Andrew D. King, Sub-Inspector, National Armory, Springfield, Massachusetts, Civil War Work Diary, 1861 

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• Lot Description
  Andrew D. King, Sub-Inspector, National Armory, Springfield, Massachusetts, Civil War Work Diary, 1861 
  
  Pocket Diary for 1861. "Published annually for the Trade." Label affixed to front pastedown identifies the owner as "Andrew D. King / US Inspector / Armory St.  Springfield / Mass." King was a sub-inspector from 1850 to 1865. In his many detailed entries from the year 1861, King bullets his expenses and the necessary orders and deliveries of weapons such as pistols, swords, and sabers as well as equipment and accouterments investigated in Hartford, Springfield, Chicopee, and Providence. He appears to have traveled frequently between these various manufacturing sites given his notations for rail expenses and board.
  
  He also mentions US Army Ordnance Department personnel by the same initials that are used in the inspectors' cartouches on firearms, including: fellow sub-inspectors G.G. Saunders (GGS) and Joseph Hannis (JH), and Captains of Ordnance Robert Henry Kirkwood (RHKW) and William A. Thornton (WAT). [His cartouche - ADK]
  
  Thus, entries may read: "GGS on pistols" (July 16 and following several days). Then on July 27, "Inspection of 500 pistols closed. ADK Days 8, GGS  (days) 12, (total) 20."
  Oct. 5 - "ADK, GGS, JH on swords."
  Oct. 14 - "ADK, GGS, JH on accoutrements ca accourtrments four days, delivered 10 boxes cav swords 300, 3 boxes Non Com Off 108."
  Oct. 21: "Delivered Cavalry Sabres 300, Delivered Non Com Officers swords 108, Delivered Musicians swords 50"
  
  Although not very extensive, there are a few notes on expenses on the accounting pages in the back (mostly on February).
  
  As the new nation was suffering birth pains, George Washington saw the need for centralized arms manufacturing and distribution. The bluff in Springfield had been used for militia training in colonial days. It had several advantages, being at the intersection of three rivers and four major roads (to New York City, Boston, Albany, Montreal). Being above the first fall on the Connecticut River, it was inaccessible by ocean-going naval vessels. The bluff overlooks a wide stretch of the river, and thus land-based threats may be seen. Washington scouted and approved the site in 1777 after it was suggested by Henry Knox, Chief of Artillery.
  
  The Arsenal at Springfield initially produced cartridges and gun carriages, then became a storehouse for weapons. by the end of the 18th century, manufacturing shops were built and the Mill River was dammed to form a mile-long lake. Over the next few decades, Springfield became the center of "R & D" basically. They developed methods for mass production of arms with interchangeable parts, which required standardized sizes, gauging, quality control, etc. Eventually, the assembly line concept was born  and firearms manufactured relatively rapidly. After more than a century and a half of service, Springfield was closed in 1968. The core site is now a National Historic Site. 

  Condition

  Some wear of the cover and binding, minor toning of the pages.
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