Pennsylvania Volunteer Inf. Rifles

[Finn McCool]

Hello All,

This is my first post on this forum, so I thought I would make it a question.
Where can I find sources detailing the type of rifle issued to Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiments during the late-war period ('64-65)? Did it vary by regiment to regiment, or even company to company? If it was a combination of both Enfields and Springfields which would be the most common?

Thank you,

Finn

[stuttgart.ross]

Re: Pennsylvania Volunteer Inf. Rifles

Finn,

try looking for a book called American Military Equipage. In the PA section it lists the weapons issued by regiment for many of the Volunteer Regiments. I think you'll find it varied by Regiment and by year of service. It doesn't break down to Companies as I recall.

Craig Ross
Spencer's Invincibles
Sandwich Islands

[Jayhawker Jake]

Re: Pennsylvania Volunteer Inf. Rifles

An Introduction to Civil War Small Arms by Earl J. Coates and Dean S. Thomas has a list of weapons issued to various regiments for the mid-late war period. PA regiments are shown as having anything from Model 1842 smoothbores to Enfields, and Springfields. Really does seem to vary from regiment to regiment. The most common, ie, weapon that seems to have been issued to the most number of regiments is the Enfield, followed by the Springfield.