Confederate Musketoon

[Prodical Reb]

Re: Confederate Musketoon

applying some logic, I can't see Union Cavalry men using this type of arm with all of the breech loading(Sharps, Maynard, Burnside, Smith, etc) and repeating (Henry, Spencer, Colt) weapons issued. I just can't believe Union Men were that hard up for this 2nd rate weapon. I could however see a Confederate Cavalry man carrying and using it until the close of the war. as they didn't have the "modern" ;) weapons unless stolen, picked up or confiscated from a Union source. I wouldn't have any 2nd thought connecting it to a CS use. It would be great to have documents in hand proving CS lineage. Maybe it is there at the museum and just not re-discovered yet. You could start with where the Austrian came from (eg. who donated or who was it purchsed from' and try to work back. Who knows you may get lucky, but chances are you won't )

[fortdonelsonrelics]

Re: Confederate Musketoon

applying some logic, I can't see Union Cavalry men using this type of arm with all of the breech loading(Sharps, Maynard, Burnside, Smith, etc) and repeating (Henry, Spencer, Colt) weapons issued. I just can't believe Union Men were that hard up for this 2nd rate weapon.

The key term here is 'Western'. Alot of the Western Federal Army (including Cavalry) were issued, what would be considered 2nd rate weapons during the initial stages of the war, especially early 1861 through early 1862.

Henry, Spencer, and Colt shouldn't be included in this context as many were initially private purchases, most occuring around 1863 and were not issued as a rule until late war.

John Walsh

[fortdonelsonrelics]

Re: Confederate Musketoon

1st Regiment Illinois Cavalry:

May 6th, 1861: 100 Sharps Carbines
July 1861: 139 Horse Pistols
July 1861: 146 Musketoons

In several of the early Illinois units I see alot of up to 1863:

Halls Carbines
Sharps Carbines
Smith Carbines

Then going into 1863 you see more:

Burnsides
Merrills
Cosmopolitans
Sharps
etc.

John Walsh

[fortdonelsonrelics]

Re: Confederate Musketoon

http://www.kansasguardmuseum.org/2ksvls.html

In the month of October, 1861, A. C. Davis, of Wyandotte county, Kansas obtained authority from Major General Fremont, then commanding the Western Department, to raise a regiment of Cavalry in the State of Kansas, and reported to the Governor for instructions.

2nd Kansas Cavalry:

"On the 16th of March, arms, consisting of Hall's carbines, Austrian carbines and French revolvers, were issued to the men, and company M, Captain John E. Stewart, reported and was assigned its place in line."


John Walsh

[Prodical Reb]

Re: Confederate Musketoon

The key term here is 'Western'. Alot of the Western Federal Army (including Cavalry) were issued, what would be considered 2nd rate weapons during the initial stages of the war, especially early 1861 through early 1862.

Henry, Spencer, and Colt shouldn't be included in this context as many were initially private purchases, most occuring around 1863 and were not issued as a rule until late war.

John Walsh

John
I agree w/you. I thought about putting 63 and later in my post but then I decided not to. Silly Me:cry_smile. Early war both sides had a lot of 2nd rate weapons. This wasn't limited to one theater or another (East, West or Frontier-west of Mississippi). Everybody was pretty short on good, rifled .58 cal fireams. Johnny-on-the-spot Euro arms salesman dumped many old weapons in the haste to arm both sides at first. This is a great example! Althoiugh it was a rifled carbine.

By '63 (Gettysburg - 1st day Union Cav armed w/breech-loaders held off CS infantry) the Northern Arms mfg's had started cranking out the modern weapons to be widely issued to Cav troopers. The South never had this industrial/technological base to pull from as the North did. Thus the CS trooper was limited to whatever he could get his hands on and used to the end. (of the war or weapon's servicability which ever came first)