition=3rd |origyear=1862 |year=2005 |isbn=1-4255-5971-9 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=wwY6DT2Sc_cC }}</ref> as well as by western European armies. <ref name=Civsmith/><ref># An Aide-Memoire to the Military Sciences volume 1'' by Royal Engineers, British Service, 1845, Col. G.G. Lewis, senior editor</ref> The traveling forge was frequently also referred to in The Official Records simply as a '''forge''',<ref>#The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies prepared under the direction of the Secretary of War, by Bvt. Lieut. Col. Robert N. Scott, Third U.S. Artillery and Published Pursuant to Act of Congress, approved June 16, 1880. Washington: Government Printing Office 1880</ref> and sometimes referred to by Civil War buffs as a '''battery forge'''.<ref name=Civsmith/> An American Civil War-era traveling forge contained {{convert|1200|lb}} of tools, coal and supplies. These tools and supplies included a bellows attached to a fireplace, a {{convert|4|in|mm|adj=mid|-wide}} vise, {{convert|100|lb|adj=on}} anvil, a box containing {{convert|250|lb}} of coal, {{convert|200|lb}} of horse shoes, {{convert|4|ft|m|adj=mid|-long}} bundled bars of iron, and on the [[Limbers and caissons (military)|limber]] was a box containing the smith's hand tools.<ref name=Confed/><ref name=US/> A battery wagon accompanied each traveling forge carrying additional blacksmith, [[wheelwright]], and carriage repair supplies.<ref name=Civsmith/><ref name=US/> American Civil War-era traveling forge wagons evolved from crude blacksmith carts used during the [[American Revolutionary War]] as well as from equipment used in Europe during the 1840s. British traveling forges were documented in ''An Aide-Memoire to the Military Sciences volume 1'' by Royal Engineers, British Service, 1845, Col. G.G. Lewis, senior editor.<ref name=Civsmith/> British traveling forges likely had canvas covers as indicated by the number and spacing of wood arches above the bellows, and what appears to be cord anchor points on the sides of the bellows house. A canvas cover would have been logical as protection of the bellows from the weather, and in accordance with the standard practice of covering wagons at that time. This canvas cover evolved into the wooden cover of the U.S. version of the traveling forge.<ref name=Civsmith/> The U.S. mid-19th century traveling forge was standardized for U.S. manufacturers in the drawings created by Captain Albert Mordecai circa 1850 under commission by the [[federal government]]. Copies of Captain Mordecai'a drawings are currently published by Antique Ordnance Publishers. The book ''Field Artillery Traveling Forge book No. 61'' published by Antique Ordnance Publishers contains most of the measured drawings and other information necessary to reproduce the traveling forge. Additional crucial information covering measurements, construction and materials used with the traveling forge may be found in the ''Ordnance Manual of 1863''.<ref name=Civsmith/> The Ordnance Manual of 1863 says that in use, the traveling forge was hooked to the back of a [[Limbers and caissons (military)|limber]] that was identical in construction to the limbers used to pull field [[cannon]], except for the internal arrangement of the limber chest. The Ordnance Manual of 1863 details information about the wheels, paint, wood and iron parts used on the traveling forge, as well as the tools stored in the traveling forge's limber chest and in the battery wagon for use by the [[blacksmiths]] and [[artisans]].<ref name=Civsmith/> During the Civil War, a traveling forge was provided for each cannon battery, and other traveling forges accompanied each army to provide service to equipment and horses. Portable [[sheet metal]] ''Mountain Forges'' were provided to units with mountain howitzers which were primarily deployed in [[mountainous]] areas inaccessible to the No. 1 cannon carriage and wagons.<ref name=Civsmith/><ref name=Confed/><ref name=US/> <ref>{{cite book|last=Orndorff|first=Karl|title=Blacksmith's Traveling Forge History & Specifications|year=2011|publisher=CreateSpace Publishing|isbn=ISBN 9781475051254}}</ref> Regarding quantity produced and miles traveled, the American Civil War era traveling forges seemed to have marked the apex of any one style of mobile forge. However a wide range of mobile blacksmith forges or traveling mechanisms which allowed blacksmiths to transport and use their equipment on site have been implemented for centuries. The book “Blacksmith’s Traveling Forge History and Specifications” by Karl Orndorff (Amazon Books, 235 pages) documents the history of traveling forges. The book contains 62 forge related photos, comprehensive lists of tools and equipment for various types of forges, technical drawings and sketches. Due to the format size of the book (6” x 9”) there are no detail plans for the construction of a traveling forge. Many Civil War era military surplus traveling forges were sold on the civilian market after the invention and implementation of the Laidley traveling forge. The light weight Laidley forge incorporated a gear box blower and other technological advances. Civilian blacksmiths purchased them from dealers like Francis Bannerman and Sons and modified them to suit their needs. As the age of the motor vehicle dawned many were stripped and their contents used to stock more up-to-date vehicles. ==Bibliography== * ''Civil War Blacksmithing'' (December 2010), David Einhorn, CreateSpace Publishing, a subsidiary of Amazon.com, ISBN 1-4563-6481-2, ISBN 978-1-4563-6481-6 * ''Field Artillery Traveling Forge book No. 61'' by Antique Ordnance Publishers Inc. * ''The Ordnance Manual For The Use Of The Officers Of The Confederate States Army, 1863'' reprinted by Morningside Press 1995, <br />ISBN 0-89029-033-4 * ''The ordnance manual for the use of officers of the United States army. '' reprinted by Scholarly Publishing Office, University of Michigan Library, December 22, 2005, ISBN 1-4255-5971-9 == External links == * [http://gunneyg.info/html/AOPCatalog.htm Contact information and catalog for Antique Ordnance Publishers] * [http://artificer.suddenlaunch3.com/ Discussion forum on the construction of traveling forges] [[Category:Military equipment of the American Civil War]] [[Category:Ammunition]] [[Category:Carts]] [[Category:Artillery operation]]'