"The Evolution of Cavalry Tactic: How Technology..." Topic

…. Drove Change

"Young Maj. Gen. James H. Wilson, a member of the West Point class of 1861 who was known as Harry to his family and friends, commanded the Cavalry Corps of the Military Division of the Mississippi, in 1865. Wilson's Corps consisted of roughly 13,500 troopers organized into three divisions, commanded by Brig. Gens. Edward M. McCook, Eli Long, and Emory Upton. Each trooper carried seven-shot Spencer carbines, meaning that this was the largest, best armed, best mounted force of cavalry ever seen on the North American continent to date. Capable of laying down a vast amount of rapid and effective firepower, Wilson's Corps proved to be a juggernaut. In short, Wilson commanded a mounted army that could move from place to place quickly and efficiently and was capable of laying down a previously inconceivable amount of concentrated firepower.

On March 22, 1865, Wilson's mounted army began a lengthy raid through Alabama intended to eviscerate what remained of the Confederate Deep South, all while operations around Petersburg, Virginia moved toward their climax, and on the day after Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's ultimate battlefield victory at Bentonville in North Carolina. Wilson's mounted army was to deliver the coup de grace to a dying Confederacy…"
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Amicalement
Armand

the book "Yankee Blitzkrieg" by James Pickett Jones (1976) is a very good account of Wilson's campaign.

I always thought of Wilson's Cavalry Corps as a WWII Panzer Grenadier Corps or a modern Mech Infantry Corps that ripped the guts out of the Confederacy. Wittenberg is spot on!
Best, Lowell D Hamilton

How much difference did the Spencers make to Wilson's success?

Hi Bill
Seven shots to one shot in the same time frame. Totally out classed the muzzle loaders.
Best, Lowell

Buford's troops were equipped with breech loading non-repeater carbines at Gettysburg. They were able man for man to outshoot Heth's infantry, but we don't hear that as being a game changer.

The typical Spencer armed trooper would have a cartridge case with IIRC 42 rounds. That is about what an infantryman armed with a muzzle loader would carry. A trooper armed with a Spencer could squeeze off 10 rounds in the time it would take a man armed with a muzzle loading rifle to fire 2. The trade off to that though is that the Spencer armed trooper is going to be out of ammo in five minutes while the muzzle loading infantryman can continue firing for 20. Plus with Wilson's command on the move they wouldn't be bringing along a large wagon train with large amounts of spare ammo. So would the typical trooper in Wilson's campaign be taking full advantage of the Spencer's rate of fire?

The Spencer's increased rate of fire could easily be incorporated into the normal ACW defensive tactis. On offense it would require a major rethink. Since Wilson was on the tactical as well as the strategic offensive, such a tactical revolution would have to have occurred for the Spencer to have played the major role in the success of Wilson's offensive.

Which brings me back to my question of how much difference did the Spencers make?

Thanks!.

Amicalement
Armand

Buford's troops were equipped with breech loading non-repeater carbines at Gettysburg. They were able man for man to outshoot Heth's infantry, but we don't hear that as being a game changer.

Carbines were shorter ranged. And the cavalry were probably taking their time and conserving ammo.

I would be more focused on the fact that they could load lying down and not expose themselves to opposing fire.