Rifle, custer battlefield, saddle ring, lever action, american civil war, old west. Spencer repeating rifle simple english wikipedia, the. John dore of the 7th new york library of congress these rifle. In its first combat test, spencerarmed union troops under the. Ironically, despite the great advantages of these repeaters, the new weapons would make only limited contributions to the war. Rifles in the american civil war military wiki fandom. The whitworth rifle was, arguably, the first longrange sniper rifle in military history. The company also manufactured and licensed to the u. Benjamin tyler henry received a patent on his level action repeating rifle in 1860. List of weapons in the american civil war wikipedia. Most sharps carbines were issued to federal cavalry units. This innovative rifle was designed by sir joseph whitworth, a famed british engineer and inventor.
Small arms and ammunition essential civil war curriculum. The most advanced specimen of small arms to be used in service during the civil war, this identified weapon is the distinctive repeating henry rifle. The henry repeating rifle is a very interesting weapon and one of the most outstanding weapons to come out of the civil war. Theodore upson used a henry repeating rifle when he was with general sherman and making the famous march to the sea. His latest book, small arms at gettysburg, is scheduled for a fall 2007 release. Spencer lever action repeating carbine nra museums. Book war gun carbine marcot rifle musket firearms repeating by civil roy spencer carbine musket civil book by rifle repeating war firearms gun roy spencer marcot spencer repeating firearms. A history of the first repeating rifles weapons in history. This is more than just a gun book about one of the most famous rifles of the civil war. Part 2 in the field part one presented the rather considerable obstacles faced by the spencer rifle company in getting orders and starting production. Add to cart save 25% on every book by joining our book club. The colt repeating rifle or revolving carbine, model 1855, also was available to civil war soldiers in limited numbers. As a skirmishers rifle, the sharps was hard to beat, and it was issued in considerable numbers to federal light infantry late in the war.
Some of them were used in a major war for the first time. Upson wrote a book entitled with sherman to the sea that is a. Civil war spencer carbine used by the daggets in those poor, poor, bastards. Until now, most books on civil war firearms have tended to focus almost. Civil war rare books and first editions bauman rare books. This profusely illustrated volume represents more than three decades of research in public and. What was the impact of repeater rifles in the civil war.
The carbine was a shorter version of the spencer 7shot repeating rifle and was introduced primarily for cavalry use in 1864. Interesting 1862 civil war diary and related papers of union officer and abolitionist benjamin c. A history of the first repeating rifles, historian joseph. The firepower of the spencer was used with devastating effect on many civil war battlefields.
The spencer repeater was one of the two most advanced firearms to see service in the war for southern independence, the other being. These new technologies and weapons changed the future of war. Spencer repeating rifles were designed in 1860 and saw some civil war action. Issued late in 1863, the spencer carbine had a demoralizing effect on the confederate soldiers.
During the american civil war, an assortment of small arms found their way onto the battlefield. Several pennsylvania regiments and local militia units used versions of these outdated weapons early in the war or during state emergencies. During the war, a variety of weapons were used on both sides. Rather, it is a careful study of how those weapons were used and how a coherent, although unofficial doctrine eveolved over time. It details various sharpshooting rifles used throughout the american civil war by both sides of the conflict. Because of this, the process by which arms were manufactured was just as important as the weapons. Spencer repeating rifle wikipedia spencer repeating rifle, library books. Lock, stock, and history, german single shot schuetzen. It contains a lot of specific detail regarding specific henry rifles. Many guns were used in the civil war, including rifles, handguns, muskets and bullets. Picketing, skirmishing, and sharpshooting essential.
Little information on the later models of military models used in the indian wars. This book is for those who want to know the origin of the henry rifle. The fast and the furious a quick history of civil war. In the civil war, why werent repeating rifles used.
The war between the north and south remains the most bloody conflict in american history with over 625,000 souls claimed. Some of the new weapon technologies used in the civil war include rifled gun. The two most common repeating rifles available during the civil war were the sevenshot spencer, and the 16shot henry. The spencer repeating rifle is used by the 5th and 6th michigan cavalry. Upson wrote a book entitled with sherman to the sea that is a collections of his civil war letters, dairies and reminiscences. During the american civil war, the rifle was the most common weapon found on the battlefield. As with a lot of projects my book the henry repeating rifle is an ongoing. The civil war was the first time in history that armies relied upon the mass production of weapons. The weapon was produced in several lengths and calibers, the lengths. Information and articles about civil war guns, a weapon used in the american civil war.
Winchester leveraction rifles is an osprey weapon series book, authored by martin pegler, with illustrations by mark stacey and alan gilliland. The effective range about 500 yards was the same as the longer rifle, but it was. The american civil war, fought between the union and confederate forces, took place from 1861 to 1865. Patented in 1860, the henry gave a single man the firepower of a dozen marksmen armed with muzzleloading muskets. Initial army contracts with the spencer company of boston, massachusetts called for 10,000 repeating.
Joseph bilbys a revolution in arms is considerably more than just a treatise upon repeating rifles used during the american civil war. The spencer carbine was one of the most popular firearms of the civil war. Small arms of the civil war american battlefield trust. It took some time to sell the idea to the united states government so the rifles. However, very few veteran regiments carried them throughout the. The revolutionary technology represented by repeating arms used in the american civil war. When spencer signed his new rifle up for adoption right after the civil war broke out, the view. Though the muzzleloading percussion cap rifle was the most numerous weapon, being standard issue for the. His rifle was one of the most advanced designs of the american civil war. The confederates occasionally captured some of these weapons and ammunition, but, as they were unable to manufacture the cartridges because of their dire copper shortage, their utilization of the weapons was limited. The spencer repeating rifles and carbines were early american leveraction firearms invented.
Smoothbore muskets, some of which were still used during the civil war, were generally unreliable at any range more than 75 yards. Well documented, and supported by exciting onthespot reports, the author presents convincing evidence. It is, however, also interesting to read about the difficulty selling the henry to the military during the civil war, considering that the semiautomatic repeater was unique. In his 1861 military dictionary, colonel henry lee scott described a grenade as. There were many different weapons and technologies used during the civil war. Remington model 1863 zouave rifles american civil war forums.
There is probably no one weapon of the american civil war is more representative of the overwhelming force of industry and technology brought to bear by the north against the south than the us model. Henry who conceived the first practical, lever action repeating rifle. Two years later, the civil war broke out henry began production for military use by union soldiers. The spencer repeating rifle was first adopted by the united states navy, and later by the united states army, and it was used during the american civil war, where it was a popular weapon. Historians often call the american civil war the first modern war, pointing to the use of. These weapons include edged weapons such as knives, swords, and bayonets, firearms such as, rifledmuskets, breech loaders and repeating.
Both weapons used a linen cartridge and a pellet primer feed mechanism. The assault weapon of its time, the henry repeating rifle was the fastestfiring weapon an infantryman could carry. There are a total of 45 civil war rifles 1861 1865 in the military factory. Herein, for the first time, is revealed the impact and scope of the basic repeating rifle in the civil war. Oliver winchesters famous civil war repeater 9781931464017. Spencer repeating rifle for sale military collectibles.
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