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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great reference work about these critical cavalry arms,
By Red Harvest (Georgia, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Carbines of the Civil War, 1861-1865 (Paperback)
Author John McAulay provides an impressive reference covering carbines used by the Federal cavalry. (I hope he does the same for Civil war smoothbore and rifled infantry muskets some day.) This volume appears more useful to the gamer or historian than Edwards "Civil War Guns." McAulay's book is better organized and in some ways more complete. McAulay's work is an excellent companion to Coates and Thomas' "An Introduction to Civil War Small Arms" (recommended for its tables of firearm usage by regiment.)
Carbines altered the mission of mounted forces in the Civil War. While mounted charges still had their uses, particularly against other cavalry, the widespread use of rifled muskets with bayonets and improved field artillery made it difficult to employ mounted cavalry on the Civil War battlefield, particularly versus infantry. Fortunately, as carbines became standard, cavalry transformed into the role of mounted infantry with occasional cavalry charges versus other cavalry or disorganized/fleeing infantry. Dismounted cavalry finally had the firepower to doggedly hold their ground versus attacking foot soldiers. Their horses could carry them to key positions first. The typical single-shot, breech-loading carbine could be loaded and fired much more rapidly than the muzzle-loading musket. Breech-loading carbines could be conveniently reloaded on horseback, while muskets could not. Metallic cartridges in various carbines and repeaters further increased the fire rate while making the cartridges less vulnerable to moisture. "Carbines of the Civil War" is a 123 page, 8.5x11" paperback with black and white illustrations. In each of the 19 sections, the author includes images of the carbine, drawings, and several pages of text. The text includes development of the model, patents, production and pricing information, some government contracts, discussion of various trials, and the results of the Ordnance department surveys of field officers using the weapons. This latter is extremely helpful in understanding the merits and problems of each type. Wartime federal government purchases and prices are tabulated at the end of each section. (The tables are perhaps the most useful reference feature of the work.) Caliber, bullet weight, and powder charge are also provided for most. Ordnance tests of firing rates are provided. The weapon chapters are: Spencer, Sharps, Burnside, Smith, Gallagher, Starr, Maynard, Remington, Merrill, Joslyn, Gwyn & Campbell, Hall, Warner, Ballard, Sharps & Hankins, Gibbs, Lamson (Ball & Palmer), Lindner, and Wesson. There are a few flaws or things that prospective buyers should know. On the trivial side there are a number of transposed letters and a few awkward word choices. More frustrating (but not fatal) are incorrect or missing sums in several tables, and the omission of Navy purchases in some of the totals. There is a bibliography and table of contents, but there are not notes or an index. The focus is on Federal carbines produced during the war. The model 1855 pistol-carbine is not included since it lacked wartime production. Also absent is the Henry rifle since it is slightly longer than a period carbine. Confederate produced weapons are also omitted as are musketoons.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Carbine Information,
By
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This review is from: Carbines of the Civil War, 1861-1865 (Paperback)
I received this book an began inmmediatly to read the information. I consider historical information and back up data for my firearms collection and this book gave me as much information as I would expect for a book that deals with a number of firearms. I can highly recommend this book for the the beginner especially, but there is good information for the trained collector.
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