If the Union Army had Breachloaders in 1862

[ole]

Originally Posted by civilwarbuglertn

As mentioned earlier Wilder's brigade was a great example of the repeating rifle being effective. However, just look at Knoxville and see how Longstreet's overcame the repeaters becuase they were not aimed. It does not matter fast you can load if you don't aim. How many battles were most of the bullets shot hitting above the men in the trees.

A precise observation, bugler. The repeating or faster-loading long arm had no advantage without the man wielding it. Wilder's men were well-schooled in the use of their Spencers, and they used them with devastating effect.

Buford's cavalry with Sharps did a very creditable job against Heth's advance. And then, there are the examples of the toops who didn't use the firepower to their advantage. A prime example of OJT -- on the job training.
Ole

[whitworth]

From a practical and logistical standpoint, it was impossible for the U.S. Army to move to more modern firearms early in the war.
The old regulars probably were right in saying - Hope they learn to shoot with the smoothbore and rifle musket, rather than attempt to move to a more rapid shooting rifle, with the additional waste of ammunition.

The Union army was primarily a volunteer army, with no previous experience, for many, in the use of rifles. A lot of ammunition, on both sides, was wasted.

It took a few years to build up a cadre of shooters. Once, Lincoln and the Congress saw a long war, purchases of Spencer rifles and carbines became practical. The expenditures for war were not going to dry up rapidly. For the old line regular ordnance officers, the U.S. was now spending in a few months, what these officers saw in their entire careers. One does not move easily from planning for the use of thousands of dollars to billions of dollars.

U.S. appropriations for its military was killing the Confederacy by 1863. Early in 1864, the head of the U.S. Cavalry Bureau approved the use of the Spencer Carbine as the primary weapon of the U.S. Cavalry. By that time, no one was going to question the expenditure, the need or the use. The U.S. Military had moved to a different strata.

[richard]

It is intresting that in the fall of 1864, there were union cavalry units in the west that were still using the Gallagher - breech-loading carbine.

The 9th Indiana Cavalry was armed with these carbines much to the dismay of its men. Many of the men in the 9th had been with Wilder in 1863 and had used the Spencer's.

[JWNathan]

Pvt. Sam Dile, when you say 1,900 Halls are you refering to the M1819 style(I belive M1840 was the percussion model)of breech loader? I've seen acouple other folks mentio it but didn't have proof as of yet?
-Jesse

[johan_steele]

Originally Posted by JWNathan

Pvt. Sam Dile, when you say 1,900 Halls are you refering to the M1819 style(I belive M1840 was the percussion model)of breech loader? I've seen acouple other folks mentio it but didn't have proof as of yet?
-Jesse

Both the M1819 & M1843 Hall's were in use during the Civil War. Arkansas troops carried Hall flintlock rifles at Shiloh & the 1st VA Cav was famous for carrying their Hall Carbines M1843's through most of the War. Incidently the 11th TX also carried them at least as late as the Spring of 64. At least 5 Union Cav units were all or partly armed w/ them... there were 5k of them at the arsenal in St Louis IIRC at the start of the war.

THere were numerous breechloaders out there w/ the Sharps predating the ACW by most of a decade. But they were new fangled and the politicians never have asked soldiers their opinions...