The proper balance between infantry and cavalry?

[major bill]

The percent of a Civil War army between infantry and cavalry seemed to vary between the Union and the Confedercy and between the Eastern theater and the Western Theater. Was there an "official" percentage that was suggested, or did each army just use what was available?

 

[2nd Alabama Cavalry]

I think that it depended on the Army, the theatre of operation and need. I will use General Pemberton and his Army of Vicksburg as an example. Lt. General John C. Pemberton was heavy on infantry and artillery regarding his garrison and defenses at Vicksburg. He was severely lacking cavalry. In the spring of 1863 he only had Maj. General Stephen D. Lee, William Hicks Jackson and Wirt Adam`s Cavalry relatively close, which altogether only represented a very understrength division at best. So in April 1863 when Grierson left Lagrange, down through the length of Mississippi and into Baton Rouge, Pemberton realized that he had a severe problem, because Grant was amassing his Army on the western bank of the Mississippi River looking for an opportunity to cross. Pemberton begged President Jefferson Davis for cavalry as he knew that he would not be able to stop Grierson, or Grant for the matter, with infantry and artillery alone. Then Pemberton sent messages to Johnston, Buckner, Hardee, Bragg and Beauregard begging for them to send some of their cavalry to assist him with Grierson. Buckner sent the 2nd Alabama Cavalry Regiment (my 3rd Great Grandfather`s regiment) and the 56th Alabama Partisan Rangers who were operating in Florida and Alabama as part of the Department of the Gulf, but they were sent up in the Mississippi Delta and attached to Brig. General Daniel Ruggle`s and not directly to Pemberton at Vicksburg. Johnston, Hardee, Bragg and Beauregard said that they could not spare any cavalry, that all they had they needed in case their forces were attacked. So left with few options, Pemberton mounted some of his infantry with no cavalry experience at all. Primarily the 6th Mississippi and 20th Mississippi Infantries and attached them with Wirt Adams to strengthen his Brigade. By doing this he weakened his forces at Vicksburg and with Grierson coming south through the length of Mississippi he pulled what cavalry and mounted infantry Pemberton had away from Vicksburg which allowed Grant to cross the Mississippi at Bruinsburg and then fight his way through Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson and then finally making a land assault on Vicksburg, which turned into a 47-day siege that lead to Pemberton capitulating on 4 Jul 1863, surrendering the city as well as his 30,000 man garrison who were manning the defenses there. So Pemberton`s need for cavalry was great but there were just not enough cavalry which could be made available to him. As a result of this debacle Pemberton lost his command.