Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Confederate Muskets

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Confederate Muskets

    Ok....so has anyone ever done the research of what arms were being used by whome in the Army of Northern Virginia? There is a great site about the Union arms at Gburg.....anything like that for C.S.? Just curious. I know the therory is that smoothbores are good for an early war impression, but rifles are better for a late war. No specific unit in mind, just a generic impression. Anyone got any helpful ideas? Thanks

    Jeff Dunwoody
    Jeff Dunwoody
    Pvt. Thomas Sears Cadenhead, Company "C" 11th Texas Infantry
    My Great Great Grandfather

    Delta Company 1-185th Armor OIF VII

  • #2
    Re: Confederate Muskets

    The short answer to Confederate weapons at Gettysburg is "yes."

    You name a weapon, it's probably documented to ANV usage in '63. Smoothbores, '55s, Enfield (rifles and rifle-muskets), Richmonds, Mississippis, target rifles...

    It really varies, and is difficult to come up with a "generic" weapon, even within divisions or brigades. In the area of the Culps Hill attack, Enfields, a '55, a Richmond, and a sword bayonet are all documented battlefield pick-ups.
    Marc A. Hermann
    Liberty Rifles.
    MOLLUS, New York Commandery.
    Oliver Tilden Camp No 26, SUVCW.


    In honor of Sgt. William H. Forrest, Co. K, 114th PA Vol. Infantry. Pvt. Emanuel Hermann, 45th PA Militia. Lt. George W. Hopkins & Capt. William K. Hopkins, Co. E, 7th PA Reserves. Pvt. Joseph A. Weckerly, 72nd PA Vol. Infantry (WIA June 29, 1862, d. March 23, 1866.) Pvt. Thomas Will, 21st PA Vol. Cavalry (WIA June 18, 1864, d. July 31, 1864.)

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Confederate Muskets

      Hallo!

      According to the unpublished memoirs of Nicholas Pomeroy of Company "A," 5th Texas Infantry, and surviving Period images, they were armed with P1853 Enfield RM's after arriving in Virginia.

      On a broader scale, while there have been semi-detailed studies and listings of Federal arms issuances based upon evaluations of the ordnance requisitions and returns in NARA... aside from individual accounts and some exceptions there is nothing of that detail and scale done (or possible) for the Confederates.

      Curt
      Curt Schmidt
      In gleichem Schritt und Tritt, Curt Schmidt

      -Hard and sharp as flint...secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster.
      -Haplogroup R1b M343 (Subclade R1b1a2 M269)
      -Pointless Folksy Wisdom Mess, Oblio Lodge #1
      -Vastly Ignorant
      -Often incorrect, technically, historically, factually.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Confederate Muskets

        I believe Dean Thomas published a thin book entitled "Ready, Aim, Fire" in the early '80s. It documents bullets actually recovered from each position of each majour formation of the two armies at Gettysburg. This constitutes telling evidence of what was actually in the hands of the troops the first three days of July, 1863. I have it in my library but can't at the moment lay my hands on it. For Mr. Lee's people, this sort of forensic evidence is especially appealing as they had just gleaned the majour battlefield of Chancellorville, had since been on near continuous campaign, and formal returns would likely have been lacking even if they would have otherwise survived.
        David Fox

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Confederate Muskets

          Hallo!

          Thanks Herr David, I had forgotten about Thomas' "Ready, Aim, Fire."

          My copy may be old, as it cost $10.00, but for Gettysburg, IMHO it is $10.00 (or so) well spent.
          (And he compiles things in a nice reference appendix at the end...)

          Curt
          Curt Schmidt
          In gleichem Schritt und Tritt, Curt Schmidt

          -Hard and sharp as flint...secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster.
          -Haplogroup R1b M343 (Subclade R1b1a2 M269)
          -Pointless Folksy Wisdom Mess, Oblio Lodge #1
          -Vastly Ignorant
          -Often incorrect, technically, historically, factually.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Confederate Muskets

            Dean S Thomas also did another in conjunction with Earl J Coates in the early '90's called, 'An introduction to Civil War Small Arms'. Appendix C of this book has a detailed list compiled using ordnace returns from record groups 94, 109, and 156 in the National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C.

            These lists, in general, represent the period 1863 -1864, and gives a fair, although probably not complete, cross section for both sides.
            [FONT="Georgia"][B][I][U]Ken Pettengale[/U][/I][/B][/FONT]
            [I]Volunteer Company, UK[/I]


            "You may not like what you see, but do not on that account fall into the error of trying to adjust it to suit your own vision of what it ought to have been."
            -- [I][B]George MacDonald Fraser[/B][/I]

            Comment

            Working...
            X