Mounted Infantry

[jakebook]

I was doing some reading about some KY regiments raised for the Union. A couple were listed as "Mounted Infantry". I was curious what the main differences between Mounted Infantry and Cavalry would be?

[Yellowhammer Rebel]

Re: Mounted Infantry

In my limited understanding of the matter, mounted infantry rode horses but dismounted and fought as infantry. They would have been equipped as infantry as well.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Mounted Infantry

Hallo!

Yup.... the horses were for (basically just for) mobility and speed to a "fight' where they fought as infantry

Curt

[jakebook]

Re: Mounted Infantry

So probably nothing different in what they were issued from any other Infantry company?

[Coatsy]

Re: Mounted Infantry

Read through this link to a previous discussion regarding Mounted Infantry

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?2010-Mounted-Infantry-Cavalry

[4vaadjutant]

Re: Mounted Infantry

I suggest that you check out a couple books about Wilder's Lightning Brigade, which was made up of six mounted infantry regiments and one artillery battery. The mounted infantry consisted of 3 Illinois regiments and 3 Indiana regiments, and the artillery was the six-gun battery commanded by Capt. Eli Lilly (who later founded the Eli Lilly Pharmaceutical Company). The mounted infantry was known for their speed and being equipped mostly with Spencer repeating carbines. There were time when they fought against Forrest and Wheeler as well as dismounted against infantry, most notably at Chickamauga. While most of the unit fought near the Widow Glenn's homestead, one regiment, the 92nd Illinois, was detached and fought from the buildings around the Brotherton Farm when the Confederates broke through the Union lines in that area. The books are Blue Lightning by Richard A. Baumgartner and Yankee Artilleryman by John Rowell.

Best regards,
Tom Williams
4th Virginia Infantry, Co. I
The liberty Hall Volunteers
Indianapolis
Indianapolis

[Michael Comer]

Re: Mounted Infantry

Cavalry would often dismount to fight also so there are similarities in that regard. Also, just saying they were outfitted like infantry doesn't cover it all. A lot of Confederate cavalry looked much like infantry as far as weaponry was concerned. I see the main difference in tactical utilization. Although I'm sure someone can find some exceptions, generally I believe that mounted infantry did not do the other types of things cavalry did such as scouting, vedettes, screening from the enemy, mounted patrols etc. They merely used the horse as a transportation device to get into an infantry fight similar to modern mechanized infantry.

[Mississippian]

Re: Mounted Infantry

The 2nd and 3rd North Carolina Mounted Infantry regiments (US) were kinda odd ball units. They were formed from mountain Unionists from western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Several companies of the 2nd were in fact never mounted and served as "dismounted mounted infantry" ;) , same with the 3rd, but the companies that were mounted acted as scouts and raiders in the mountain country. Some companies were even issued Remington revolvers to go with Spencer and Ballard rifles. They were much more in the mode of mounted irregulars than anything else.

Will MacDonald

[Longbranch 1]

Re: Mounted Infantry

The 2nd and 3rd NC Mounted were indeed unique. Formed late in the war ,1864, more than a few were deserters from local CS units who had seen the writing on the wall. Operating in E. Tennessee and WNC the terrain precluded pitched battles and devolved into hit and run guerilla tactics where often quarter was not given. Even if quarter was given, it could not be taken at face value.
Describing an action in E TN where a man in the regiment was shot by a bushwhacker, one soldier wrote;

They afterward captured a man in the woods who they think done it he was turned over to the Provost Guard of the Brigade, and as it consists of boys from our regiment as well as some others a musket happened to go accidentally and the ball happened to hit the bushwhacker, of course the soldier who was so unfortunate as to have such an accident happen with his gun was sevierly reprimanded by his officer but I believe he was not arrested.

Kevin Ellis