"Sheridan's Raid on Richmond Info Required" Topic

I have plenty of books containing detail of the raid, regarding forces involved on both sides, the why, the who and the wherefores but one thing I don't have is how the Union regiments were armed.

There's random information regarding some Regiments as part of the narrative in some books I have and I assume at the very least Regiments armed with Repeaters at Gettysburg were unlikely to have given them up. Always plenty of detail around Gettysburg I've found!

Although, I believe those so armed in Custer's Brigade swapped Spencer Rifles for Spencer Carbines at some point, though I haven't checked that out yet.

As the Calvary Corps started the Overland Campaign with thirty Regiments, its probably a big ask to identify between Spencer's and single shot carbines but if anyone knows or can point me in the right direction I'd appreciate it!

Hey Bugsville!

Hasn't happened to me for ages. I was beginning to feel neglected and now its been deleted! ;0(

Hello Trajanus,

A return of the arms carried in the AoP in March 1864 is provided here:

link

Unfortunately, the section of the list for the cavalry is far from complete, but a similar listing for 30 June 1864 (drawn from the same sources) can be found on pages 46-47 of John McAulay, Carbines of the U. S. Cavalry, 1861-1905, (1996). Note that all weapons are carbines unless otherwise stated.

1st Division – BG Alfred Torbert

1st Brigade – BG George Custer
1st Mich – 40 Sharps, 264 Spencer
5th Mich – 13 Sharps, 102 Spencer, 37 Spencer rifles
6th Mich – 244 Spencer, 1 Spencer rifle, 1 Burnside
7th Mich – 19 Spencer, 66 Spencer rifles, 7 Burnside

2nd Brigade – Col Thomas Devin
4th NY- 182 Sharps
6th NY – 238 Sharps
9th NY – 46 Sharps, 184 Sharps & Hankins
17th Pa – 235 Sharps, 2 Burnside, 4 Smith

Reserve Brigade – BG Wesley Merritt
19th NY – 220 Spencer, 22 Joslyn, 2 rifle-muskets
6th Pa – 195 Sharps
1st US – 129 Sharps
2nd US – 204 Sharps
5th US – 89 Sharps

2nd Division – BG David Gregg

1st Brigade – BG Henry Davies
1st Ma – 353 Sharps, 47 Burnside, 4 Spencer
1st NJ – 288 Burnside
10th NY – 118 Sharps, 21 Burnside, 104 Smith
6th Oh – 108 Sharps, 100 Burnside, 3 Smith
1st Pa – 217 Sharps, 13 Burnside

2nd Brigade – Col Irvin Gregg
1st Me – 172 Sharps, 186 Burnside
2nd Pa – 392 Sharps
4th Pa – 203 Sharps
8th Pa – 129 Sharps, 62 Burnside
13th Pa – 178 Sharps, 142 Burnside, 25 Gallager, 10 Spencer
16th Pa – 380 Sharps, 12 Burnside

3rd Division – BG James Wilson

1st Brigade – Col John McIntosh
1st Conn – 25 Sharps, 56 Burnside, 64 Smith, 14 Spencer, 4 Spencer rifles
3rd NJ – 172 Sharps, 2 Starr
2nd NY – 137 Sharps, 191 Burnside, 1 Starr, 42 Spencer rifles
5th NY – 7 Sharps, 152 Spencer, 22 Spencer rifles
2nd Oh – 39 Sharps, 343 Burnside, 9 Starr, 1 Spencer, 3 Spencer rifles
18th Pa – 226 Burnside

2nd Brigade – Col George Chapman
3rd Ind – 133 Sharps, 243 Burnside, 78 Smith
8th NY – 140 Sharps, 4 Smith
1st Vt – 165 Sharps, 2 Burnside, 15 Spencer

Escort
6th US – 317 Sharps
8th Ill – 98 Sharps, 1 Starr

Wow! What a STAR!

Many thanks Ryan, absolute knockout !

I wonder who got the lone Burnside in the 6th Michigan? 😀

Ryan's source, John McAulay, Carbines of the U. S. Cavalry, 1861-1905, besides dealing with the question asked by Trjanus, also has good info on cavalry carbines other dates in the Civil War.

I wish such good info was available on the Confederate cavalry.

Tom

It always staggers me when I see these lists to note the odd numbers and types across units and Brigades.

People always comment on the supply problems for the Confederates but how would you have liked to be responsible for ammo supply to the Ist Connecticut, with four unique types of cartridge to keep tabs on?

Overall, I count five different types of cartridge in the Corps and that's assuming (with my far from expert knowledge) that the few Starrs could use Sharps and the Joslyns and the Hankins could use Spencer!

BTW, I'd love to know how the 19th New York ended up with two rifle-muskets on their inventory. I'm willing to bet they weren't the same manufacture either! :o)