Revolver Question

[Rhea Cole]

I don't think I'd have gone as far as using the word "useless".

That is a word that an Appalachian Trail through Hiker used to explain why he cut the handle off his toothbrush.

 

[Old Soldier]

I don't think I'd have gone as far as using the word "useless".

'Not needed' or, 'surplus to requirements', or even 'too much' may be alternatives.

 

[Pollaco]

Useless is defined as "not fulfilling or not expected to achieve the intended purpose or desired outcome". A heavy revolver just might achieve the intended purpose if you could get a soldier to carry it.

 

[Rhea Cole]

Useless is defined as "not fulfilling or not expected to achieve the intended purpose or desired outcome". A heavy revolver just might achieve the intended purpose if you could get a soldier to carry it.

I am not understanding what your point is. Early on newly formed regiments were equipped with huge fighting knives, havelocks, spats, patented water purifiers, shoulder scales, artillery swords & sabers, & revolvers / furniture. The first hard route match & fire fight saw veteran soldiers dumping all but the absolute minimum of necessary items onto the roadside. That is what actually happened.

Note: As an illustrator I have searched Civil War images for decades. Photos & observed illustrations of officers seldom, if ever show them wearing pistol belts in the field.

 

[Pollaco]

I don't have a point as far as "did they or didn't they?" I'm kind of middle of the road. It happened, I'm just saying it was not 100% or that all of the soldiers discarded their revolvers.

 

[Pollaco]

I'm sure there may have been some who escaped the camera's lens who still had their "heavy artillery" with them. Can we really say "dumping" was universal and all soldiers did it?

 

[Old Soldier]

I'm sure there may have been some who escaped the camera's lens who still had their "heavy artillery" with them. Can we really say "dumping" was universal and all soldiers did it?

Look at it from the infantryman's point of view. If you are marched night and day, with all your field kit on, and your rations and ammunition you soon ditch anything you haven't signed for or need desperately. So your rifle, ammunition, bayonet, carrying equipment, canteen/waterbottle, your blanket for the night and the hard lumps of .. something .. they call 'biscuits', stay with you. The second pair of boots are usually first if they are not in regimental transport.

Of course, there are always those who will 'lose' more issue kit than they should. Note that there are no bought in items on that list, mainly because they are not signed out to you. It is unlikely that a good pistol would be ditched by the roadside, but it would be first on the list for disposal. Try to remember too, that you do not have a holster - nor would you be allowed one. This magic firearm or wonder-edge is stuck in your belt, in your pocket, or inside your jacket. It gets in the way every time you rest your weary legs and may even hinder your attempts to regain your feet after a rest. (It's bad enough sleeping with your rifle!) There seems no need for such an encumberance in the day-to-day life of the infantryman, hence it's position on the disposal list. Try it sometime.

 

[4thMichigan]

I think it was the 4th Michigan infantry that was issued revolvers when they went off to war. I don't remember the specifics. There are several early war images of them in camp with revolvers tucked in their belts. I would guess most were soon discarded. Major Bill would know the details.

Actually, the men of the Fourth Michigan Infantry were not issued pistols when they went off to war, nor were they ever issued pistols during the war. The early images of the regiment taken in '61 show some of the men with pistols which were typically photographers props. But while inspecting the soldier's belts in those images, you don't find holsters, or the additional leather accoutrements necessary for using their pistols. Some men of the 4th did have private purchase pistols according to some of the letters I've read, but many of them were soon sent home along with the complaints of their being too cumbersome. One member of the regiment won his pistol in a lottery, but he too sent it home quickly afterwards.

 

[Rhea Cole]

Actually, the men of the Fourth Michigan Infantry were not issued pistols when they went off to war, nor were they ever issued pistols during the war. The early images of the regiment taken in '61 show some of the men with pistols which were typically photographers props. But while inspecting the soldier's belts in those images, you don't find holsters, or the additional leather accoutrements necessary for using their pistols. Some men of the 4th did have private purchase pistols according to some of the letters I've read, but many of them were soon sent home along with the complaints of their being too cumbersome. One member of the regiment won his pistol in a lottery, but he too sent it home quickly afterwards.

4thMichigan has encapsulated the pistol narrative with precision. I don't know how many times I have seen this same sequence of events.

 

[Joe Whitworth]

Here's a great video of some of the revolvers that found their way to our later unpleasantness.