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Category Archives: Arms & Armaments
E.P. Alexander’s Research Methodology
Every Civil War scholar should be familiar with the writings of Confederate First Corps artillerist Edward Porter Alexander (no relation). Many know him through Gary Gallagher’s compilation of his papers from the Southern Historical Collection at the University of North … Continue reading
Brown’s Island Victims
The worst war-time disaster to strike the Confederate home front occurred on March 13, 1863. An explosion rocked the Confederate Laboratory on Brown’s Island in the James River, in the heart of Richmond, Virginia. My research indicates that ten were … Continue reading
Civil War News’ Joe Bilby
As part of our series with Civil War News, ECW is pleased to welcome Joe Bilby. I write a column about firearms for the Civil War News and have been doing so since the early days of the publication. At … Continue reading
Posted in Arms & Armaments, Books & Authors
Tagged A Revolution in Arms: A History of the Spencer and Henry Rifle, Bannerman's, Black Powder White Smoke, Civil War Firearms, Civil War News, Extra-Extra-Civil-War-News, Joe Bilby, Joseph Bilby, New Jersey Goes to War, Small Arms at Gettysburg
3 Comments
The Evolution of Cavalry Tactic: How Technology Drove Change (Part Eight)
(conclusion to a series) 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, … Continue reading
Posted in Arms & Armaments, Cavalry
Tagged Battle of Selma, Carolina Campaign of 1865, Cavalry Bureau, Cavalry tactics, Edward M. McCook, Eli Long, Emory Upton, James H. Wilson, Judson Kilpatrick, Nathan Bedford Forrest, Oscar LaGrange, Robert C. Tyler, Selma, The-Evolution-of-Cavalry-Tactics, Tuscaloosa
5 Comments
The Evolution of Cavalry Tactics: How Technology Drove Change (Part Six)
(part six in a series) In the previous installment of this series, we demonstrated how the advent of rifled muskets and rifled artillery made the Napoleonic cavalry charge obsolete. Now, we will examine how the evolution of the technology employed … Continue reading
Posted in Arms & Armaments, Cavalry, Emerging Civil War
Tagged 1st District of Columbia Cavalry, 2nd Dragoons, Ballard, breech-loading carbines, Capt. Richard S. Ewell, cavalry, Cavalry tactics, Chickamauga, Christian Sharp, Christopher Spencer, Col. Robert Minty, George Gordon Meade, Henry Rifle, Hoover's Gap, James H. Wilson, Lindner, Merrill, musketoons, Napoleonic tactics, Philip H. Sheridan, Saber Brigade, Starr, The-Evolution-of-Cavalry-Tactics
9 Comments
The Evolution of Cavalry Tactics: How Technology Drove Change (Part Five)
(part five in a series) Having established the backdrop for the meat of this discussion, we can now examine the actual impact of technological advances upon battlefield tactics for cavalry in the Civil War.
The Evolution of Cavalry Tactics: How Technology Drove Change (Part Four)
(part four in a series) During the early days of the Civil War, Dennis Hart Mahan’s teachings were implemented by the Union high command in particular. Gen. Winfield Scott vigorously resisted the incorporation of volunteer cavalry regiments into the Union … Continue reading
The Evolution of Cavalry Tactics: How Technology Drove Change (Redux)
In 2014, Eric Wittenberg ran the first three parts of an eight-part series about the evolution of cavalry tactics in response to the impact of technological change. “And then I got busy with a book project, forgot about this series, … Continue reading
Posted in Arms & Armaments, Cavalry
Tagged Cavalry tactics, Eric Wittenberg, The-Evolution-of-Cavalry-Tactics
2 Comments
Railroads – Tracks to the Antietam: The Railroad Supplies the Army of the Potomac, September 18, 1862
“We can distinctly hear firing again this afternoon in the direction of Harpers Ferry,” wrote a Union soldier in the Washington defenses on September 17, 1862.[1] Closer to the Antietam battlefield, one onlooker attempted to count the number of Federal … Continue reading
