"Correct method of carrying a musket?" Topic

I'm considering going back to doing ACW using 6mm Baccus figures. They are just perfect for my plans BUT I'm troubled by the fact that they are all cast with muskets on the left shoulder. As a former re enactor and one who has a large collection of ACW related books I can't find any reference to this being correct, and that 'right shoulder shift arms'was the typical means of carrying the musket when advancing and even when marching. I know they 6mm scale but I'd like them to look correct. I know British troops were trained to carry and load from the left shoulder, but I'm sure this was not the case for ACW troops.

Opinions please guys, was there a left shoulder drill position that would make the figures correct? From experience RSS was a very comfortable way of carrying the musket and getting a good balance.

Appreciate any replies,
Lee.

That's my understanding as well, and for some reason it escapes many figure manufacturers. The problem with Baccus has been noted before, and in 10mm the same problem holds with the Magister Militum (old Perrin) figures. Much to their credit, after Pendraken received some feedback about their predominantly left shoulder poses in their (otherwise excellent) new 10mm line, they took the extra step of sculpting new RSS figures.

If you are looking at 6mm, perhaps try Adler?

Cheers,

Christopher

Support Arms puts the musket on the left shoulder with the left arm folded across the chest and the musket resting its hammer on the top of the left forearm. This is the so-called "Attack March" you often see with figures.

This is for Hardee's and Casey's manuals which were most commonly used. The older Scott's manual and the derivative Gillham's manual which were used early in the war had the musket carried on the left. The left arm was down at the side and the butt of the musket rested in the hand and leaned against the left shoulder. A few of the less-used manuals also did this. There is no left shoulder equivalent of Right-Shoulder-Shift Arms that I'm aware of.

I myself wouldnt let that stop me if I really like the figures.Sure,there would be somebody somewhere who will point it out,but the majority of people wont care,unless youre like Sheldon Cooper.

There were a number of Confederate units that continued to use Gillham's (Scott's) manual during the war. It was more or less a state thing, but there were, as in all things, exceptions. One of the things that did stand out when researching CS records was that, where it could be determined what manual was being used, it was, in the majority of cases, a unit armed with the M1816 (and it's many variants) musket.

This makes sense on the surface, as Scott's manual was designed for "heavy" infantry, of the pre rifle-musket era. It was first published while the M1816 flintlock musket was the standard issue weapon, and then continued through the M1842 series, and the percussion conversions of the M1816 series.

So having CS and the occasional US green unit at the left shoulder isn't out of place, but it certainly wouldn't fit with the generic US/CS look that most of us try to use to add more flexibility to our little armies.

V/R

As someone who's spent way to much of my life studying these things of little practical use, I would just echo Scott and Tim. They're correct.

Thanks for the additional information! So a unit in left "support arms" would be unusual but okay, while left "shoulder shift" (which unfortunately is what most left shoulder poses I know of are) is off.

Thanks for the information guys, most interesting.

OK, so I just went to my book collection and looked at around 50 illustrations,contemporary pictures and Photos including sketches made at the time. IN almost every one where the musket is being carried they are on the right shoulder. These include:

Time Life … Road to Shiloh and Gettysburg, plus the Ric and Ken Burns book 'The Civil war' that accompanied the TV documentary series of 1991. The Shiloh book includes the famous 'Hornets Nest' canvas, painted in 1885 and painstakingly researched at the time including painting in the faces of more than 2,000 veterans. The action scenes show troops carrying muskets across the chest and on the right shoulder as well as loading and firing. Photos taken at the time of marching columns also confirm muskets on the right shoulder as do camp drill scenes etc. There is a very early (1861) photo showing what appears to be Confederate troops yet to be issued uniforms (possibly) where a few do indeed have muskets carried into the left shoulder as described above, with the hammer resting in the forearm. This is the only example I can find. Most telling are the sketches, made on the spot at the time and in every one I saw the musket was on the right shoulder… could all of the artists have depicted this wrong? I doubt it.

My conclusion given this contemporary evidence would be that the right shoulder is correct and the Baccus figures are sadly wrong! I really wish it could be otherwise. I could ignore it, but I want my troops to look accurate.

Can you post a picture of the Baccus troops in question?

Here are the images from Scott's to compare to: link

It appears the question is answered. The most common carry should be "shoulder arms" where the rifle is pretty much straight up on the right shoulder with the hand wrapped around the trigger guard. "Right shoulder shift" would be up on the right shoulder with the lockplate on the shoulder and the hand wrapped around the butt. The hammer in the crook of the left arm would be "support arms" and could be seen on the march but not likely to be seen with troops getting ready to go into action. Some southern troops and some early war northern militia would have a carry like the modern "left shoulder arms" if they were using Gillham's or Baxter's manuals.

I will say that it is one of my favorite beefs that so many figures are cast in rare or unlikely poses. I had a rant a while ago on TMP about the foot position of firing figures.

If there weapons are being carried high on the left arm, it's left shoulder shift. If there being carried low then it is carry arms. Carry arms is less used but very comfortable way to carry the riffle. If you look up hardees drill manual it's in there.

155th NYVI wrote:

"If there weapons are being carried high on the left arm, it's left shoulder shift. If there being carried low then it is carry arms. Carry arms is less used but very comfortable way to carry the riffle. If you look up hardees drill manual it's in there. "

And to make things even MORE confusing……. when Emory Upton rewrote the manual after the civil war, he changed the name of "shoulder arms" to "carry arms", and "Right Shoulder Shift Arms" became "Shoulder Arms". That became the normal drill, and when you read Joshua Chamberlain's account of his troops going to "Carry Arms" to salute the surrendering Confederate troops at Appomattox, he's referring to the old "Shoulder Arms". He used the current term in order to make clear to his younger audience what he was describing, to avoid any confusion on their part.

V/R

The Iron Brigade used Scott's manual of arms at least until 1864. They refused to conform to the rest of the army when they changed and were often reprimanded for carrying their muskets on the wrong side.

Interesting about the iron Brigade!

I have heard of other units doing Scott's as well, at least until Antietam. Casey's wasn't official adopted until August 1862.

Yes, a number of Federal troops were still using Scott's well into 1862. As EJ notes, Casey's wasn't adopted until August '62. Many Federal troops were using Hardee's, although it was the version with his name removed since he was now a Confederate general :) The differences between Hardee's and Casey's were very minor (when you allow for Casey's bizarre separate skirmish companies not being implemented).

Well seems I got something correct for once! lol
Very quick pic as dont have one just of march pose on file.
L