Roger,
To go along with your comments on the 8th CS Cavalry, I submit the following ordnance reports for the 8th Confederate Cav.....In April 1863, with 442 officers and men present, they were listed as carrying 99 .54 Austrians, 90 .577 Enfields, 61 .69 smoothbores, 24 .52 Hall's, 10 .70 smoothbores, 9 .58 Springfields, 9 .37 calibre (whatever), 4 .56 (probably Colt revolving rifles), and 11 shotguns, along with 4 single-shot .54 pistols, 9 .44 Colt Armies, and 86 .36 Colt Navies........On Feb. 6, 1865, they were listed as having 200 officers and men present, with 168 horses, 68 guns, and 120 pistols.....although a modern tern, "shock troops" is probably a good name for the regiments that carried many more pistols. I suspect you're right in that they came in, probably mounted, to pursue the enemy after their lines were broken or weakened.

In reference to the fight between Wheeler's cavalry and Dodge's Federals at Decatur during the Battle of Atlanta, Capt. Peter Mastin of the 53rd Alabama Cav (that was fighting dismounted in the fight) stated they routed the Yanks who were in front of them, and could have captured the whole lot if they had had their horses.