In the first half of the 19th Century, the Ordnance Department played a crucial role in the … See more

The Mexican War provided the first real test of the Ordnance Department’s system of armories and arsenals. In 1841, there were two armories and twenty arsenals. Without difficulty, it … See more

During the Civil War, the Ordnance Department was called upon to arm and equip an army of unprecedented size. It furnished 90 million pounds of lead, 13 million pou… See more

Between the Civil War and WWI, the Ordnance Department did not expand to any great extent. Modest improvements in the organization of the Ordnance Departmen… See more

Even though WWI had been raging in Europe for nearly three years, the Ordnance Department had to play catchup when the United States entered the war in April 1917. … See more