The usual discussion regarding Edgefield District, Civil War era stoneware is that of the Thomas J. Davies Pottery, Palmetto Fire Brick Works or Bath Fire Brick Works. This potential pottery and confirmed brick works has gained significant notoriety due to an excerpt written by Edwin Altee Barber, first in his book The Pottery and Porcelain of the United States, next in the Art Interchange, third in the Clay Worker, and later in second and third editions of the previously titled book. Throughout the evolution of these articles, Barber speaks of the “coarse brown wares” made out of necessity for the confederate hospitals. However, by the time the article is published in the Clay Worker, it includes an excerpt about slave made “monkey jugs” related to the potteries located in Bath, South Carolina with comparison to “water monkeys” or the historical, Spanish botijo. Presumably, Mr. Barber and Mr. Davies conducted correspondence between Pennsylvania and South Carolina since Mr. Barber was affiliated with the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
These publications, in conjunction with extant face vessels and the Davies’ “Palmetto Fire-Brick Works” ledger have sparked imagination, interpretation and controversy since the historical site has had no professional archaeological excavations. In early 2014, Harvey Teal wrote an excellent article about the Davies’ “Palmetto Fire-Brick Works” account book, which can be found in the Caroliniana Columns spring newsletter.
This documentation begs the questions:
Other than the account book, are there any other documents to substantiate the statements of both Mr. Barber and Mr. Davies?
Did any other Edgefield District potteries contribute to the war effort?
Were the forms of “clabber bowl” and “chamber pot” interchangeable in an effort to adapt to necessity?
Part of Barber’s premise for the limited success of the Davies’ brick works and pottery is assumed to be due to the Union Blockade proclaimed by Abraham Lincoln in April 1861.
After discussing this in detail with fellow researcher, Jason Shull, he forwarded me a photograph of a receipt signed by Colonel Thomas Jones Davies after receiving payment for 10,500 bricks. The wares were directly sold to The Confederate States in 1863.
The following letter was written by Colonel Davies in January 1863, advertising the quality of bricks produced at his factory named “Bath Fire Brick Works”. Notice, there is no mention of stoneware storage vessels or other table wares, rather the superiority of his fire bricks.
A similar receipt, also signed by Thomas J. Davies, for Bath Fire Brick Works is also found within the Confederate Citizen files. The load of 4,000 fire bricks were delivered to Augusta, Georgia.
No mention of Palmetto Fire Brick Works has been found in the Confederate Citizen files to date.
I was also able to locate a payment voucher for the Southern Porcelain Company stating that they supplied the Confederate States Nitre and Mining Service with 10,000 fire bricks. The price paid for the bricks is noted as $200.00, and dated 1864.
However, with the account in Mr. Barber’s book and ledger entry discussed in Mr. Teal’s article, I expected to find receipt of table wares and/or chamber pots for use in the Confederate hospitals. To be more specific, invoices and receipts from the South Carolina Medical Purveyor, Dr. J.J. Chisolm, addressed to Thomas J. Davies and/or Palmetto Fire Brick Works and/or Bath Fire Brick Works.
In 1861, shortly after the outbreak of the Civil War, Dr. J.J. Chisolm published the first edition of A Manual of Military Surgery drawing heavily on his experience as an observer in both military and civilian hospitals while in Europe. Two additional editions were published during the course of the Civil War.
On September 20, 1861, Dr. Chisolm was appointed to the rank of Medical Purveyor of South Carolina. By November 1861, he was in Charleston, South Carolina establishing the Medical Purveyor’s office. The purpose of the Purveyor’s Office was to order, receive and distribute medication, surgical equipment and other necessary medical supplies. The purveyor’s office was later moved to Columbia, South Carolina, where Chisolm also set up a medical laboratory for manufacturing pharmaceuticals made scarce by the Union Naval blockade.
This is the preface of the first edition A Manual of Military Surgery published in 1861:
“When the war suddenly broke upon us, followed immediately by the blockading of our ports, all communication was cut off with Europe, which was the expected source of our surgical information. As there had been no previous demand for works on military surgery, there were none to be had in the country, and our physicians were compelled to follow the army to the battle without instruction. No work on military surgery could be purchased in the Confederate States. As military surgery, which is one of expediency, differs so much from civil practice, the want of proper information has already made itself seriously felt. In times of war, where invasion threatens, every citizen is expected to do his duty to his state. I saw no better means of showing my willingness to enlist in the cause than by preparing a manual of instruction for the use of the army, which might be the means of saving the lives and preventing the mutilation of many friends and countrymen.”
Julian J. Chisolm
I have been unable to date to locate any such invoice or receipt, signed by Dr. J.J. Chisolm, for Colonel Davies related to the Medical Purveyor’s office. I have also been unable to locate an invoice or receipt related the Medical Purveyor’s office in the state of Georgia.
In contrast, I was able to locate Confederate Citizen files for both Benjamin Franklin Landrum and Linnaeus Landrum (son of Dr. Abner Landrum) related to the Medical Purveyor’s office in Columbia, South Carolina.
One invoiced receipt addressed to Benjamin Franklin Landrum includes 1035 jugs, 296 jars, and a total of 531 chamber pots. Also noted are pans, pitchers, plates and cups. Mr. Landrum received nearly $1900.00 for his wares upon delivery to Columbia in the fall of 1864. Similarly, Linnaeus Landrum sent over 500 chamber pots, and over 500 jars to the Medical Purveyor’s office in January 1864. He received a little over $1897.00 in payment.
The photo, below, illustrates the items that were to be purchased using the “Hospital Fund” according to the Regulations for the Medical Department of the C.S. Army, published in 1862. The “Hospital Fund” was money SAVED by feeding sick and wounded men less than those in active duty. The fund was described as being used to buy “luxuries”. It seems chamber pots, for thousands of men with dysentery and septicema, were indeed considered a luxury.
Coincidentally, Dr. Chisolm also received approval by the House of Representatives in December 1863 to increase the volume of “spirituous liquors” produced for medical purposes. A Mr. Berg appears to have supplied bricks for said distillery, and one may infer that the Landrum Family supplied at least a portion of the jugs.
I do acknowledge that between one third and one half of the city of Columbia was destroyed by fire on February 17th, 1865. Consequently, documents COULD have been destroyed related to the endeavors of Thomas J. Davis, as well as other potters within the Edgefield District such as John W. Seigler and Lewis J. Miles who, surprisingly, are also not located with the Confederate Citizen files.
As usual, these discoveries raise more questions than they supply answers. Perhaps the documented activity of the Landrum family during the war years, in conjunction with extant vessels will help further the accuracy of attributions and enhance education.
For example, this face cup has been directly attributed to the Thomas J. Davies pottery site by also attributing this particular chamber pot or clabber bowl to the same pottery at a recent exhibit at the South Carolina State Museum. The guest curator of this exhibit was noted by the South Carolina State Newspaper as Mr. Philip Wingard, a southern stoneware dealer.
The conundrum arises when the chamber pot or clabber bowl (pictured above) is compared to this particular extant vessel (pictured below), albeit with a pouring spout. This clabber or batter bowl appears to be made by a similar hand, of similar materials, and is serendipitously stamped with Landrum cross. This particular makers’ mark has been found at both the Benjamin Franklin Landrum site in present day Aiken County, as well as the Landrum Stork site in present day Richland county.
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