Major Leonidas Scranton of the Second Michigan Cavalry: “Pistols are useless. I have known regiments that have been in the field over two years that have never used their pistols in action.”
Civil War Pistols and Revolvers
Colt Model 1860 Army
During the Civil War, pistols may have been disregarded by many soldiers, but their lasting success mainly belongs to the Civil War. At the time, both the Union and the Confederates raced to arm their soldiers with all weapons possible. Thanks to the manufacturing muscle of the Union, many pistols were made of various models. The spark of an arms race during the Civil War caused post-war gun companies to continue to improve upon their previous models.
Pistols were usually an officer's or a cavalryman's weapon. Numerous pistol models existed at the time. However, the Colt revolvers became so popular at the time of the Civil War that the word "Colt" and "revolver" were almost synonymous. Remington, Starr and Whitney, Smith & Wesson, and the French Lefaucheux were also pistol models that were in use at the time.
Pistols were used for cavalry because they fitted the battle situation cavalrymen were ideally in. A cavalryman would charge straight into an enemy's position and use his pistols (cavalry would ideally have multiple pistols) to engage the enemy in close quarters where they could not maneuver effectively with bulky, large musket-rifles.
Pistols were usually an officer's or a cavalryman's weapon. Numerous pistol models existed at the time. However, the Colt revolvers became so popular at the time of the Civil War that the word "Colt" and "revolver" were almost synonymous. Remington, Starr and Whitney, Smith & Wesson, and the French Lefaucheux were also pistol models that were in use at the time.
Pistols were used for cavalry because they fitted the battle situation cavalrymen were ideally in. A cavalryman would charge straight into an enemy's position and use his pistols (cavalry would ideally have multiple pistols) to engage the enemy in close quarters where they could not maneuver effectively with bulky, large musket-rifles.