Civil War Alabama

Selma: The Confederacy’s Foremost Ordnance Manufacturing Center

Selma Naval Foundry and Ironworks

From the very beginning of the Civil War, the Confederacy was at a distinct disadvantage concerning war ordnance manufacturing capability. It only had one major facility capable of casting large caliber artillery, which was located at the Tredagar Ironworks in Richmond, Virginia. In an effort to expand indigenous ordnance capability, the Confederate government selected Selma as a location for a large manufacturing complex. Selma proved to be an ideal manufacturing location. Being situated in central Alabama, it was secure from the Union Army until the very end of the war. Selma was connected by rail to Alabama's rich iron and coal fields, which supplied the city's new manufacturing industry. Iron from the Tannehill and Brierfield furnaces was transported via road to Montevallo, where it was then taken by railroad to Selma. Finally, the city’s location on the Alabama River allowed easy access to Mobile Bay.

In 1861, Colin McRae built the original iron foundry and rolling mill in Selma for the purpose of building small caliber cannons. From the very beginning of the war, the Confederate government attempted to acquire McRae'e operation. Selma also became home to a large number of private war manufacturing operations, producing items such as shovels, uniforms, swords, and buttons. The city received a large boost in 1862. Josiah Gorgas, Confederate Chief of Ordnance, ordered the transfer to Selma of all ordnance equipment from the former Federal Arsenal at Mount Vernon, Alabama. In 1863, the Confederate government purchased McRae’s foundry for $450,000.

On 1 June 1863, Commander Catesby ap Roger Jones was selected to take command of the Selma Naval Foundry. Jones had previously distinguished himself while in command of the ironclad CSS Virginia during the Battle of Hampton Roads against the Union ironclad USS Monitor. He was selected for this assignment to oversee the production of the Brooke cannon, which was used for coastal defense and naval bombardment.

By 1864, the massive ordnance complex had 6,000 workers and covered 50 acres. The army arsenal also employed some 3,000 workers. The major elements of the government owned facilities included the naval foundry, shipyard, army arsenal, and gunpowder works. Selma was also the only place in the lower South capable of manufacturing the Brooke cannon and other large caliber artillery. The shipyard built the ironclads CSS Tennessee, CSS Tuscaloosa, and CSS Huntsville. The CSS Tennessee was at the center of Confederate defenses during the Battle of Mobile Bay. The naval foundry provided the high quality finished iron used for the construction of ironclads. This iron was first forged into ingots at the Bibb Naval Furnace located at Brierfield before being shipped to Selma.

Under the leadership of Catesby Jones, Selma became the most important ordnance center in the Confederacy, producing half of the cannons and two thirds of the fixed ordnance used during the final two years of the war. In spite of these impressive production statistics, Selma experienced constant labor and supply shortages. Selma's workers were a mixture of slave and white skilled laborers, although exact figures were not available. The highly skilled workers required to manufacture the Brooke cannon were under constant threat of being drafted into the Confederate Army. Also, the iron from Brierfield needed for the cannons' construction was not always available in sufficient quantities. Additionally, after the fall of Atlanta, it became very difficult to distribute ordnance items made in Selma. Finally, Union General Wilson captured the city after the Battle of Selma on April 2 1865, and completely destroyed all of the city’s manufacturing facilities and equipment.

SOURCES:

Tannehill and the Growth of the Alabama Iron Industry by James R. Bennett
The Alabama Confederate Reader by Malcolm C. McMillan
Torpedoes? Damn! Ordeal at the Selma Gun Foundry and Battle of Mobile Bay by Sol H. Tepper