| Whether you had ancestors that fought for the | | | | weapons, they would have had to produce special |
| North or the South, almost every American is in | | | | cartridges, which they could not have done. |
| some way tied to the history of the Civil War. | | | | The Yankees and Confederates were more |
| Each of the weapons used in the Civil War has its | | | | equally matched when it came to handguns, |
| own history as well. And owning an original relic is | | | | particularly those made by Samuel Colt. While |
| very expensive and not for every collector. But | | | | most Samuel Colt revolvers went to Union |
| there are several companies building quality replica | | | | troops, the Confederates had stocked up on |
| Civil War rifles and handguns that anyone can own | | | | them prior to the firing on Fort Sumter. Colt's |
| for a reasonable price. There isn't much better | | | | Navy.36 caliber revolver was also widely available |
| conversation piece than a Griswold and Gunnison | | | | to the Confederates, and was a preferred |
| hanging in your office or in your home. | | | | weapon of horsemen. Remington and Sons |
| The British Enfield was similar to the Springfield | | | | supplied Union troops with revolvers that had |
| and was used by both the Union and Confederate | | | | simplified designs and a solid frame, making them |
| troops. Soldiers could use the same caliber | | | | both stronger and cheaper to build than the Colt. |
| ammunition in the British Enfield as with the | | | | After the war, Union troops were given the |
| Springfield. But the Enfields weren't machine made | | | | option of purchasing their sidearms, and more of |
| like the Springfields, and many units did what they | | | | them chose Remingtons than Colts. |
| could to exchange Enfields for Springfields. | | | | Smith and Wesson made.22 and.32 caliber |
| The Austrian Lorenz was another widely used | | | | revolvers during the war, but in small quantities. |
| European rifle, used by both Union and | | | | Most were purchased privately. Lefaucheux |
| Confederate troops. Some smooth-bore muskets | | | | revolvers made in France were used by Union |
| like the 1842 Springfield were used frequently too, | | | | troops in Western battles, while the Confederates |
| but against enemies armed with rifles, they were | | | | bought thousands of five shot Kerr revolvers. |
| not very effective. | | | | When it came to manufacturing Civil War |
| The short barreled carbine was the shoulder | | | | weapons, Southerners were at a great |
| weapon of choice for cavalry units, and it was | | | | disadvantage due to lack of raw materials |
| effective to 200 yards. Some 20 different types | | | | necessary for building the weapons. Sometimes |
| were used by Union forces. Cavalry on both sides | | | | church bells were melted down to supply the |
| used Sharps, which were 0.52 caliber arms. They | | | | materials for making arms. Griswold and Gunnison |
| were widely used by Gen. John Buford's division | | | | was the most productive maker of Confederate |
| when they pushed back the Confederates' | | | | revolvers, making.36 caliber brass framed Navy |
| advance towards Gettysburg in July 1853. These | | | | copies. A weapons maker called Spiller and Burr |
| were single shot weapons but could be loaded | | | | made.36 caliber revolvers in Atlanta and then |
| easily enough that a troop could fire five shots a | | | | Macon, but the pace of production was too slow |
| minute versus three from muzzle-loading muskets. | | | | to keep up with demand. |
| The Confederates made their own Sharps copies, | | | | The single shot musket was the infantry soldier's |
| but they were not very useful because only | | | | basic weapon during the Civil War. The one made |
| 5,000 were ever made and many were | | | | by Springfield in Massachusetts was the most |
| defective, according to accounts by Gen. Robert | | | | common. This musket had a 39-inch long barrel |
| E. Lee. Instead, many Confederates on horseback | | | | and could hit targets 500 yards away effectively. |
| used captured Yankee breach-loaded weapons or | | | | The Confederates started making their own |
| short-barreled muzzle loaders. | | | | copies of Springfields after the raid on Harper's |
| The Union forces used.52 caliber Spencers that | | | | Ferry, Virginia. |
| were patented in 1860 that could fire off seven | | | | For more information about the history of Civil |
| shots in half a minute. This frequency of fire | | | | war weapons visit the Smithsonian Institute |
| overwhelmed Confederates using their slower | | | | interactive website. Their website has excellent |
| muzzle-loading muskets. The.44 caliber Henry Rifle | | | | descriptions of the original weapons as well as high |
| was another well-liked repeater that put the | | | | quality images of each. Or for great looking |
| Confederates at a clear disadvantage. Even if the | | | | replicas of some of these historical pieces, you |
| Confederates had got their hands on these | | | | can visit us at Civil War Classics. |