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Civil War Weapons

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The American Civil War was a conflict that used many different types of weapons for combat. During the course of the war, weapons developed and advanced. The Civil War was a time in history when communication had advanced and gaining access to weapons, as well as the invention of new ones, was possible for the first time in combat history for the United States. Both sides of the conflict used many different types of weapons.

Colt Army Model 1860
This revolver was one of the most popular handguns; over 120,000 were used by soldiers in the Civil War. It had up to a 100-yard range and was a single action trigger that fired six shots at a time. Its .44 caliber bullets were loaded from the front in the muzzle. Both sides, particularly in the cavalry and infantry units, used this firearm.

Starr Revolver
The Starr revolver was the third most popular handgun used in the Civil War by the Union. It was a .44 caliber double action trigger that was later replaced in use by the single action handgun, which was easier to use. Approximately 25,000 were made for service.

LeMat Revolver
This gun was invented by Jean LeMat from New Orleans and sold for use by the Confederacy. Under 3,000 were made and used. It was created as .36 and .42 caliber with a double barrel that was stacked. One barrel fired nine shots, while the second barrel fired buck shot shells. It was used mostly by the cavalry, but considered unreliable in accuracy except at close range.

Model 1861 Springfield Musket
This was the most common musket used during the war, particularly by the Union. It was a 40-inch long rifle that was muzzle loaded with a .58 caliber Miniè ball, and it had up to a 300 yard range. This musket was used mostly by the Army and the Marines during the conflict.

Enfield
This was a rifle musket created in 1853 that was imported for the war effort from Britain. It used a .57 caliber Miniè ball that was muzzle loaded. It’s 39-inch barrel provided accuracy for up to 400 yards. Both the North and South sides used this rifle, with 900,000 being imported. It was second in popularity only to the Springfield musket.

Whitworth Rifle
The Whitworth rifle was created by Sir Joseph Whitworth from Britain and was used by the Confederacy. Its 33-inch barrel used .45 caliber bullets that were hexagonal shaped and were muzzle loaded. Accurate up to 1,800 yards, it was considered one of the first sharpshooters.

Austrian Model 1854
This rifle musket was used by the Confederacy and 100,000 were imported from Austria. It used a .54 caliber bullet and had a long range of accuracy when a site was placed on it. The North also imported over 200,000 of these rifles for their use.

Benchrest Rifles
These sharpshooter rifles were heavy, weighing in at 40 pounds. The 50-inch barrel was muzzle loaded and had an accuracy of up to 1,800 yards. They were used by the North side, but infrequently. Their size limited their use of being carried and were considered a sedentary sharpshooter.

Spencer Rifle
This popular rifle was one of the first repeaters used. Bullets with gunpowder were fired from a magazine cartridge that was triggered by a lever repeatedly. It had the capability of firing up to 20 rounds per minute. Used mostly by the Union cavalry, more than 200,000 were made.

  • Civil War Investigation: Weapons: Several images of weapons, including the Spencer.
  • Signal Corps Association: Breech loading rifles of the Civil War.
  • Hackman-Adams: Common guns in the Civil War.

Starr Carbine Rifle
The Starr Carbine was a .54 caliber rifle used by the North and considered accurate at long range. This was one of the nation’s first breech loaders, where the ammunition was loaded at the back of the gun, as opposed to muzzle loaders that made up many other models. Over 20,000 of these rifles were made.

Sharps New Model 1859
This .52 caliber rifle was popular with the Confederacy. It was also a breech loader and frequently used by cavalry. The ability to load bullets through the back gave an advantage to soldiers on horseback who did not have to stop and reload through the muzzle.

  • Civil War Home: The Sharps rifle.
  • United States Sharpshooters: History of the Sharps rifle.

Sword
Swords were issued to almost all soldiers and were used by both sides in hand-to-hand combat. They inflicted fewer casualties compared to guns. These edged weapons were also used for decoration and to denote rank. The type of sword worn by a soldier indicated position and authority.

Billinghurst-Requa Batteries
This rapid-fire gun was an early model machine gun that was used by the North at only a few battles during the war. It consisted of 25 mounted .52 caliber rifle barrels that were fed by a 25 round clip of ammunition. Teams of soldiers used it to load and fire. It was accurate at up to 1,800 feet and could fire 175 rounds per minute.

There were many different types of ammunition used during the Civil War. Some models were made and discarded for something else that was easier to work with. Others were popular items that inflicted damage and were carried from the beginning of the war until the end. The history of Civil War weapons is an interesting study of a different time and what items can still be admired today.


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