Letter from M. J. Bujue to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; March 7, 1862

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Letter from M. J. Bujue to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; March 7, 1862

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People

Bujue, M. J.Dahlgren, Charles Gustavus, 1808-1888 Moore, Thomas Overton, 1804-1876 Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867

Military Units

Confederate States of America. Navy

Organizations and Businesses

Confederate States of America--Ordnance Foundries

Places

Cumberland River, Big South Fork (Tenn. and Ky.)New Orleans (La.)Richmond (Va.)Tennessee Tennessee River Virginia

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[seal]

New Orleans 7" March 1862

To his Excellency Gov^r Pettus
of Mississippi

Sir.

I beg leave to call your attention to the necessity of securing all the coal blast charcoal Iron that can be found in the different foundries in your state, for reasons which I will explain at foot

Prior to February last the stock of Gun metal in Virginian was not sufficient to supply the wants of Foundries there,, the proprietors of these establishments made purchases in Tennessee which may not have reached them,. for since the advance of the Enemy in the Tennessee & cumberland Rivers, no further supplies of Iron can be expected from that section of the country.

Commandant Minor Chief of Ordnance of the Navy Department at Richmond, (a very experienced & learned officer, who has spent the last 30 years in experimenting on Cannon in the different navy yards & foundries in the U, States. and who aided M. Dahlgreen in all his experiments) insists that all cannon should be cast from an air furnace, and out of strong Cold blast charcoal Pig Iron Guns cast from Cupolas will not be received in the Service, He says that he has burst with the ordinary charge of powder & that, every Cupola gun ever presecuted to him. by shooting them in rapid succession as would be done in a brisk engagement

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The cupola guns when heated generally bursted at the 8^th or 10^th round on one occasion only he saw a Cupola gun stand 20 Rounds. but it was bursted at the 21^st round

He says that he has taken a lot of cold blast charcoal Iron divided it equally and cast two guns of same dimensions one from a cupola & the other from an Airfurnace, the Cupola gun was bursted as usual & the airfurnace gun was sound after having been fired fifty times in quick sucession. The sinking heads, the Corcs and turnings of the guns should never be used to cast a second gun, as the metal becomes too brittle after having been cast once—

Being aware of all these facts, I am now erecting a large air furnace at considerable expense, which will be in operation in 15 days, and with the aid of six large boring Mills I will be able to bore guns as fast as I can cast them

I have sufficient to cast about 100 lage sized guns, but don't see from what quarter I am to expect any more, and it is for this reason that I suggest the propriety of securing all the Cold blast charcoal Iron that may be in youre state, before it is applied to other purposes, If you have in your state any foundry which contains an airfurnace of sufficient capacity to cast large sized guns^let them have the Iron to make the guns^, provided they understand the melting of cannon thoroughly & have been engaged in that business prior to this war, If there is none, please have the metal sent to the Phoenix Ironworks opposite New Orleans & let the owner draw on me at sight for the price & amt agreed upon by your agent

By giving this important matter your immediate attention you will be aiding very materially the defense of the Mississippi valley,

I hope that the above reasons will serve to excuse me for having intruded on your valuable time.

I remain sir

With due respect

Your obed Servant

M. J. Bujue

I approve & recommend the foregoing suggestions

Tho. O. Moore

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M. J Bujue coal blast charcoal iron

March 1862