Weapons of the Civil War Cavalryman

During the American Civil War, cavalry soldiers on both sides carried a wide array of weapons, including sabers, lances, carbines, revolvers, and other firearms. The advent of breechloading carbines, such as the Spencer, transformed warfare, but output struggled to keep up with unprecedented demands. The variety of weaponry carried reflected the mounted soldiers' various roles and the availability of weapons, particularly on the Confederate side. This study assesses the effectiveness of the different weapons and analyzes the decisions made about the armament of the US cavalry after 1865.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 80 pages
Publication date: 17 September 2020
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

During the American Civil War, the mounted soldiers on both sides of the conflict wielded a diverse array of weapons, ranging from sabers and lances to carbines, revolvers, and other firearms. While some sections of the cavalry relied on the sabre, the introduction of reliable breechloading carbines, particularly repeaters like the Spencer, had a profound impact on warfare within a decade of General Lee's surrender at Appomattox. However, the output faced significant challenges in meeting the unprecedented demands on manufacturing technology and distribution in areas with limited communication and in states prioritizing equipping their own men rather than contributing to the arming of Federal or Confederate regiments. Moreover, the staggering losses of men and equipment resulted in the widespread use of firearms, regardless of their effectiveness. Consequently, the wide variety of weaponry carried by mounted soldiers reflected their diverse roles in different theaters of operation and the availability (or lack thereof) of weapons, particularly on the Confederate side. This comprehensive study, accompanied by fully illustrated illustrations, assesses the effectiveness of the various weapons used by Civil War cavalrymen and analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of the decisions made regarding the armament of the US cavalry after 1865.

Weight: 270g
Dimension: 185 x 247 x 9 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781472842237