One of my favorite photos

[Grenadier1758]

I still wear my fatigue shirt when my wife isn't looking.

 

[Coinneach]

I still wear my fatigue shirt when my wife isn't looking.

Is it wise to advertise the Kinky elements of your marital relationship on a public forum LOL

 

[Grenadier1758]

Probably not.

 

[Coinneach]

Its an Aussie thing, we tease each other a lot.

 

[user 33697]

View attachment 119114

 

[user 33697]

View attachment 119114

Somehow lost my attachment.
Yes, the three revolvers in the photo definitely look to be Colt 1858.

 

[M. De Land]

It was the Confederate Cavalry that taught the Union about using Mounted Infantry (a lesson they seemed to have overlooked from when the US Dragoon regiments were formed well before the ACW).
I've been with Horses all my life even when I served in the Army for nearly 4 decades, and I can testify that any Horseman lugging more than 2 pistols tucked into a Sash or even Holsters wouldnt


I've been around Horses all my life and can testify that any Horseman carrying more than 2 Pistols tucked into a Sash or Holsters would soon give it up as an embuggerance. Sure Saddle mounted Pistol Holsters were fitted to the Saddle pommel but that was mainly restricted to Field grade Officers.

Despite what we routinely see in period Studio photos, the Mathew Brady "on campaign" photos show otherwise, sure when War broke out some Soldiers festooned themselves with all manner of extra Arms and equipment, which they soon learned to drop once they had to carry it all (ask any Veteran who's had to carry a Pack on Exercises and /or Operations).

Apart from Cavalrymen and Officers Pistols weren't issued to Other Ranks, that said there were private purchases, but they were expensive in the day and not that well available apart from Battlefield pick-ups which often had to be handed in; and even when withheld difficult to get ammo for.

Among the Southern Cavalrymen Pistols became harder to get as the War dragged on, N.B Forrest meanwhile had proven the efficacy of DB Shotguns firing Buck and Ball rather than popping off with Pistols at the enemy from a moving Saddle in a Charge. Trust me its damn hard to hit anything other than a Barn wall in a Canter or a Gallop when mounted on a Horse, despite the BS peddled by Hollywood. (BTW I've owned Pistols for years, and well know their limitations).

"I think probably the charge of the Light Brigade was one of the last uses of horse charges. I viewed it the other night on Utube and think it was early 1900 or so and occurred some where in the middle East with Australian cavalry if I remember correctly. That would have been against squad size machine guns but they were well spread out and in three waves."

The Charge of the Light Brigade was during the Russian Crimean War in 1854 and didnt involve the Australians, the last acknowledged Charge by a Cavalry Regiment (actually there were two from an Australian Light Horse Brigade) was in 1917 at the Battle for Beersheba (modern day Israel); a well defended Turkish position that included Artillery and Machine Guns with entrenched Troops.

Read your history.

My mistake, I though the battles were one in the same. Any way the one I was referring to was the later one with the Australian light horse Brigade. It is an exciting video and I thought very well done.
In the late 1840s the Texas Rangers were issued Colt Walkers at over four pounds each and used them very effectively against the Commanhe and Apache from horse back. They were required to pay for the Walkers with garnished wages. The Walkers were carried in pommel holsters on the saddles. The first revolvers offered the rangers were the five shot Patterson which although only .36 caliber were a game changer from horse back against the Comanche.
The Dragoons came next and were far stronger pistols than were the Walkers and Pattersons as steel technology advanced.
Makes sense that the Confederacy were adept at multiple pistol use from horse back as Texas was a confederate state.

 

[Coinneach]

My mistake, I though the battles were one in the same. Any way the one I was referring to was the later one with the Australian light horse Brigade. It is an exciting video and I thought very well done.
In the late 1840s the Texas Rangers were issued Colt Walkers at over four pounds each and used them very effectively against the Commanhe and Apache from horse back. They were required to pay for the Walkers with garnished wages. The Walkers were carried in pommel holsters on the saddles. The first revolvers offered the rangers were the five shot Patterson which although only .36 caliber were a game changer from horse back against the Comanche.
The Dragoons came next and were far stronger pistols than were the Walkers and Pattersons as steel technology advanced.
Makes sense that the Confederacy were adept at multiple pistol use from horse back as Texas was a confederate state.

The Colt Walker .44 cal pistols were called "Horse pistols" for a very good reason; they were primarily used to combat the Comanches who were adept at sliding to the other side of their Horse while under fire. The Texas Rangers needed a heavy calibre revolver to drop the Commanche Horses, thats why Captain Walker conferred with Sam Colt because the Colt Patterson revolver of .36 cal couldnt do the job; the only thing in their favour was that they were revolvers and capable of follow up shots unlike the single shot ML percussion pistols the Rangers had before then.

As for it making sense that "the Confederacy were adept at multiple pistol use from Horseback as Texas was a confederate state" lets have a look at a creditable historical reference in regard to the 8th Texas Cavalry (Terrys Texas Rangers) acknowledged as "probably the best-known Texas unit to serve in the Civil War. It earned a reputation that ranked it among the most effective mounted regiments in the western theater of operations".

"The Eighth Texas Cavalry, a group of Texas volunteers for the Confederate Army popularly known as Terry's Texas Rangers, was assembled by Benjamin Franklin Terry in August 1861. Each man was required to furnish a shotgun or carbine, a Colt revolver"
(TSHA | Eighth Texas Cavalry [Terry's Texas Rangers])
Note "a Colt revolver" being singular, and the fore mentioned preference of "a shotgun"

Never rely on assumptions when it comes to history.

 

[TFoley]

A Cavalry hanger mounted on a belt that can be strapped on by anyone for a Studio photo, most of the periods photos were intended for the Folks back home and/or the Girlfriend/ Wife impression.
Theres no shortage of Soldiers from both sides looking fierce and frightening festooned with Swords, Bowie knives; Pistols, and various Long Arms that in all probability werent they're standard weaponry.

As I mentioned in another post, compare the Studio photos to the multitude of "on Campaign" photos Mathew Brady and others took of the various Troops and you'll see there's no similarity.

I'm not looking to argue about it, just stated a visible fact [shrug].

 

[Coinneach]

I'm not looking to argue about it, just stated a visible fact [shrug].

I wasnt trying to argue, simply exchanging thoughts on a photo.

 

[vintovka]

Mate, you'd be only one of .004% of us Vets who could still fit into any of his uniforms LOL

I can still get my 1969 USAF fatigue uniform shirt on BUT the buttons remain 4" from their respective button holes with no chance of reunification.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

Fellas.....fellas.....Please! CALVARY is where Jesus was nailed to the cross. CAVALRY are horse-riding soldiers. Educate yourselves!

As a former Army 19D (cavalry scout), thank you for stating this!

 

[oncewas]

Photo props?

 

[Robby]

I don't think so.
Robby

 

[Coinneach]

I can still get my 1969 USAF fatigue uniform shirt on BUT the buttons remain 4" from their respective button holes with no chance of reunification.

Damn high powered sexy behind closed doors though !

 

[Coinneach]

Photo props?

Firstly, before anyone gets on their high horse (pun intended) this is meant to be an interesting History discussion, not a tit for tat argument so thank you everyone for contributing here.

Two in the belt for photo effect ?
There were no shortage of pistol holsters even for young Jesse James, consider why those pistols were placed in the front of the body for the photo.

Riding a Horse for longer than 15 minutes with even 2 heavy pistols tucked in your belt, isnt a comfortable or practical carriage for very long; lets not overlook that Cavalrymen in that era spent a long time in the saddle on the move; and they had to arrange everything for ease of use and minimise chafing and galling of their mount and themselves.

Again where are the in the field /on campaign photos of the time that show such a carriage was common ?

 

[oncewas]

Jesse is reported to have carried as many as six pistols while riding with Bloody Bill Anderson. I doubt he was the only one to do so. I admit many if not most would have been in saddle holsters but not all.
Even Wild Bill Hickok carried two 1851 Navies in a sash later in life.

 

[Coinneach]

Jesse is reported to have carried as many as six pistols while riding with Bloody Bill Anderson. I doubt he was the only one to do so. I admit many if not most would have been in saddle holsters but no all.
Even Wild Bill Hickok carried two 1851 Navies in a sash later in life.

True, when they rode into Lawrence most of Quantrills raiders were armed up with anything they could carry for what they knew was going to be a massacre, but 6 loaded pistols tucked around the front under a belt or sash ?
A guy would be struggling to mount his Horse let alone galloping around trying to keep all 6 pistols in place.

Anyone who doubts the scenario why not try to replicate it and bounce around for a while once your wearing 6 heavy pistols under a Belt /Sash.

 

[Coinneach]

Jesse is reported to have carried as many as six pistols while riding with Bloody Bill Anderson. I doubt he was the only one to do so. I admit many if not most would have been in saddle holsters but no all.
Even Wild Bill Hickok carried two 1851 Navies in a sash later in life.

Period photos show Hickoks two Colt Navys were carried where.....to the side or front ?

 

[oncewas]

True, when they rode into Lawrence most of Quantrills raiders were armed up with anything they could carry for what they knew was going to be a massacre, but 6 loaded pistols tucked around the front under a belt or sash ?
A guy would be struggling to mount his Horse let alone galloping around trying to keep all 6 pistols in place.

Anyone who doubts the scenario why not try to replicate it and bounce around for a while once your wearing 6 heavy pistols under a Belt /Sash.

I don't think anyone said anyone was carrying six pistol tucked into a sash. But two, sure.
Wild Bill used holsters early on, in cross draw fashion but later on went to a sash. I suspect simular to the cross draw holsters, more or less near the front but to the side.
It's hard to compare what we would do today to what people did back then. The man in the original photo had three pistols and a saber and he wanted them in the picture with him. So he stuck them in his belt. Doesn't mean he carried them there when he went to fight. But were they props? I don't think so. I think what the back of the picture says is true. We was a cavalry soldier and it just so happens he had three 1858 Remingtons he wanted in his picture. I guess he should have kept one out of his belt but I guess he wasn't thinking that nearly two hunderd years in the future people were going to rip him a new one for making a error in judgement.
Okay that's all I'm saying on this but thanks for all the fun.