My Story

by C H 1879-1957 Claudy and Anson Mills

Book Overview

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0811724816
• ISBN13: 9780811724814
• Release Date: March 2003
• Publisher: Stackpole Books
• Length: 412 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.0" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Classic of Western Expansion

Anson Mills was a pioneer settler in the upper Rio Grande Valley. There was much sentiment for the South and he had to leave town during the Confederate ocupation. He became a Cavalry Officer during the Civil War and remained on active duty campigning on the Plains. Among other achievements, he invented a cartridge belt entirely woven on looms. This was the solution to the problem of the soldier having no convenient method of carrying his ammunition in the field. They had resorted to sewing leather loops on a wide waist belt but in the harsh weather conditions, the ammunition quickly corroded and the cartridges jammed in the arms. Mill's loop belt became standard issue through the War with Spain until the clip fed .30 caliber Krag and Springfield .30 caliber rifle. Though commonly thought that Mills also invented the pocketed woven cartridge belt, he had by 1900 sold out to his partner Orndorf. The US Armycontinued to order the woven belts from Mills and their domestic competitor Russell. Before and during WWI the English branch prospered and continued in business until the 1950s. (reprinted) The British standard was the Mills Pattern 1908 and the M1937 Pattern web equipment. Due to the adoption of substitute sewn patterns and the vast surplus stock the American company shut down in the 1920s. Mills would also achieve local renown in El Paso as a developer. He built the Mills building located on the central plaza: a crocodile was once kept in a fountain in front. The Mills building still stands today.