John Walter

"During the American Civil War, the mounted soldiers fighting on both sides of the conflict carried a wide array of weapons, from sabers and lances to carbines, revolvers, and other firearms. Though some sections of the cavalry placed their trust in the sabre, the advent of viable breechloading carbines--especially repeaters such as the Spencer--was to transform warfare within little more than a decade of General Lee's final surrender at Appomattox....