Percussion Revolver Carry - Civil War

Not sure if this is the right section to ask in, but I have been reading some accounts of units like the 43rd Virginia (Mosby) and Quantrill/Andersons groups. One stated that from 6 dead soldiers the Union boys collected 30 revolvers, so around 5 apiece. My guess is they carried so many to avoid reloading during the short, quick firefights they got into? How did they carry so many revolvers? Were there different holsters, just stuck in their belts, or a combination?

Also, I came across a picture of a Kentucky trooper with what looks like a cross draw full flap worn at an angle just to the left of the belt buckle, with the but pointing towards the right. I thought the standard was but forward, worn on the right hip for a left hand draw? Did this change as revolvers replaced swords as the weapon of choice?

I have seen a picture of Quantrill fully armed.

Two double holsters, one set butt foreward, one set butt to the rear.

One colt in the front of the belt.

One colt in shoulder rig under each arm.

Four on saddle front, two butt foreward, two butt to the rear.

Shotgun on a lanyard across the pommel.

I will never forget that picture!!!

Like ghost said, most revolvers would be carried in pommel holsters. 4-5 revolvers per Confederate cav trooper sounds about right, if they could get them. One instance I read, had one enterprising trooper carrying a sack filled with spare loaded cylinders. He used a stick in place of the wedge to make it easier to load!

When looking at Civil War pictures, keep in mind that most portraits were staged, sometimes using props provided by the photographer. So I always view the photos critically. That said, I have read several times that Mosby's troopers carried at least 4 pistols, inferring revolvers, a shotgun (one source said two), and few sabres. That would reflect the tactic of a quick deadly raid eschewing the romantic vision of a cavalry sabre charge. Sorta hurts for us sword collectors to find not every one liked our long knives.

I believe the regulation holster for the Union was a full flap Left hand Holster worn on the right side.
This places the pistol, butt forward on the right side to be drawn using the left hand.

I've been known to be incorrect though. (Once I thought I was wrong but I was incorrect.) :grin:

Actually you're right, though the idea was also to draw (a little awkwardly, maybe) with the right hand. The holster's position was not so much to encourage left-handed use as to keep it out of the way of the saber sheath, the big knife being considered to be the cavalryman's primary weapon. More of the same sort of thinking that got so many good men killed, using infantry tactics for muskets against rifles. Firearms had advanced to a point that, apparently, those who gave the orders couldn't get their minds around, so they sent massed infantry up against fortified positions held by riflemen and believed that, in a raid, the saber was preferable to one -- better yet, two -- sixguns :shake: .

you are correct but period pictures indicate that a lot of soldiers moved the holster into the cross-draw position.

The photographic process in those days produced photographs that were mirror-images. In other words, right became left, etc. Although most modern publications go ahead and "correct" this, older ones didn't. Neither do some new ones. Look closely at his accoutrements. Does anything else look "backwards"?

I read somewhere that Civil War cavalry troops wore their pistol on the right side, butt forward for a crossdraw, so they could draw it with their left hand while swinging a saber in their right hand. I guess they put the reins in their teeth, like Rooster Cogburn. :thumbsup: graybeard

graybeard said:

I read somewhere that Civil War cavalry troops wore their pistol on the right side, butt forward for a crossdraw, so they could draw it with their left hand while swinging a saber in their right hand. I guess they put the reins in their teeth, like Rooster Cogburn. :thumbsup: graybeard

Click to expand...

:rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

Toomuch
.............
Shoot Flint

or:http://usera.imagecave.com/mec/daguer.jpg
apparently not.

and:


Library of Congress archives

Granted, but your picts are of an artilery battery. The needs and requirements for side arms differed greatly between this and the cavalry or the infintry.

Toomuch
..........
Shoot Flint

The pictures of cavalry men and infantry officers usually have a saber prominently displayed and no handguns in sight. The infantrymen also seem unlikely to have revolvers unless the picture was taken in a photographic studio setting. Two of the men in the above picture segments seem to have thrust the revolvers into their belts for the purposes of the picture. They did do so in a cross draw mode and the buckle lettering indicates a projected print rather than a reverse image tin type.

Also, looking at the image of the man standing on the gun carriage, in the second picture -- the holster he's wearing in a crossdraw position is too small for any of the issue revolvers of the period (compare its length to the either '51 or '61 Colt thrust through his buddy's belt -- no way would the visible revolver fit in that holster and allow the flap to close). My guess is, if the holster isn't a prop, this fellow's carrying a "pocket" model revolver of some type. Quite a large number of '49 Colts and others of that general type and size were privately purchased and carried during the Unpleasantness Of 1861-1865.

Logic would suggest that guns shoved through the belt are props for the pictures -- that anyone who'd bought, been issued, or otherwise acquired a revolver would also acquire a holster of some sort to protect the gun from damage or loss -- but of course that doesn't come close to qualifying as a documented fact. Just a common-sense observation.

Curious about the statement that photograpic technology of the time produced reverse images, I looked it up. Here is the first common usage of negative to positive transfer:
"1834: Henry Fox Talbot creates permanent (negative) images using paper soaked in silver chloride and fixed with a salt solution. Talbot created positive images by contact printing onto another sheet of paper. "

By the time of the civil war, production of positive oriented images was common.Even the three-color technology used in modern film was in use to produce color transparencies-though it was not yet developed enough for routine photography or printing. One famous mistake did occur in the 1870s or 80s when somebody accidently printed a picture of Billy the Kid as a negative making him appear left handed.

I believe Army regulations were that The holster was worn on the right hip butt forward so it could be drawn with the left hand, sword was worn on the left hip so it could be drawn with the right hand. If an additional revolver was carried a holster could be worn (butt forward) on the left hip. If Im not mistaken these regs applied to everyone (Officers, cavalrymen, etc.)

As others have stated the Bushwacker folks learned quickly that the use of 2 or more revolvers on horse back added up to quite an advantage over their Union cavalry counter parts carrying single shot smoke poles.

The Quantrill picture would be interesting to see as none I have ever come across who the leader in anything but a bust or head shot.

If you know where I can see it, I would appreciate it.

Just go rent a copy of the movie "The Outlaw Josey Wales" and you will see how raiders carried a few revolvers! :grin:

I have a copy, if memory serves he just sticks a lot of em in his belt. I can't imagine walking around for 8 to 12 hours with 2 Walkers stuck in a belt.