Cavalry Squares, Infantry Defense

[JPK Huson 1863]

There's a pretty famous photograph, the 139th Pennsylvania practicing a cavalry square- defensive maneuver against cavalry used only once in the war. I can document that- by the 52nd North Carolina, July 1, 1863, and not Lane's Brigade, either so no, I'm not misquoting.
http://civilwarcavalry.com/?p=3578

Pretty archaic, was not as helpful as say, for the 15th Alabama as hanging around entrenched while Kill Calvary gift-wrapped troopers for slaughter.

139th Pennsylvania formed into defense against cavalry. I forget where the camp is, suspect one of the camps around Washington, looks to be 1861, beginning of the war.

Bumped into this on LoC . At first I thought ' Same, 139th PA, different angle.' but do not think so? Hill behind steeper, square larger ( ? ), single tent, cannon in foreground too close to have been missed in the first, tree line different.

Still seems one of the early camps dotting Washington's surroundings. New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont troops figured large in 1861 photographs although I'm not at all claiming these as included in any of those.Famous shots of Maine troops, too, a few others taken at Harper's Ferry encampments.

This LoC photograph is listed there as ' Hancock Headquarters, 1861 ', same gun setup as in the cavalry square photograph? No idea if this means anything, like a CLEW...... ( yes, I know that is misspelled- am being silly. )

 

[Dave Wilma]

The squares worked for Wellington, but American cavalry doctrine did not embrace charging infantry.

The key to the square was training and discipline. The musketry had to blunt a charge and then reload or reform before the charge was renewed. Muskets/rifles with bayonets could be a daunting barrier to horses that got as far as the line. Generally cavalry stayed away from infantry unless they dismounted to be infantry themselves.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

We had an interesting thread about the square about a year ago:
http://civilwartalk.com/threads/civil-war-regiment-formed-in-a-square.104009/

 

[chubachus]

Bumped into this on LoC . At first I thought ' Same, 139th PA, different angle.' but do not think so? Hill behind steeper, square larger ( ? ), single tent, cannon in foreground too close to have been missed in the first, tree line different.View attachment 82977
Still seems one of the early camps dotting Washington's surroundings. New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont troops figured large in 1861 photographs although I'm not at all claiming these as included in any of those.Famous shots of Maine troops, too, a few others taken at Harper's Ferry encampments.

This is said to have been taken in Fort Wayne in Detroit, Michigan.

 

[chubachus]

View attachment 82979
This LoC photograph is listed there as ' Hancock Headquarters, 1861 ', same gun setup as in the cavalry square photograph? No idea if this means anything, like a CLEW...... ( yes, I know that is misspelled- am being silly. )

This was definitely taken in Camp Griffin in Virginia: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2014646391/

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

This was definitely taken in Camp Griffin in Virginia: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2014646391/

Thank you! We sure have a plethora of Camp Griffin photos, makes me happy this is one of them.