standard issue sidearm for 7th Illinois Cavalry ?

[Erich~]

was there one ?

thanks

 

[Mark A]

The only reference I've ever found regarding revolvers issued to the 7th IL Cavalry was that the unit was partially armed with the Whitney Navy revolver.

 

[Booner]

What's your connection to the 7th I'll?
My g g grandfather was in company "L"

As far as Carbines go, most of the companies were issued Sharps, but I think a couple of the companies had Smith's

 

[Don Dixon]

Standard issue sidearm for the 7th Illinois Cavalry? Was there one ?

No. The standard reference regarding the arms of Illinois units is Ken Bauman's Arming the Suckers, 1861-1865. Among the arms he lists for the 7th are Sharps carbines, Smith carbines, Model 1822-1840 horse pistols, Colt's revolvers, Whitney revolvers, Remington "Beals" revolvers, Dragon sabers, and Light cavalry sabers. (pp. 49-51) For further reference, his data is from the Quarterly Ordnance Reports, and is broken down by quarters.

The armament of the 7th was typical for a Federal western regiment, in that nothing was standard and it varied significantly over the course of the war.

Regards,
Don Dixon

 

[Booner]

In the 80's I was a member of the N-SSA. In the carbine competition I had the have a Smith carbine because I was sure gg grandpa-the one who rode in the 7th Il.- was issued one.

I believe now his company were issued Sharps Carbines.

Not going to give up my Smith.

I found out later I had another GG grandfather and his brothers were also in the cavalry-the 3rd Indiana.
They were issued Sharps too, and initially Horse pistols.

I guess I need to get a Sharps.

 

[Erich~]

thank you gentlemen, a relative served in company M, the Red Bud Co. from September of 1861 till October 15, 1864; it gives me a better pictured of the 7th's arms ~

 

[Mark A]

Then these would probably be the other revolver choices for the 7th IL Cavalry. Units fighting in the western theater of the war did receive a hodgepodge of weapons.

Remington Beals Navy revolver

Colt Model 1851 Navy revolver

Colt Model 1860 revolver

 

[DixieRifles]

a relative served in company M,

The 7 Illinois Cavalry was under the command of the XVI Corps that guarded the M&C RR from Memphis to la Grange.
Several companies were camped north of my town of Collierville, TN, during General James R Chalmers raid on 11 Oct 1863. Their camp was attacked and several prisoners taken. Chalmers repeated his attack on 3 Nov and this time the 7 Illinois and 2 Iowa Cav were the victors.
Let me know if you would like more details of these two battles.

 

[Erich~]

sure Steve send it ~

 

[WJC]

was there one ?

thanks

My understanding is that they were issued Whitney revolvers.

 

[JOHN42768]

According to John McAulay s "Civil War Pistols of the Union" the 7th,11th, &13th were partially armed with Whitney Revolvers. Colt's partially in 1st,2nd,3rd,8th,8th,10th,11th,& 13th. Remington --2nd,5th,8th,10th &15th. North Savage- 6th,10th &13th.Starr-- 10th, 13th & 16th. So I guess whatever was available at the tine.

 

[WJC]

According to John McAulay s "Civil War Pistols of the Union" the 7th,11th, &13th were partially armed with Whitney Revolvers. Colt's partially in 1st,2nd,3rd,8th,8th,10th,11th,& 13th. Remington --2nd,5th,8th,10th &15th. North Savage- 6th,10th &13th.Starr-- 10th, 13th & 16th. So I guess whatever was available at the tine.

So when a soldier in, say the 11th Illinois Cavalry lost his sidearm, it was irreparably damaged, or he was returning from hospital and needed replacement, he might get what was then available, not what he previously had? A further complication adding to the mix of weapons....

 

[Don Dixon]

Ordnance officers and state adjutants' general armed units and individuals with whatever they had in inventory when requisitions for arms were made to them. It was also common to arm units based upon political considerations rather than the units' mission in the field. Arming inconsistences were compounded by the arrival of new recruits at their units, and by soldiers returning from hospital. The 1863 Instructions for Making Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores required that recruits joining a regiment in the field be armed before reaching their regiment. The same would have applied to men returning from hospital. Little consideration appears to have been given in arming them to matching the arms already held by their regiments. Commanders were to take control of arms from sick and wounded personnel sent to hospital. Since a regiment in the field had limited capabilities to hold or transport the arms of sick and wounded soldiers, many of their arms were probably turned over to ordnance personnel. As a result, units in the field had a mélange of arms at any point in time. (Ordnance Bureau, Instructions, p. 31)

Regards,
Don Dixon

 

[DixieRifles]

sure Steve send it ~

I may have to email it. I forget that you cant attach files in IM's.
There have been some threads on CWT that discusses the Battle of Collierville. I searched for one that mentioned the 7th IL Cavalry but didnt find one with enough detail.
Ill keep checking.
BTW- the Interpretive Center at Corinth Battlefield NPS had a uniform of a Lt-Colonel of 7th IL Cavalry on display. I dont think it is there now. The Lt-Colonel resigned his commission sometime in early 1863. So he served in the area but was not at Collierville battles.

 

[WJC]

units in the field had a mélange of arms at any point in time.

Thanks for your response.
That had to be a logistics nightmare. I suppose the one positive for the U. S. forces was that it was even worse for the opposing rebels.

 

[Erich~]

Steve we were in Corinth last year but did not see the uniform presented......

 

[DixieRifles]

Steve we were in Corinth last year but did not see the uniform presented....

I was there last year, also, and asked about it.
I just searched thru a couple thousand photos on my Puter but I havent found my photo I took of the uniform several years ago. I wont give up.

 

[Sgt.DedHed]

Was the Whitney revolver any good?

 

[tecolote]

The 7th never reported very many revolvers in their Q.O.S. According to my calculations, using Baumann's Arming the Suckers, they averaged over their service only 56 revolvers vs. 561 carbines. At the end of 2nd Qtr. 1863 they reported 474 Sharps, 94 Smiths,31 US .54 pistols, 2 Colt .44 revolvers, 56 Whitney .36 revolvers, 334 Dragoon Sabres and 106 Light cavalry Sabres.
As time passed the Whitneys and Smiths were gradually replaced with Remington Beals .36s and Sharps.

 

[Mark A]

Was the Whitney revolver any good?

The Whitney Navy revolver received its share of complaints about parts breaking but all in all it was a fairly good gun. Reports from soldiers stated that it shot high so the user would have to figure out a proper aim point (aim at the knees to hit a man in the torso at 25-30 yards). All things considered the Whitney Navy was probably one of the top 4 or 5 revolvers used during the war.