Civil War Period Traveling Forge

By David Einhorn

The Traveling Forge combined with a Battery Wagon, and Limbers, formed a complete blacksmith shop on wheels. These wagons contained all the necessary tools and supplies to shoe horses, and repair wood, iron, and leather equipment used by both northern and southern American armies during the mid-19th century. Whether it was a horse needing new shoes, a broken leather harness or saddle strap, a smashed 190 pound cannon wheel, or a damaged or destroyed cannon carriage, these smiths had the necessary skills and tools to provide quality repairs and/or replacement parts as needed.

The photo on the left is a reproduction Civil War period traveling forge built by David Einhorn author of the book Civil War Blacksmithing , a member of the Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland.

The photograph on the right was taken by Alexander Gardner showing smiths working at a Civil War army traveling forge at Antietam, MD between September and October of 1862 shoeing horses at headquarters, Army of the Potomac. The wagon behind the four aproned smiths is a Traveling Forge attached to a limber.

Note: The photograph is directly referenced/displayed from the U.S. Library of Congress web site, which contains many high quality historical images worth viewing.