Also known as: James Wolfe Ripley.
| Born | 1794 |
|---|---|
| Died | 1870 |
| Role | United States Chief of Ordnance, 1861-1863 |
The wartime ordnance chief
James W. Ripley headed the United States Ordnance Department during the opening years of the Civil War. A career ordnance officer, he was responsible for the vast task of arming the rapidly expanding Federal armies from the arsenals and contractors.
He is often remembered for his conservatism toward the many new weapons pressed on the department, preferring proven standard arms to unproven inventions, a stance that both steadied and, critics charged, slowed Federal procurement.
Sources & further reading
- CivilWarArtillery.com research archive: biographical and ordnance references.