I agree, Roger. However, the surviving records as to what cavalry units carried does not reflect many carrying pistols. At least not on the records. Unfortunately, that's all we have to go on. See my response to Hayes, which lists what the 1st and 51st Alabama Cav were carrying. Despite, the records, it seems to me that cavalry troopers would carry what they could pick up, and easily carry. That's just raising the odds of survival....?