Near Manchester in Coffee County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Manchester Powder Mill

Powering the Confederate War Machine

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, February 13, 2021

1. Manchester Powder Mill Marker

Inscription.

Manchester Powder Mill. Powering the Confederate War Machine. During the nineteenth century, the Duck River was a valuable power source for factories and mills along its banks. With the outbreak of war in 1861, the Confederacy quickly established gunpowder mills to support the Southern war effort. The combination of abundant water power and access to the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad (including a spur line from nearby Tullahoma through Manchester to McMinnville) made this an ideal powder-mill site., The Tennessee Military and Finance Board contracted with Nashville businessman William S. Whiteman to build the mill, advancing him $15,000. By the fall of 1861, the Manchester Powder Mill (located in what is now the park) was producing 1,500 pounds of powder a day. Only a handful of Confederate powder mills existed besides this one, in Nashville; Augusta, Georgia; New Orleans, Louisiana; Marshall, Texas; and Petersburg, Virginia. This mill provided a desperately needed resource while the Augusta facility was under construction and produced 125,000 pounds of gunpowder during its brief existence., On March 26, 1862, Federal troops arrived in Manchester and immediately took steps to cripple the Confederate war machine by burning the mill to the ground. Union Col. John Kennett, 4th Ohio Cavalry, reported, “Capt. Robie … [reached] Manchester at the hour designated. Finding the powder-mill burned, he continued his march to Tullahoma, reaching there at 5 P.M. on the 27th.” After this expedition into Manchester, the Union army soon left the area but returned and occupied the town on June 23, 1863. The powder mill never operated again.,

Here at the forks of the Duck River, Native Americans built a series of walls within the boundaries of today's Old Stone Fort State Archeological Park. Although their exact use is a mystery, the walls are oriented to within one degree of sunrise at the summer solstice.

, Captions: , Top left: Powder mill, 19th century Courtesy Library of Congress , Bottom left: Duck River Falls Courtesy Library of Congress , Top right: Ruins with town in distance - Courtesy Library of Congress , Bottom right: Manchester and vicinity, from Official Military Atlas of the Civil War (1891-1895)

During the nineteenth century, the Duck River was a valuable power source for factories and mills along its banks. With the outbreak of war in 1861, the Confederacy quickly established gunpowder mills to support the Southern war effort. The combination of abundant water power and access to the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad (including a spur line from nearby Tullahoma through Manchester to McMinnville) made this an ideal powder-mill site.

The Tennessee Military and Finance Board contracted with Nashville businessman William S. Whiteman to build the mill, advancing him $15,000. By the fall of 1861, the Manchester Powder Mill (located in what is now the park) was producing 1,500 pounds of powder a day. Only a handful of Confederate powder mills existed besides this one, in Nashville; Augusta, Georgia; New Orleans, Louisiana; Marshall, Texas; and Petersburg, Virginia. This mill provided a desperately needed resource while the Augusta facility was under construction and produced 125,000 pounds of gunpowder during its brief existence.

On March 26, 1862, Federal troops arrived in Manchester and immediately took steps to cripple the Confederate war machine by burning the mill to the ground. Union Col. John Kennett, 4th Ohio Cavalry, reported, “Capt. Robie … [reached] Manchester at the hour designated. Finding the powder-mill

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burned, he continued his march to Tullahoma, reaching there at 5 P.M. on the 27th.” After this expedition into Manchester, the Union army soon left the area but returned and occupied the town on June 23, 1863. The powder mill never operated again.

Here at the forks of the Duck River, Native Americans built a series of walls within the boundaries of today's Old Stone Fort State Archeological Park. Although their exact use is a mystery, the walls are oriented to within one degree of sunrise at the summer solstice.

Captions:
Top left: Powder mill, 19th century Courtesy Library of Congress
Bottom left: Duck River Falls Courtesy Library of Congress
Top right: Ruins with town in distance - Courtesy Library of Congress
Bottom right: Manchester and vicinity, from Official Military Atlas of the Civil War (1891-1895)

Erected by Tennessee Civil War Trails.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is March 26, 1862.

Location. 35° 29.193′ N, 86° 6.118′ W. Marker is near Manchester, Tennessee, in Coffee County. It is on Stone Fort Drive, on the right

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, February 13, 2021

2. Manchester Powder Mill Marker

when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 732 Stone Fort Drive, Manchester TN 37355, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Middle Tennessee

and in the Highland Rim.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Geographic Setting of The Old Stone Fort (within shouting distance of this marker); The Old Stone Fort (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Eastern "Gateway" (about 600 feet away); The Enclosed Grounds (about 700 feet away); The Wonders on the Frontier (about 800 feet away); The Bark Camp Fork or Little Duck River (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Old Stone Fort and the Stone Fort Paper Co. (approx. ¼ mile away); The Mound Walls Meet the Cliffs (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manchester.

Also see . . . Where did Confederate Gunpowder come from?. July 7, 2018 Facebook post by Shiloh National Military Park with more details on the Confederate gunpowder operations. (Submitted on February 15, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Credits. This page was last revised on November 10, 2024. It was originally submitted on February 15, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 1,073 times since then and 74 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 15, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.