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Weapons of the Civil War
In 1861 neither the North or the South were, weapon wise, ready for the war. The Confederacy only had about 150,000 shoulder arms, most were really out-of-date, and not even half that many cannons. So when the call went out for volunteers, all the young men, especialy in the South, were asked to provide their own weapons. And they did, snatching anything within reach. They had shotguns, squirrel guns, and some even had the giant .75 calliber "smoke poles" that were said to "kick farther than they would shoot!" In the following paragraphs you will learn about some of the weapons used in the Civil War.
 (Some weapons used)
Shoulder Arms
The shoulder arms-rifle, smooth-bore, and shotgun-were some of the most important weapons in the Civil War. The new rifled barrel improved the range and the accuracy incredibly, the breech-loading system made loading much easier, and the percussion lock greatly increased reliability. With the Civil War came the rifled musket. They used a "minie ball" which is a cone-shaped lead bullet that made it possible to load and fire a rifle very quickly. This new bullet made the rifle a very effective weapon because extended the range and increased the accuacy of the gun. While the musket was only accurate at a short range, the new rifle could be deadly at over 600 yards. The Model 1861 Springfield rifle, for example, had a range of around 400 yards, and was capable of killing someone at 1,000 yards. Towards the end of the war some of the Union soldiers even had repeating rifles which allowed them to fire several shots in succession, instead of the usual single-shot.
Artillery
During the Civil War, artillery was an essential branch of the armed forces. There are about four types of cannons used in the Civil War. There was The Napoleon, The Parrott, the Confederate Gun, and the Union Field Gun. If I were a soldier I would find a battery of booming cannons terrifying. But what would really scare me was the fact that most of the cannons had an effective range of 1,500 yards (though most of the new guns were accurate for well over a mile). So for the soldiers who would want to hide in the back trying to escape fate, think again! Field artillery was arranged into batteries, each consisting of about 4 to 6 cannons, commanded by a captain. Each gun had a crew of nine men who would load and fire the guns. Every cannon was attached to a limber that contained an ammunition chest, and was pulled by a team of six horses. A caisson was used to support the gun, it also held two more ammunition chests, another limber, and a spare wheel (just in case). The Cannon worked the same way as the musket, using a cartridge that contained the powder and the missile. The crew members each had a specific duty. They would place the cartridge bag into the muzzle of the gun and use a rammer to push it down to the bottom of the barrel. Then a soldier at the end of the cannon would jab a wire pick into a vent in the breech, poking a hole in the cartridge bag to expose the powder. A primer was then placed through the vent, and attached to a lanyard, which was pulled to ignite the powder and fire the bullet. After the shot was fired, the crew would wipe down the barrel to put out any stray sparks that might set off the next round too early.
Bayonets
Bayonets were originally daggers that were tied in a scabbard at the waist, and used only in close combat. At the time of the Civil War, bayonets had been mounted on the barrels of guns for as long as anyone could remember, and was given some use during the war. The bayonet became a standard piece of equipment for both the North and the South. Bayonets were used mostly to stab people at close quarters and with it still mounted on the gun. When the bayonet was used skillfully, it became a very effective weapon, often killing the targeted person with the first stab. But, when compared with firearms, bayonets accounted for very few wounds. Toward the end of the war bayonets seemed like relics, and were used mostly in cooking and as makeshift candlesticks than as weapons in battle.
Swords
Swords were believed to be symbols of strength, and were embraced by the troops of both sides to an extent that far outweighed their practical value. To officers, the sword was an emblem of rank. Ornate and decorative sabers were often given as gifts of esteem or for some distinguished service, which were never meant for use in battle. But for a cavalryman the saber was first and foremost a weapon (so it was plain and practical). A sword cut or a sharp blow with the blunt end at close quarters could inflict serous injury, or death. One of the most important ceremonial functions of a soldiers sword was in surrender. In a pact of surrender, the sword was a symbol of the officers honor and word
Side Arms ~ The Pistol
Just like the larger side arms, side arms appeared in many forms during the Civil War. For infantrymen and foot soldiers, a few months of duty was all it took to convince them that the pistol was just useless weight, and a rifle was all that was needed. They even sold or traded them most of the time. But for the cavalry, side arms were very useful at close range, when the only thing that stood between them and death were a saber or a pistol.
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