Also known as: General Josiah Gorgas.
| Born | 1818 |
|---|---|
| Died | 1883 |
| Role | Chief of the Confederate Ordnance Bureau |
| Achievement | Created Southern arsenals, foundries, and powder works |
Arming the Confederacy
Josiah Gorgas, a Pennsylvania-born officer of the United States Ordnance Department, cast his lot with the South and became Chief of Ordnance of the Confederacy. Facing a region with little arms industry, he organized arsenals, foundries, and powder works, most famously the great Confederate Powder Works at Augusta, and drew on imports run through the blockade.
His success in keeping Confederate armies supplied with guns, ammunition, and powder against long odds made him one of the most effective administrators of the Southern war effort.
On this site
Sources & further reading
- CivilWarArtillery.com research archive: biographical and ordnance references.