George Bomford Gauges CLASS OF 1805 After graduating from West Point, Bomford continued his army career in the Corps of Engineers, building seacoast fortifications. He also experimented with designs for heavy guns able to fire both explosive shells and solid shot. When the War of 1812 began, Bomford moved to the new Army Ordnance Department. It was created to replace a loosely supervised group of private suppliers as the army’s primary source for artillery, firearms, and ammunition. The new department also took charge of the nation’s arsenals, even then developing the uniformity system of interchangeable parts manufacturing. First as assistant chief of ordnance, then chief from 1821 to 1842, Bomford promoted the use of the uniformity system to manufacturing small arms. He also attempted to standardize the army’s field artillery. NEXT Robert Parker Parrott William Gibbs McNeill 1801–1853 Class of 1817 George Washington Whistler 1800–1849 Class of 1819 George Bomford 1782–1848 Class of 1805 Robert Parker Parrott 1804–1877 Class of 1824 Joseph Reid Anderson 1813–1892 Class of 1836
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