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Re: US & Confederate Cavalry horses

The Confederate government paid 40 cents a day for use of a privately-owned horse.

When mustered into service, mounted commands included on roll a fair estimate of the value of horses for each officer and man. Value of horse equipment (saddle, bridle, halter &c) was listed separately. I don't recall seeing a horse valued much less than a hundred dollars. A few were estimated at four to five hundred dollars or more. The typical horse was valued about $250. For horse values of that period look at individual returns from the Agricultural Census Schedule.

If a cavalryman lost his horse as a result of combat, he could submit a claim to the government for the value of his horse. The value given on the soldier's original muster roll formed the basis for payment of claims. These claims are found in service files of Confederate cavalrymen.

A cavalryman who lost his horse or had one that had become unserviceable was of little use. Officers allowed these men to go home in search of a good mount. Those who returned without one were assigned to other duty, such as driving a wagon, or transferred to another service, infantry or artillery. For example, the rolls of Dent's Battery, a company which included men from several states, have several former cavalrymen from the 3rd Georgia Cavalry.

Towards the end of the war so many cavalrymen were dismounted that dismounted camps were organized for many brigades. Experience had shown that many of those sent home for a horse failed to return to service, so sending men without horses to a dismounted camp was a better alternative. For example, during Wilson's Raid of 1865, a dismounted camp for Brig Gen Samuel W Ferguson's Brigade existed at Carthage, AL. The mounted brigade was then in the Carolinas. Many of the men from Ferguson's dismounted camp were able to serve as an ad hoc unit with Forrest's command in Alabama.

During the last half of the war Confederate cavalrymen were poorly armed, especially for mounted combat, but that's another topic.

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US & Confederate Cavalry horses
Re: US & Confederate Cavalry horses
Re: US & Confederate Cavalry horses
Re: US & Confederate Cavalry horses
Re: US & Confederate Cavalry horses
Re: US & Confederate Cavalry horses
Re: US & Confederate Cavalry horses