Hayes, for the most part I agree. My extensive research on Western Theatre cavalry has shown that, even though cavalry performed various functions, including escort, etc., they did a large amount of their fighting in a dismounted status. On my research on the 53rd, they were on foot at Iuka, Miss., Resaca, Pickett's Mill, Battle of Atlanta, and at Waynesboro, GA. They adapted their tactics to the situation at hand. As for weapons, on April 10, 1863, the 1st Alabama cavalry had 13 companies consisting of 339 men present, and were carrying no carbines. They were armed with 60 .52 Hall's rifles, 138 .54 Austrians, 35 .577 Enfields, 4 .58 Springfields, 45 .69 calibre smoothbores, and 11 .70 calibre smoothbores, and 13 .36 Colt Navy pistols. They had no shotguns, and no sabers. On the same date, the 51st Alabama had 10 companies comprised of 428 officers and men. They were armed with 7 .52 Hall's, 127 .54 Autrians, 27 .577 Enfields, 133 .58 Springfields, 60 .69 smoothbores, 29 .70 smoothbores, 17 shotguns, 2 .54 single-shot pistols, 7 .44 Colt Armies, and 25 .36 Colt Navies. They had no sabers.

The above figures were typical for all the units I've seen records of. Many carried no pistols. But, all were primarily armed with long guns rather than carbines, even though some had some carbines. I suspect the predominance of long guns was because they were often on foot against infantry, and needed the range.

Regards,
Bob McLendon