"ACW cavalry to infantry ratio?" Topic

As a newbie to the period, what would be the cavalry to infantry ratio?

I understand that during the first part of the war, the Confederates used they cavalry more effectively. Did they have more of it or was it better quality?

My 28mm collection will eventually consist of about 4 infantry brigades with 3-4 infantry regiments (20 figures in each). So I guess I am asking how much cavalry do I need for both Union and Confederates?

At Antietam, the Army of the Potomac had 17 infantry divisions and 1 cavalry division, while the Confederates had 9 infantry divisions and 1 cavalry division (although the Confederate infantry divisions were about twice the size of the Federal divisions).

So on that basis, the cavalry:infantry ratio would be about 1:17.

Yes, but did the cavalry actually participate in the battle itself and, if so, did it fight mounted?

I've always wondered why wargamers include cavalry units in their games when it seems like mounted action was so rare (not tlalking about cav fighting dismounted like Buford's brigade at Gettysburg)

I have huge Union and Confederate 25mm forces. I don't have one painted cav figure. Why? It's simple, they almost never fought in the big battles mounted (most of all) because they'd get wiped out real quick. In small actions and a few odd battles cav were used but for the most part, you don't need any.

Because "Cavalry adds tone to what would otherwise be a vulgar brawl." There are several battles where cavalry was important: 1st Manassas, Pea Ridge, Prairie Grove, Brandy Station, Brice's Crossroads, Yellow Tavern, and the one where Wade Hampton almost trapped Custer.

Hi

Some years ago, I found a gamer oriented source that just approached the ACW statistically and concluded that, on average, armies fielded about 10% cav.

Early on, the tactical use and equipment was quite different. Usually, the confederates would field whole bregades on big rides and the union would parcel out penny packets. Later, the union started fielding exceptions.

And then there are anomalies like "Grierson's Raid" which was entirely cav(and fictionalized in the Johh Wayne move "The Horse Soldiers".

Rocky

Also The Opequon (aka 3rd Winchester), Cedar Creek, and Waynesborough. Oh, and Nashville, but it mostly fought dismounted there (as it did at Brice's Crossroads).

Most cavalry raids involved mounted cavalry, yeah.

I wouldn't worry about cavalry. ACW was an infantry and artillery war with cavalry, with few exceptions, dancing around on the sidelines. Of course there were a few "raids" that look flashy, like Grierson's raid or JEB Stuart riding around the Union Army. The terrain just didn't allow the use of cavalry as it did in Europe.

This is just a generality, but, unless you're doing a particular scenario, you won't need much cavalry.

I wouldn't worry about ratios like you would for earlier horse and musket armies. For a large battle, cavalry had either already done its job, or still had its job to do after the battle. Not really a "day of battle" arm in the ACW, if you will.

That being said, I'm collecting a LOT of ACW cavalry just to do cavalry vs. cavalry actions. This is a fascinating tactical environment that just never gets gamed. Cavalry was engaged a lot – just not in the grand, heavy battle cavalry gamers are used to for Napoleonics, SYW, etc.

I have two big ACW armies in 15mm, two small ones in 28mm and two small ones in 6mm – I have no cavalry in 28mm and only one unit in 6mm – for the 15mm, I have about 60 Union infantry brigades and 8 cavalry brigades, for the Confederates about 55 infantry brigades and also about 8 cavalry brigades – about 30 batteries per army

That being said, I had no 15mm cavalry for the first 10 years I did ACW and only picked them up over the past 10 years, when we started doing campaign games – for most of my ACW games, there is no cavalry – as noted, cavalry were useful for scouting, guarding lines of communication, raiding and as noted every now and then adding tone to what otherwise be a vulgar brawl – so, if you eventually have one cavalry brigade for 4 or 5 infantry brigades (and I emphasize eventually) you will be just fine – just remember, you will also need five or six batteries

Actually the Antietam orbat in the ORs is wrong. Very recently I've trawled the regimental histories and they all report a completely different Orbat:

3 regiments (1st NY, 3rd PA and 12th PA Cav) are attached to Hookers 1st Corps, along with some small odds and sods. 8th NY claim to have been there too, but I personally don't believe they were on the field on the 17th.

6 regiments (5th US, 8th IL, 1st MA, 4th PA, 6th PA and 3rd IN Cav) were in the centre under Pleasanton.

1 regiment (6th NY Cav) was on the left flank attached to 9th Corps.

The total number of sabres on the field is reported in one contemporary newspaper report to be 2,500, which @250 sabres per regiment is probably about right. The *effective strength* of McClellan's army was ca. 50,000 infantry, 5,000 artillery and 2,500 cavalry, or about 1/20th of his strength being cavalry (which is what McClellan stated it was).

After casualties and straggling the Confederates probably had about 4,500 sabres on the field to ca. 32,000 infantry and 4,000 gunners, a healthier 1 in 10, but still low.

However, Antietam has much less cavalry than later battles, especially on the Federal side. Pope's army had emerged from their ordeal with less than 500 mounts and had to be totally remounted and were thus absent.

Thank you gentlemen,

I get the point that historically cavalry were not used in major encounters. However we all love the sight of some dashing types charging across the table. Subsequently I think I will include some cav but will resist the temptation to have Napoleonic type brigades.

Many thanks on this one.
Gareth

Cavalry charges were few and far between. Farnsworth comes to mind and of course East of Gettysburg but that was cav vs cav. In general cavlary did scouting and delaying actions. Most not supported by infantry except for the first day at gettysburg when the 1st Corps came to the relief of Bufords Division.
VR
James Mattes

Raglan…It's your game. I for one love the use of cavalry and try and fit them into any and all games I play, from ACW to WWI, WWII and moderns to even zombie games with mounted survivors. Yeah, maybe no huge "Charge of the Light Brigade" type stuff. But damn they are cool…

Cavalry charges are great fun in the ACW if you like taking figures off by the double handful, otherwise it is generally needed only for specific scenarios. I bulked up on cavalry for a Battle of Piedmont scenario a few years ago. Now we seek excuses to use them.

That said, go ahead and paint up a brigade or so for each side. It's nice to have around if needed.

If the rules you use are in the least bit accurate, and the terrain you put out is adequate, you will find out quickly what a liability mounted cavalry can be on a major ACW battlefield. Dismounted units have some use sometimes! Cavalry IS fun , however, but the fun comes in fighting other cav in small scale battles or skirmish games in ACW wargaming, and not attempting Napoleonic or SYW type moves! The French and Germans learned this the hard way in 1870!

I play Johnny Reb and cav usually is done with its work before the battle begins. Once in awhile we would do a game where cav was used. One player was able to use it to great advantage. He would let it wander on the flanks and if I did not pay attention to it, he would "saber the fugitives" of routing units (which happens from time-to-time in JR). If he approached too close to formed units, I would empty saddles in great scale. I did not fear his cav but I did respect it. Just another piece of chaos I had to manage. Doug Kline, of BTC and the Johnny Reb Gaming Company, has a very good cav vs cav system for JR.

Two weeks ago, we play an AWI game and my friend decided to charge the British 17th Dragoons in my formed American infantry, guess what – he was wiped out in two turns and I think he was lucky to last that long.

Subsequently I think the rules we use, do reflect well what may actually happend.

Gareth

Based on what I was always told I thought the Cav on Cav at Gettysburg was mostly mounted, but having just finished a book on Jeb Stuart I get the impression that the fight was dismounted, with some racing forward on horseback but dismounting behind walls and buildings to fight.

Nevertheless, I always look for an excuse to field them in my games just because they look cool.

American cavalry was in all respects Light Dragoons in the ACW. There was some mounted action for certain, and some leaders and units preferred it whenever possible, but the large preponderance of action was dismounted skirmishing and small scale battle. A few thought of themselves as Hussar types, but most were totally realistic of their plain, utilitarian Light Dragoon status!

When I painted up my massive 15mm ACW armies (over 1,000 figures per side), I used general ratios as follows:

Artillery is 10% of a Confederate army and 15% of a Union army (by unit count, using regiments of cavalry & infantry and batteries of artillery)

Cavalry is 15% of a Confederate army and 10% of a Union army.

75% of either army is infantry.

So far, I have had no trouble playing almost any game scenario, from regimental level to full-on Antietam and Stones River with Fire and Fury. Also, campaigns have worked about right for balance of forces available.