looking for ID on musket

[George Gompf]

I have a neighbor searching for information on family ancestors and he found Yankees are in the family tree. This has been a great blow to the family and while hiding in shame he is still interested in what type of arms his ancestors used in the war. I have the following information from him:

The first ancestor from Tennessee was John Houston Cunningham. He was a private in Co. H, of the 4th Tennessee Mounted Infantry (Union). He served the last few months of the war, and then returned to his farm in Wilson County.

Second ancestor from Wisconsin was James O. Champlin. He was a sergeant in Co. A, 16th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He saw the error of his ways at the Battle of Corinth, Mississippi, on October 3, 1862. He found where the 12th Wisconsin was issued Belgian muskets and thinks there is a fair chance that his ancestor in the 16th was also issued such arms.

Can any of our fine members or even Yankees assist with any information on either of these two individuals concerning what they were issued? He is looking for some solid documentation.

Thanks for the help,
George Gompf
Forest Escort Co.
Deep South Region

[Timmeu]

16th Wisconsin issued .577 enfields per "An Introduction to Civil War Small Arms". Coates and Thomas authors

4th Tenn Infantry issued .577 enfields per same resourse.

Hope this helps.

[George Gompf]

Thanks for the detailed information and the citation of where it came from. I will pass it on.

Thanks
George Gompf
FEC

[Gary Van Kauwenbergh, 101]

Before you go too far, see the Wisconsin roster at http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/roster/search.asp. The middle initial doesn't match the names listed there. Maybe your neighbore doesn't have any blue-blood in him after all?

The more I leave Wisconsin, the more I like coming back to it!

[Don Dixon]

Hi George,

Regarding the 4th Tenneessee Infantry/1st Tennessee Cavalry:

The 1st Cavalry was organized at Camp Garber, Kentucky, between October 1861, and March 1862, as the 4th Infantry. The regiment remained unarmed until May 1862, when it was issued “bright” Austrian rifles and 20 rounds of ammunition per man. Ammunition suitable for the Austrian rifles was unavailable, and they were exchanged for “big, clumsy Belgian muskets” (probably Belgian copies of French weapons) in approximately August 1862. The regiment was redesignated as the 1st Cavalry on November 1, 1862, at Camp Dennison, Ohio. (Dyer, III, pp. 1645 and 1636-7; Carter (History of the First Regiment), pp. 24 and 44)

Since my interest is in Austrian weapons, I didn't track them after that.

Regards,

Don Dixon

[Timmeu]

Hi

I neglected to add that the reference I quoted was from returns of 1863 and 1864.

[Ken Hansgen, 11094]

Don Dixon, My reference (Tennesseans in the Civil War, Part I, Civil War Centennial Commission, Nashville, TN, 1964) says the 4th Tenn Mounted Inf. Regt., U.S.A., was orgabuzed 9/29/1864 and mustered out 8/25/65, and that Co. H was mustered at Carthage, TN, on 12/14/1864 and 2/10/65. Unfortunately it says nothing about their arms. Are you sure you don't have TN confused with KY?

[Don Dixon]

Mr. Hansgen

This was my source:

Carter, W. R., PVT, Co. C, History of the First Regiment of Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry in the Great War of the Rebellion, Knoxville, TN, Gaut-Ogden Printers, 1902

However, I see what you mean. Having converted the 4th TN Infantry to the 1st TN Cavalry, it appears that they much later created a second 4th TN (Mounted) Infantry. I do so like the Civil War organizational system.

Regards,
Don Dixon

[Ken Hansgen, 11094]

Don, Found it in my ref. too. You have put your finger on the source of the confusion. (Wonder what those grunts thought about being converted to horse soldiers. ?? :shock: )

[George Gompf]

After all the debate on the 4th TN has been settled, what kind of arms did the Mounted Infantry have? As infantry, did they get 3-band Springfield’s or as mounted troops, did they get Spencers, Sharps or Henrys? My neighbor wants to purchase a Spencer and needs some justification for the expenditure.

I told him that "just because he wanted one" was a good enough reason but somehow, that just isn't quite enough. My suggestion to buy one of each was also discounted for some reason though that would surely have given him something his ancestor carried. Among my acquaintances, that seems to be the generally accepted approach to anything to do with shooting irons. One of each and you are sure you have it covered.

Thanks Guys,
George