Fayetteville Arsenal Commanders
United States Army
Captain James A. J. Bradford
Captain Bradford was the last official U.S. Army commander of the Fayetteville Arsenal. At the outbreak of hostilities, Captain. Bradford resigned his commission in the U.S. Army to accept the position of Colonel, 10th North Carolina State Troops (1st N.C. Artillery). Colonel Bradford died at Fayetteville, September 7, 1863 of disease and was buried with military honors at the Arsenal per his request.
Confederate States Army
Major John C. Booth
Captain Booth was the first commander of the Fayetteville Arsenal as an organization under the Confederate Ordnance Department. A former U.S. Army officer and West Point graduate (Class of 1848), Captain Booth brought to the arsenal six years of military service. His previous experience and knowledge of ordnance duties proved invaluable to the Confederacy in establishing operations in Fayetteville. He vigorously took on the task of organizing and expanding the capabilities, whereby earning a reputation as a skilled leader. Unfortunately, Captain Booth fell ill and died in September 1862. As a gesture of gratitude, the Confederate War Department posthumously promoted him to major. (Click here to see original document)
Captain Charles P. Bolles
Captain Bolles assumed command of the Fayetteville Arsenal upon Major Booth's unexpected death. He performed the duties for several short weeks, until the arrival of Booth's successor. Captain Bolles remained in the arsenal battalion, assuming command of Company A, with the additional duty of Inspector of the Laboratory. He remained at the arsenal through May 1864, when he was transferred to Tallassee, Alabama, to command the armory under construction at that place.
(click here to see original document)
Lieutenant Colonel Julius A. de Langel
At the time of the arsenal's seizure by Southern forces, 1st Lt. Julius De Langel, U.S. Army was assigned to the Fayetteville Arsenal as commander of Company D, 2d U.S. Artillery. After securing the safe passage of his command back to Washington, D.C., Lieutenant de Langel resigned his commissioned and volunteered for the Confederacy. He returned to Fayetteville assuming command of the arsenal and relieving Captain Bolles as interim commander. His tenure would prove short, returning to ordnance duties in Virginia within a year.
Lieutenant Colonel Frederick L. Childs
Colonel Childs, a former U.S. Army officer, graduated ninth in his West Point Class of 1855. He was the only son of Bvt. Brig. Gen. Thomas Childs, a veteran of both the War of 1812 and Mexican War. Upon resigning his commission in March of 1861, Lt. Colonel Childs served initially at Wilmington, N.C., and later as commander of the Charleston Arsenal. Relieved of duties in Charleston under a cloud of questionable charges, Childs served briefing at the Augusta Arsenal as a temporary assignment. Cleared of all charges by the spring of 1863, Childs transferred to Fayetteville and assumed command of the arsenal.
(click here to see official documents)