Spencers as Mentioned in Official Reports of the War of the Rebellion

[bluesuit01]

A quick search through the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion found several mentions of the Spencer in various reports. As most of the reports are quite large, I just pulled out the relevant sections.

Col. Abram O. Miller, Seventy-second Indiana Mounted Infantry, Roswell, Ga., July 13, 1864. "Colonel Biggs moved his regiment promptly to meet the emergency, and aided by Lieutenant-Colonel Kitchell and Major Vail, who changed their lines under the fire of the enemy, we soon had a good line formed and one continual sheet of fire pouring from the muzzles of our Spencers. The enemy advanced in a good line, and made one or two desperate charges to break our lines, at one time coming so close that Colonel Biggs captured some prisoners inside of his lines, but finding that yelling availed them nothing, that their shooting could not drive us from our position, and hearing the shouts of the Seventy-second Indiana, which had been ordered forward, while at the same time the Board of Trade Battery opened upon them from the opposite bank of the creek, they turned and fled in confusion, in spite of all the efforts of their officers to bring them on the field again."

August V. Kautz, Brigadier-General and Chief of Cavalry, Camp near Jones' Neck, Va., July 14, 1864. "I have the honor to call the attention of the major-general commanding to the accompanying report of men and arms in this division. It will be observed that in addition to the great variety of arms and caliber that there is a great deficiency of the proper arms for cavalry. Repeated requisitions for carbines have been made, but have not been filled. The best carbines for cavalry are breech-loading repeaters, with metallic percussion cartridges. Of this kind Spencer's carbine is preferred, next the Henry rifle or carbine. Sharps carbine is a favorite arm, but the ammunition in a few days' marching deteriorates so much as to be a serious objection, as ammunition trains can seldom be taken on cavalry expeditions, and therefore only a limited supply can be carried by the men. The same objection exists against all paper cartridges. The issue of Merrill's carbine, made in this command just before commencing the campaign, seems to have been a very defective arm in the manufacture. The Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry started on the 1st of May with 280 carbines; they are now reduced to 117, and this reduction is due almost entirely to defects in the arm itself. The officers report that many burst in the barrel, and other parts give way."

Geo. A. Purington, Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Second Ohio Cavalry, In the Field, October 11, 1864. "After advancing a short distance the enemy in strong force was met in line of battle. The Third Battalion, under Capt. Frank E. Watrous, was thrown around their right and rear, pouring in volleys from their Spencers with telling effect, as the number of dead in their front abundantly testified."

Wm. W. Averell, Brevet Major-General, September 18, 1864. "Brigade commanders will be held responsible that every man has forty rounds of ammunition; Spencers with sixty. It must be carried on their persons. A rear guard will be organized for each brigade, who will arrest all stragglers on the march and shoot them if in battle."

Datus E. Coon, Colonel Second Iowa Cav., Comdg. 2d Brig., 5th Div., Cav. Corps., Gravelly Springs, Ala., January 20, 1865.  "No sooner had the Ninth Illinois passed through the line of the Second Iowa than the rebel brigade came at double-quick up the hollow, colors in front, and in another instant was in line of battle. Three hundred Spencers from the Second Iowa drove them back in confusion; but a moment, however, intervened when the rebels rallied. Major Horton in the meantime retired and mounted by battalions, under fire, leaving one officer and five men wounded on the field."

E. W. Whitaker, Lieutenant-Colonel First Connecticut Cavalry, Near Winchester, Va., February 8, 1865.  "On the return march I placed Lieutenant Brown, First Connecticut Cavalry, with thirty-eight men who had been doing good service on the Petersburg road, in the rear, he having fifteen Spencers for that use, with which he successfully checked each dash of the enemy."

O. Edwards, Colonel, Commanding, Third Brig., First Div., Sixth Army Corps, April 17, 1865. "I caused a skirmish line of seventy-five Spencers rifles (all volunteers) to be deployed along my brigade front, and twenty axmen, selected from the pioneer corps." "The Thirty-seventh Massachusetts advanced at the same time with the brigade, driving the enemy slowly, but soon found both flanks exposed and a column of the enemy coming in on their left. Their left was thrown back to meet this attack, which they admirably repulsed. By this time they discovered the enemy on their right flank and some 100 yards in the rear. The regiment faced about, and a desperate hand-to-hand fight ensued. The enemy were finally forced back and they taken in flank; their line being swept by the fire of the Spencers they surrendered."

Joseph Badger, Captain, Eighth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, Philippi, W. Va., April 23, 1865. "The arms consisted of: 40 Spencer carbines, 60 rounds of ammunition each; 110 Burnside carbines, 100 rounds each; 150 sabers, and a very few revolvers." "Moved on toward Warm Springs, Lieutenant Swain's party, armed with Spencers, in advance." "I expected to find that Mr. Harding and friends had gathered a pretty good squad through the mountains to bushwhack us on Greenbrier or about the Gum road, on Cheat Mountain. Therefore place half my Spencers in the advance guard and half in the rear." "Halted the two rear companies, and had them scatter about 2,000 cartridges all over the face of the hill, which made it so warm that the bushwhackers had to get out of their holes and leave on double-quick."

F. A. Jones, Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Eighth Indiana Cavalry, March 27, 1865. "Finding further operations on horseback impossible, I dismounted my command and sent led horses to the rear; the enemy, seriously alarmed for the safety of his left flank, commenced rapidly re-enforcing that flank, and I soon found that I was fighting several times my number, and ordered my lines to reconnect with the infantry. The enemy seeing my movement, and judging it to be a retreat, charged me in great force. We immediately came to "about face," gave two or three volleys from our Spencers, and made a counter-charge, causing the foe to quickly seek shelter in his works."

Smith D. Atkins, Brevet Brigadier-General, Commanding Second Brig., Third Cavalry Division, Military Division of the Mississippi, Near Mount Olive, N. C., April 1, 1865. "My loss was 53 killed, wounded, and missing; the enemy lost 72 in killed alone. The Ninety-second Illinois and Ninth Michigan are armed with Spencers, which accounts for the great loss of the enemy. Wheeler followed [us] to our barricades at Johnson's, but made no organized attack on that portion of the line defended by my brigade."

D.C. Rodman, Lieut. Col. Seventh Connecticut Vols., Bermuda Hundred, Va., May 17, 1864.
"About 3.30 p.m. the line, Colonel Hawley commanding, was ordered forward on the charge, going up with the Seventh New Hampshire Volunteers on their left, the Third New Hampshire in reserve, to the summit of the slope, where a house had been burned, forcing the enemy to take to their earth-works, about 400 yards in front, leaving us in possession of the top of the hill, where fighting continued at intervals until dark. Just about dark the rebels opened a furious fire and charged from their works with desperation. We opened for about a minute and a half with the full rapidity of the Spencer carbine. The rebel fire was completely subdued and the charge repulsed."

O. S. Sanford, Major Seventh Connecticut Volunteers, Bermuda Hundred, Va., May 17, 1864. "All, officers and men, behaved with great credit to themselves and the regiment, and could the right of our lines been held, we could have held our position against any force brought before it, for with the Spencer carbine, plenty of ammunition, and a determined set of men, nothing can stand before them."

Chas. C. Horton, Major Second Iowa Cavalry, Collierville, Tenn., July 31, 1864. "The superiority of the Spencer carbine as a cavalry arm was clearly demonstrated."

John D. Stevenson,  Brigadier-General, Harper's Ferry, W. Va., October 23, 1864. "Mosby's guerrillas are the only rebels in force left in this end of the Valley. If I could remount Cole's cavalry and arm them with the Spencer carbine I can safely say that in sixty days I can get rid of this quasi-military pest."

J. H. Wilson, Brevet Major-General, In the Field, December 30, 1864. "The Spencer carbine is undoubtedly the best fire-arm ever put into the hands of the soldier, and should be supplied for the entire command; all other arms are bad by comparison, and we have no troops poor enough to use any other when the best can be obtained. It is believed that troops armed with the Spencer carbine, or rifle, consume less ammunition than any other, and are more effective. A detailed report will be made on this question as soon as the proper data can be gathered; in the meantime, enough is known to leave me no hesitation in making the application for at least 10,000 Spencer carbines--15,000, if they can be obtained."

J. H. Wilson, Brevet Major-General., Huntsville, January 2, 1865. "I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter requesting a trial of the improved Gallagher carbine, or rifle, and to inform you that the necessary steps have been taken. In this connection, however, permit me to observe that all carbines are bad by comparison with the Spencer, and that the troops of this army will receive no other without protest. There is no doubt that the Spencer carbine is the best fire-arm yet put into the hands of the soldier, both for economy of ammunition and maximum effect, physical and moral. Our best officers estimate one man armed with it equivalent to three with any other arm. I have never seen anything else like the confidence inspired by it in the regiments or brigades which have it. A common belief amongst them is if their flanks are covered they can go anywhere. I have seen a large number of dismounted charges made with them against cavalry, infantry, and breast-works, and never knew one to fail."

F. Salter, Surg., U. S. Vols., Med. Director, Cav. Corps, Military Division of the Mississippi, from History of the campaign of the Cavalry Corps, Military Division of the Mississippi, in Alabama and Georgia from the 22d of March to April 20, 1865: "Two accidents arose from the magazines of the Spencer carbine exploding from being half filled while on "hot march" by concussion. In one instance the magazine was in the pouch, in the other in the stock of the carbine. The tin tubes, or magazines which contain the fixed ammunition, metallic cartridges, should be therefore kept filled. Four inches of play on a hot day may explode them, as evidenced in these two cases."

[Trailrider]

Fascinating!  The last paragraph is noteworthy!  There were other reports of Spencer magazine explosions, one I recall, though I can't find the reference just now, was of a 10th Cav trooper having an explosion when the butt of his Spencer carbine hit the ground.  Since the original Spencers were all rimfire, I suspect the cause MAY have been defects in the ammo caused by priming compound (fulminate of mercury) having been deposited in the center of the head, rather than being spun out to the rim.

No matter... one very important lesson is to be sure your bullets have large meplats on the nose.  By large, I mean at least .250" across!  Also, if you are shooting any original Spencers with centerfire conversions, be sure to replace the iron magazine follower with a flatnose one.  S&S offers a brass follower with a slight cup on it, but I would be happier with one made from medium-hard plastic!  A magazine explosion in a Spencer could ruin your whole day!   Ride carefully, troops!

[Tuolumne Lawman]

  A magazine explosion in a Spencer could ruin your whole day!   Ride carefully, troops!
[/quote]

Judge Hemp, SSS#44, had a magazine tube explosion in his original 1860 model 56-56 Carbine.  He had not replaced the follower with a flat nose one.  It was ten or so years ago.  He (or maybe it was his son) was pitched off a horse, the Spencer flying through the air and landing on the butt.  A round (or more) went off turning the magazine tube to scrap and the buttstock to wood splinter shrapnel.  Ruined his day, as it had been all original!