George Martin
Condition of the work December 26, 1860, Fort Sumter.
"Thunder-barrels are placed at each angle and over the main gate;"
[OR Ser. 1, V. 1, p. 215]
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The meat ration having been reduced one-half, that of sugar, rice, and beans was largely increased. It was important above all things that every encouragement should be given to the troops. With this object in view, I ordered the impressment of chewing tobacco and its issue to the troops. This had a very beneficial influence. The enemy kept steadily at work day and night, and, taking advantage of the cover of the hills, had run his parallels up to within 75 yards of our works. He was also mining at different points, and it required the active and constant attention of our engineers to repair at night the damage inflicted upon our works during the day, and to meet his different mines by counter-mining. Orders were issued to prepare thunder barrels and petards for the defense of weak points, and every precaution was taken to cheek the enemy in his Operations and to delay them as far as possible. [Pemberton's Report, OR, Ser. 1, V. 24, Pt. 1, p. 278]
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June 14.--Enemy cut down parapet of redan and disabled 12.pounder gun at that point. He made no perceptible advance with his sap last night. We used rampart and hand-grenades on his sap last night with good effect. Have organized my artillerists into a hand-grenade and thunder-barrel corps, since our guns are of no service. The Twenty-seventh Louisiana has suffered dreadfully up to this time. It
was relieved for a few days by a Missouri regiment.
The total amount of artillery ammunition on the field was 800 rammers. We had on this field about 100 hand-grenades, 60 rampart-grenades, and 4 thunder-barrels.
Respectfully submitted.
J. G. CLARKE,
Lieutenant, and Acting Ordnance Officer Third Brigade.
[Indorsement.]
Approved. One Whitworth gun on my line was disabled on May 19, from effect of its own shot. The two howitzers belonged regularly to my brigade; the other artillery was detached from other commands.
F. A. SHOUP,
Brigadier-General.
[O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XXIV/2 [S# 37]
MAY 19-JULY 4, 1863.--The Siege of Vicksburg, Miss.
No. 90.--Report of Brig. Gen. F. A. Shoup, C. S. Army, commanding Third Brigade.
pp. 408 & 411]
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HDQRS. DEPT. MISSISSIPPI AND EASTERN LOUISIANA,
Vicksburg, June 4, 1863.
Maj. Gen. MARTIN L. SMITH, Commanding Division:
GENERAL: I am directed by the lieutenant-general commanding to say that you will have prepared by your ordnance officer, as soon as possible, a number, say four dozen," thunder-barrels," petards, &c., for defense of weak points on the line. It is desirable that materials for this purpose shall be as far as possible such as cannot be used with the guns now in position on the flue. If materials for the above are not in your possession, you are authorized to make requisition on the depot ordnance officer.
I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. W. MEMMINGER,
Assistant Adjutant-General
{OR V. 24, Pt.3, pp. 945/6)