| The Hound | 30 Apr 2015 12:58 p.m. PST |
Did the Us Cavalry ever use sabers against the native americans in battle would it have been effective? would it shock the native americans? |
| William Warner | 30 Apr 2015 1:28 p.m. PST |
Before the Civil War several successful saber charges were made in the West. It's safe to say that the Indians on the receiving end did not stick around. |
| Rufus T Firefly | 30 Apr 2015 2:24 p.m. PST |
In his book, Five Years a Dragoon, Percival Lowe writes of his experiences serving in the frontier army in the early 1850s. As I remember it, he describes an encounter with hostile indians (one of few he ever had) in which his troop charged with drawn sabers. The indians did not stick around to receive the charge. They don't like it up 'em. |
| M C MonkeyDew | 30 Apr 2015 2:42 p.m. PST |
Actually Indians would rarely stand for a charge against sabres, shot guns, pistols or carbines. Not in the horse nomad playbook. Eventually the troops realized that sabres were more of an encumbrance to stealthy movement than any real use and mostly left them behind. That having been said, "yes" the Indians would melt before a sabre charge…usually. Bob |
| The Hound | 30 Apr 2015 2:49 p.m. PST |
why didn't Custer use them at little big horn |
| Tommy20 | 30 Apr 2015 3:25 p.m. PST |
Because he left them behind, along with his Gatling Guns. |
| rmaker | 30 Apr 2015 3:47 p.m. PST |
Because he left them behind, along with his Gatling Guns.
Both useless encumbrances. The Gatlings were of the 1 inch caliber, and weighed more than a 12-pdr Napoleon. |
John Leahy  | 30 Apr 2015 6:03 p.m. PST |
Yeah, Custer never would arrive in time with the gatlings. In a fluid cavalry combat they would have been useless. Even on Reno Hill standing up would have gotten the gunners killed instantly. |
Garryowen  | 01 May 2015 8:16 a.m. PST |
They also have virtually no traverse capability. That is why their primary civil war use was to defend bridges. I doubt if the Indians would have lined up in front of them. Those on the 1876 campaign were pulled by condemned cavalry horses. Reno took one on his scout just before Custer went up the Rosebud. They were nothing but trouble to Reno. Tom |
| John Leahy | 04 May 2015 4:04 p.m. PST |
If Tom speaks on the Pony Wars subject take it to the bank. He IS an expert! |
weighs the pros and cons of using a power drill on the minis workbench.
