Cavalry carbine circa 1855-1865

[Mescalero]

Am currently reading an account of campaigns against the Paiutes in Oregon just before and during the Civil War. It is annoying vague about the equipment and firearms used by the regular and state volunteer cavalry during this time period. I assume that the percussion-cap Sharps would be one carbine in use, though probably not universal. What other carbines were typically issued 1855-1865?

[Story]

You have a choice of 50.   
http://www.hackman-adams.com/guns/civilwarcarbine.htm

Seriously, it's a unit-specific question. Did you mean the California cavalry units that served up in Oregon?
http://www.militarymuseum.org/CSM%20and%20the%20CW.html

[St. George]

Accounts of many, if not all of the conflicts and skirmishes don't reference the weaponry - there was no perceived need to do so, since no one cared.

Back then, a 'carbine' was a 'carbine', but a 'pistol' could also mean a 'revolver' - so once in a great while, that term pops up - but was usually interchangeable.

Review copy of MacAulay's 'Carbines of the Civil War, 1861-1865'.

Though the thrust of the book is the Civil War - many of the early carbines in use by the various Militias are featured, along with units of issue, and while no means all-inclusive, you'll often find out what they started with and what they finished with by war's end.

If you want truly specific information about a particular unit - you'll need to contact that state's Historical Society for more information by way of Muster Rolls and Equipment Issue.

The folks who work for those places are pretty helpful, and enjoy doing so - so long as you're serious and have some specific questions, so be certain to honestly appreciate their efforts.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Charles Isaac]

I didn't see the Hall carbine in that list. Neat little gun. Breechblock can be removed and used as a pistol for protection in a bad libo port. The Italians even made a repro of it, for those so inclined.


From Samuel Chamberlain's memoirs, an incident in a Mexican canteena:

"I thought my time had come, but resolved not to be rubed [sic] out without struggle. With a bound I sprang behind a large table used for a bar, drew the chamber of my 'Hall's Carbine' (that I always carried in my pocket), said a short prayer and stood cool and collected, at bay before those human tigers, guerrillars [sic]. There was one grizzly old fellow who seemed more ferocious than the others; he had but one eye that glared on me with the fierceness of a wild beast. He rushed for the table as if he would spring over, then the sight of the little iron tube pointing straight for his solitary optic caused him to pause.

A few tallow dips cast a feable [sic] light on the savage faces in my front, cries of 'Muerte! muerte! Los Americano ladron que muerte los Yanque burro!' came from all parts of the room but none offered to strike. [Twenty] brigands were held at bay by the strange weapon I held; they seemed to know it was sure death to one, and none seemed willing to be that one."

[Grapeshot]

Am currently reading an account of campaigns against the Paiutes in Oregon just before and during the Civil War. It is annoying vague about the equipment and firearms used by the regular and state volunteer cavalry during this time period. I assume that the percussion-cap Sharps would be one carbine in use, though probably not universal. What other carbines were typically issued 1855-1865?

Besides the Hall, the Army also used the M1842 Muzzle Loading Cavalry Musketoon with a ramrod swivel that prevented the ram rod from being lost.  You also had the 1848 Sharps slant breech, percussion breech loader, the M1854 Muzzle Loaded Rifled Carbine of .58 Caliber, the M1855 Springfield Pistol-Carbine of .58 caliber, and the breech Merril and Perry Carbines.  After 1863, any number of breech loading carbines to include the Spencer would be likely to be seen out west.

[US Scout]

Identify the specific regiments and see what MacAulay's 'Carbines of the Civil War, 1861-1865' (as recommended by St George) has to say about them.

Beyond that, see if you can find any existing histories, journals, etc, that may provide some additional insight - though it has been my experience that these are usually heavy on pistols, revolvers, carbines and rifles and short on actual descriptions of what they were.