18th Pennsylvania Cavalry Spencers?

[stephend]

According to the History of the Eighteenth Regiment of Cavalry Pennsylvania Volunteers, the regiment was issued Spencer Carbines during the period August 8-11, 1864.  The History's Itinerary of Service states, "At last we are efficiently armed."  (They had previously been equipped with the Merrill Carbine and then Burnside Carbine.)

Can anyone tell me which model of Spencer was issued to the 18th PA Cav?  And what range of serial numbers?  I am curious because my Great-Grandfather mustered in to Company E of the regiment right about that time.

[Two Flints]

Stephend,

I went through my four volumes of the Springfield Research Service (SRS) Military Serial #s but could not find any reference to Spencer Carbines issued to the 18th PA Volunteer Cavalry/163rd Regiment.  Unfortunately, the SRS volumes are very incomplete with Spencer serial #s as issued during the Civil War.  Sorry, I couldn't help you.

What you might try, and it's a long shot at best, is to do a Google search of Spencer Carbines that are currently being sold on the Internet by the many different auction houses and firearms dealers.  Sometimes with the Spencer Carbines they are trying to sell, they indicate some of the Civil War history -  and sometimes they mention the Civil War unit the Spencer was issued to...maybe you just might luck out and find a Spencer that was issued to the 18th PA Volunteer Cavalry.  At least you would have a sample serial # to work with.  But, as I stated, it's a long shot at best!

What was your great-grandfather's name when he was with the 18th?

Two Flints

[stephend]

Well, thanks for trying!

What was your great-grandfather's name when he was with the 18th?
Two Flints

My Great-Grandfather was Enoch Jones.

[Herbert]

By august 6 1864 21176 spencer carbines had been deliverd to the army +aproximatly 11000 spencer rifles,so asuming the 18th PA recived thers new and in order,not always the cass but lickly thers would be in serial number range about 32000 + or - 1000,In Phil Sheridans 1864 vally campain the 18thPa part of JohnMcIntosh 1st brigade comanded by James Wilson s third division were armed with spencer & burnside carbines by the end of the year they were totly armed with spencers,by this time the serial number range had reached 46176 it would be hard to say when your great granfather was isued the spencer carbine,but from records it states that the best soldiers were isued spencers fist (yously meaning troops with experince) if he had been in the unit for a wile he would have been one of the first folowed by horse holders fariers and cooks .List of carbines held by the 18th PA september 1864 lists 31 Burnside & 325 spencer carbines all most fuly armed with spencers

[Two Flints]

Wow,

Found this, but you must already have this info:

Jones, Enoch B.  Private August 26, 1864 Mustered out with Company, June 14, 1865

Sorry, I couldn't be of more help to you.

Two Flints

[Herbert]

to find serial numbers for the 18 PA you might have to look for a large batch of spencers isued to James Wilsons comand of the Midle Military Division, 3rd division,1st brigade comanded by John McIntosh ,Wilson stoped in Washinton and got spencers for the 18thPA 325 carbines as well as spencers for the 1stConnecticut,3rd New Jersy,2nd&5th New York & 2nd Ohio all under John McIntosh s comand

[St. George]

The problem with that approach is that by that stage of the War, the issued weapons may've been issued from available stores and not from a traceable Ordnance Department contract.

The Federal Cavalry was being re-equipped across the board with Spencers - that includes Volunteer Cavalry - but being a Volunteer unit surely didn't put them at the top of the supply chain, when it came to issuing the new weapon.

'Unit-marked' weapons are most common when said weapons were original issue to the unit - not when they were replacing previously-issued arms.

A Volunteer unit likely had the earlier Model issued to them, as Regular units were getting top-of-the-line gear first.

Your best bet is to find some of the Supply Records from this unit - perhaps some serial numbers were recorded - but there's no guarantee, since the more gemeric term of 'carbine' was sufficient for the Quartermaster of the times...

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Herbert]

the spencer cabines were isued mainly to volinteer units,thr only regular unit isued during the war with spencers was 4th U.S Cavalry, i would think Brig.Gen. James Wilson rearming before a major campain under Gen.Phil Sheridan would have been given prioty at the Washiton arsonal , by this time spencer were in high demand and being suply was having trouble keeping up with demand so they were given out to the best units  whith the greatest need.In this cass there is no dought that the Spencer carbines were isued ,the isue is what serial number range that they isued in