Davies, Charles; et al. Armory, Springfield, Massachusetts (Doc. No. 207) Report of the Board convened at Springfield, (Mass.) August 30, 1841, To examine the condition and management of Springfield armory. Washington DC: Government Printing Office, 1842. [11666]
Removed, 8 3/4 x 5 5/8 inches, 5 separate documents, for a total of 46 clean pp. Good. Pamphlet.
27th Congress, Second Session, House of Representatives, Doc. No. 207.
There were six workshops at the armory involved in the production of the musket used by US military forces. The board of inspectors visited each one, and interviewed the mechanics and workmen, and inspected the shops. About 260 men worked in the shops, and there was an additional staff of supervisors. The board herein makes several recommendations, including that the Ordnance department of the military be in control of the armory, rather than private contractors. 305 persons are listed by name, with their occupation and yearly salary. A series of verbatum interviews regarding the operations of the various shops are related. A series of charts with proposed labor rates show exactly the operations of the men in the shops.
This document provides unique insight into the manufacture of muskets for the US military in the 1840's.
