Greg --

Forrest preferred the revolver, but there were never enough to make much difference. The Confederacy was unable to produce them in large numbers and the cavalry service didn't have priority when shipments of revolvers arrived from Europe. When a better-quality import appears at auction today, it's just as likely to have belonged to a staff officer (when was he going to use it?) as a cavalryman.

The most reliable source for Confederate arms are brigade inspection reports, available on National Archives microfilm.