Federal Arms in the Stones River Campaign

 The following list, constructed after many years of research, lists unit by unit which type of weapons were carried by the Army of the Cumberland during the Stones River campaign. A number of sources were consulted including state ordnance reports, Federal quarterly ordnance reports (thank you Research Arsenal), Ken Baumann’s Arming the Suckers, regimental histories and memoirs, captured ordnance reports, and consultation with knowledgeable experts in the field of firearms.

Some of this information has been shared on the blog before in “Rosy’s Heavy Metal: Artillery of the Army of the Cumberland” or “Shoulder Arms: How Sheridan’s and Davis’s Divisions Were Armed at Stones River” but this is the first time the army as a whole has been presented.

The overall conclusion I drew from looking at this data is that the Army of the Cumberland in December 1862 was an organization in the midst of transformation as far as arms. Many of the regiments still retained their original issue weapons which ran the gamut from the superb to the poor, but a number of regiments had also recently acquired state-of-the-art Model 1861 Springfield rifle muskets and this trend would continue throughout 1863 as the army traded in its “odd-ball” mix of foreign or outdated arms, moving towards a single common caliber (.58) for infantry long arms.

You’ll see quite a mix of foreign arms within this list, with the Enfield  being the most common followed by the Austrian Lorenz rifle. You’ll also note that many of the regiments possessed a mix of firearms; its not uncommon to find a regiment with three different types of weapons of three different calibers which certainly posed a perplexing problem for the hard-working ordnance sergeants in the regiments.

As in any endeavor of this kind, errors can creep in; I have tried my best to cross check information provided below with multiple sources (where available) but if you have new information that may alter this list, please contact me so I can update this file.

 

The rifling is plainly evident in this brass 6-pdr James rifle produced by Miles Greenwood's Eagle Foundry in Cincinnati in 1862. A number of Federal batteries at Stones River employed James Rifles but this cannon was on its way out, being largely replaced by newer 3" Ordnance Rifles or Napoleons in 1863. 

Army of the Cumberland- Rosecrans

10^th Ohio Infantry: Mostly .69 caliber U.S. Model smoothbores, one co. had .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets

9^th Michigan Infantry- .54 caliber M1841 Mississippi rifles

 

Right Wing- McCook

First Division- Davis

First Brigade- Post

59^th Illinois: Mixed: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, .54 caliber M1841 Mississippi rifles, .69 caliber M1842 rifled muskets

74^th Illinois: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets

75^th Illinois: Mixed: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, .58 caliber Austrian Lorenz rifles, .54 caliber Austrian Lorenz rifles

22^nd Indiana: Mixed: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, .54 caliber M1841 Mississippi rifles

5^th Wisconsin Battery: 2 6-pdr M1841 smoothbore field guns, 2 12-pdr M1841 smoothbore howitzers, 2 10-pdr Parrott rifles (6 guns)

 

Second Brigade- Carlin

21^st Illinois: Mixed: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, .54 caliber Austrian Lorenz rifles, .54 caliber M1841 Mississippi rifles

38^th Illinois: Mixed: (301) .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, (7) .58 caliber Belgian Dresden/Suhl rifles, (1) .69 caliber M1842 altered to percussion smoothbore

101^st Ohio: .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets

15^th Wisconsin: .58 caliber Belgian rifles

2^nd Minnesota Battery:  4 6-pdr M1841 smoothbore field guns and 2 12-pdr M1841 smoothbore howitzers (6 guns)

 

Third Brigade- Woodruff

25^th Illinois: Mixed: (161) .69 caliber M1842 rifled muskets, (83). 69 caliber M1842 smoothbores, (21) .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets, (35) .54 caliber M1841 Mississippi rifles, (38) .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, (6) .69 caliber French/Belgian rifle muskets

35^th Illinois: Mixed: (107 .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, .54 caliber Austrian Lorenz rifles, (244) .69 caliber M1842 rifled muskets, (3) .58 caliber Dresden/Suhl rifle muskets, (6) .69 caliber French/Belgian rifle muskets

81^st Indiana: .58 caliber Belgian rifles

8^th Wisconsin Battery: 2 6-pdr M1841 smoothbore field guns, 2 10-pdr Parrott rifles (4 guns)

 

Second Division- Johnson

First Brigade- Willich

89^th Illinois: (471) .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets

32^nd Indiana: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets

39^th Indiana: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets

15^th Ohio: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets (2 companies), balance carried .69 caliber M1842 altered rifled muskets (Greenwoods)

49^th Ohio: .69 caliber M1842 altered rifled muskets (Greenwoods)

Battery A, 1^st OVLA: 2 6-pdr M1841 smoothbore field guns, 2 12-pdr M1841 smoothbore howitzers, 2 6-pdr James rifles (6 guns)

 

Second Brigade- Kirk

29^th Indiana: .69 caliber M1842 rifle muskets (one company), balance carried .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets

30^th Indiana: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, a few .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets

34^th Illinois: (143) .69 caliber M1842 rifled muskets, (69) .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets, (4) .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets

79^th Illinois: (214) .58 caliber Springfield rifle muskets

77^th Pennsylvania: Mixed: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, .58 caliber Dresden/Suhl rifle muskets, .577 French Liege rifles, a few .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets

Battery E, 1^st OVLA:  1 6-pdr M1841 smoothbore field gun, 5 6-pdr James rifles (6 guns)

 

Third Brigade- Baldwin

6^th Indiana: .69 caliber M1842 rifled muskets, some .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets

5^th Kentucky: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets

1^st Ohio: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets

93^rd Ohio: .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets

5^th Indiana Battery: 2 10-pdr Parrott rifles, 2 6-pdr James rifles, 2 M1857 smoothbore Napoleons (6 guns)

Edward Blake of Co. H, 24th Wisconsin holding the regiment's tattered national colors. 

Third Division- Sheridan

First Brigade- Sill

36^th Illinois: Mixed: (51) .69 caliber M1822 smoothbore muskets, .54 caliber M1841 Mississippi rifles, (37) .69 caliber M1842 rifled muskets, (84) .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, (35) .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets, (2) .58 caliber Austrian Lorenz rifles

88^th Illinois: (380) .69 caliber M1816 altered to percussion rifled muskets

21^st Michigan: .54 caliber Austrian Lorenz rifles

24^th Wisconsin: .54 caliber Austrian Lorenz rifles

4^th Indiana Battery: 2 6-pdr M1841 smoothbore field guns, 2 12-pdr M1841 smoothbore howitzers, and 2 6-pdr James rifled cannon (6 guns)

 Second Brigade- Schaefer

44^th Illinois: (290) .58 M1857 Belgian Dresden/Suhl rifles

73^rd Illinois: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets (two companies), unknown number of .69 caliber M1842 rifled muskets, balance of regiment with .69 caliber Prussian muskets of “poor quality”

2^nd Missouri: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, .69 caliber French short rifles

15^th Missouri: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, .58 caliber rifles (unknown make)

Battery G, 1^st Missouri Light Artillery: 2 10-pdr Parrott rifles, 4 6-pdr James rifles (6 guns)

 

Third Brigade- Roberts

22^nd Illinois: (144) .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, (39) .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets, (34) .69 caliber French/Belgian rifles muskets

27^th Illinois: (449) .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets

42^nd Illinois: (361) .58 caliber M1841 Mississippi rifles with sword bayonets

51^st Illinois: (214) .54 caliber Lorenz rifle muskets, (5) .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets, (2) .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets

Battery C, 1^st Illinois Light Artillery: 2 12-pdr M1841 smoothbore howitzers, 4 12-pdr M1857 smoothbore Napoleons (6 guns)

 

Private Joseph R. Prentice, Co. E, 1st Battalion, 19th U.S. Infantry was later awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on the afternoon of December 31, 1862, when he recovered the body of his dead commanding officer Major Stephen D. Carpenter from the battlefield under heavy enemy fire.

Center Corps- Thomas

First Division- Rousseau

First Brigade- Scribner

38^th Indiana: Mixed: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, .69 caliber altered to percussion muskets, a few .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets

2^nd Ohio: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, a few .69 caliber M1842 smoothbores (Greenwoods)

33^rd Ohio: .58 caliber M1842 rifled muskets (Greenwoods), .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets (two companies), a few .58 caliber M1861 Springfields

94^th Ohio: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets

10^th Wisconsin: .69 caliber M1842 smoothbores

 

Second Brigade-Beatty

42^nd Indiana: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, .69 caliber French/Belgian rifles

88^th Indiana: .69/,70 caliber Austrian smoothbores

15^th Kentucky: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets and .69 caliber M1842 smoothbores

3^rd Ohio: .69 caliber M1842 smoothbores, a few .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets

Battery A, 1^st Michigan Light Artillery: 6 10-pdr Parrott rifles (6 guns)

 

Third Brigade- Starkweather

24^th Illinois: Mixed: (99) .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets, (70) .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, (130) .69 caliber French/Belgian rifle muskets, (15) .58 caliber Austrian Lorenz rifles

79^th Pennsylvania: .69 caliber M1842 smoothbores

1^st Wisconsin: .69 caliber M1842 rifled muskets, .69/.71 caliber Belgian/Vincennes rifles (one company)

21^st Wisconsin: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets and .58 caliber Austrian Lorenz rifles

Battery A, Kentucky Light Artillery: 2 6-pdr M1841 smoothbore field guns, 2 6-pdr James rifles, 2 10-pdr Parrott rifles (6 guns)

 

Fourth Brigade- Shepherd

1^st Battalion, 15^th U.S.: .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets

1^st Battalion, 16^th U.S.: .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets

1^st Battalion, 18^th U.S.: .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets

2^nd Battalion, 18^th U.S.: .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets

1^st Battalion, 19^th U.S.: .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets

Battery H, 5^th U.S. Light Artillery: 2 10-pdr Parrott rifles, 4 12-pdr M1857 smoothbore Napoleons (6 guns)

 

Private Felix C. Balderrey, Co. A, 11th Michigan

Second Division- Negley

Second Brigade- Stanley

19^th Illinois: (268) .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets

11^th Michigan: .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets

18^th Ohio: .69 caliber M1842 rifled muskets (Greenwoods), .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets (two companies)

69^th Ohio: .54 caliber Lorenz rifles

Battery M, 1^st OVLA: 2 12-pdr M1841 smoothbore howitzers, 1 James rifle, and 1 10-pdr Parrott rifle (4 guns)

 

Third Brigade- Miller

37^th Indiana: Mixed: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets, .69 French/Belgian rifles

21^st Ohio: .54 caliber Lorenz rifles, .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets (two companies)

74^th Ohio: .69 caliber Prussian Potsdam muskets, .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets (two companies)

78^th Pennsylvania: .69 caliber M1842 smoothbores (four companies), .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets (three companies), a few .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets

Battery G, 1^st OVLA: 2 12-pdr M1841 smoothbore howitzers, 2 6-pdr Wiard rifles, 2 12-pdr Wiard rifles (6 guns)

Battery B, Kentucky Light Artillery: 1 6-pdr M1841 smoothbore field gun, 1 10-pdr Parrott rifle, and 1 6-pdr James rifle (3 guns)

 

Third Division- Mitchell

First Brigade- Walker

82^nd Indiana: .58 caliber Austrian Lorenz rifles

17^th Ohio: .54 caliber Austrian Lorenz rifles, .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets (two companies)

31^st Ohio: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, a few .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets

38^th Ohio: .69 caliber M1842 rifled muskets (Greenwoods), .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets (two companies), a few .69/.71 caliber Belgian/Vincennes rifles

Battery D, 1^st Michigan Light Artillery: 2 12-pdr M1841 smoothbore howitzers, 2 10-pdr Parrott rifles, 2 6-pdr James rifles

 

Second Brigade- Spears

85^th Illinois: (356) .58 caliber Austrian Lorenz rifles

14^th Michigan: .54 caliber Austrian Lorenz rifles

1^st Tennessee (U.S.): .54 caliber Austrian Lorenz rifles

2^nd Tennessee (U.S.): .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets (one company return only)

3^rd Tennessee Cavalry (U.S.) Mixed: .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets and .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets

10^th Wisconsin Battery: 6 6-pdr M1841 field guns

 

Private Andrew Rhoads of Co. G of the 57th Indiana was killed in action on December 31, 1862. 

Left Wing- Crittenden

First Division- Wood

First Brigade- Hascall

100^th Illinois: (433) .58 caliber Austrian Lorenz rifles, (7) .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, (6). 58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets

58^th Indiana: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, some .69 caliber altered to percussion rifles

3^rd Kentucky: Mix of .69 caliber altered to percussion muskets, .54 caliber Austrian Lorenz rifles, and some .69 caliber M1842 smoothbores

26^th Ohio: .69 caliber M1842 rifled muskets (Greenwoods), a few .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets

8^th Indiana Battery: 2 6-pdr M1841 smoothbore field guns, 4 6-pdr James rifles (6 guns)

 

Second Brigade- Wagner

15^th Indiana: .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets

40^th Indiana: .54 caliber Austrian Lorenz rifles, a mix of .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets and .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets in Co. F only

57^th Indiana: mostly .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, some .58 caliber French rifle muskets, one company had .58 caliber Austrian Lorenz rifles

97^th Ohio: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets

10^th Indiana Battery: 2 12-pdr M1841 smoothbore howitzers, 4 10-pdr Parrott rifles (6 guns)

 

Third Brigade- Harker

51^st Indiana: mostly .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, a few .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets

73^rd Indiana: .69 caliber M1842 rifled muskets (one three companies made returns-balance of regt. unknown)

13^th Michigan: .58 caliber Springfield rifle muskets

64^th Ohio: .58 caliber Springfield rifle muskets

65^th Ohio: .58 caliber Springfield rifle muskets

6^th Ohio Battery: 2 6-pdr M1841 smoothbore field guns, 4 10-pdr Parrott rifles (6 guns)

 

Second Division- Palmer

First Brigade- Cruft

31^st Indiana: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets

1^st Kentucky: .54 caliber Austrian Lorenz rifles, .69 caliber M1842 smoothbores (one company)

2^nd Kentucky: mostly .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, some .69 caliber M1842 smoothbores, .58 caliber Springfield rifle muskets (one company)

90^th Ohio: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets

 

Second Brigade- Hazen

110^th Illinois: (129) .69 caliber M1842 smoothbores, (75) .69 caliber M1842 rifled muskets, (20) .58 caliber Springfield rifle muskets

9^th Indiana: .58 caliber Springfield rifle muskets

6^th Kentucky: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets

41^st Ohio: .69 caliber altered to percussion rifled muskets (Greenwoods)

 

Third Brigade- Grose

84^th Illinois: (371) .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets

36^th Indiana: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets

23^rd Kentucky: .54 caliber Lorenz rifle muskets

6^th Ohio: .69 caliber Dresden rifle muskets (six companies), .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets (four companies)

24^th Ohio: .58 caliber Springfield rifle muskets (five companies), .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets (five companies)

 

Divisional artillery

Battery B, 1^st OVLA: 4 10-pdr Parrott rifles (4 guns)

Battery F, 1^st OVLA: 4 6-pdr M1841 smoothbore field guns, 2 12-pdr M1841 smoothbore howitzers (6 guns)

Batteries H and M, 4^th U.S. Light Artillery: 4 12-pdr M1841 smoothbore howitzers, 4 3” Ordnance rifles (8 guns)

 

Co. H of the "Iron 44th" Indiana posing at their camp in Chattanooga, Tennessee in the spring of 1864.

Third Division- Van Cleve

First Brigade- Beatty

79^th Indiana: .69/.71 caliber Belgian or Vincennes rifle muskets

9^th Kentucky: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, a few companies had .69 caliber M1842 smoothbores

11^th Kentucky: Mixed: .58 caliber Springfield rifle muskets, .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, and .69 caliber M1842 smoothbores

19^th Ohio: mostly .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, some .69 caliber Belgian pander rifles, and a few .69 caliber U.S. model smoothbores

Second Brigade- Fyffe

44^th Indiana: mostly .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, a few .69 caliber French/Belgian rifle muskets

86^th Indiana: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets

13^th Ohio: .69 caliber M1842 smoothbores (eight companies), .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets (two companies)

59^th Ohio: .69 caliber M1842 smoothbores (eight companies), .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets (two companies)

 

Third Brigade- Price

35^th Indiana: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets (one company)

8^th Kentucky: .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets (only two companies made out a return- balance unknown)

21^st Kentucky: Mixed: .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets, .577 caliber Enfield rifle muskets, and a few .69 caliber M1842 rifled muskets

51^st Ohio: some .69 caliber M1842 rifled muskets (Greenwoods), and some .69/.71 caliber Belgian/Vincennes rifles

99^th Ohio: .58 caliber M1861 Springfield rifle muskets (only one company made out a return); balance were armed with .577 Enfield rifle muskets when they left the state in September 1862

 

Divisional Artillery:

7^th Indiana Battery: 4 10-pdr Parrott rifles (4 guns)

Battery B, 26^th Pennsylvania Light Artillery: 4 6-pdr M1841 smoothbore field guns, 2 6-pdr James rifles (6 guns)

3^rd Wisconsin Battery: 2 12-pdr M1841 smoothbore howitzers, 4 10-pdr Parrott rifles (6 guns)

 

Cavalry Corps- Stanley

First Brigade- Minty

2^nd Indiana Cavalry: no return

4^th Michigan Cavalry: .56 caliber Colt’s revolving rifles (four companies), .36 and .44 caliber Colt’s revolvers (remaining companies unknown)

3^rd Kentucky Cavalry: .50 caliber Smith’s carbines, .36 and .44 caliber Colt’s revolvers (limited returns on this regt.)

7^th Pennsylvania Cavalry: .50 caliber Smith’s carbines, .36 caliber Savage revolvers

 

Second Brigade- Zahm

1^st Ohio Cavalry: .52 caliber Sharps’ carbines, .36 and .44 caliber Colt’s revolvers, a few .36 caliber Remington revolvers (limited returns on this regt.)

3^rd Ohio Cavalry: .52 caliber Sharps’ carbines, .36 caliber Remington revolvers, .36 caliber Savage’s revolvers (limited returns on this regt.)

4^th Ohio Cavalry: Mixed: .54 caliber Burnside carbines, .52 caliber Sharps’ carbines, 44 caliber Colt revolvers, .45 caliber Starr revolvers

 

Reserve Cavalry

15^th Pennsylvania Cavalry: no return

1^st Tennessee Cavalry (U.S.): .54 caliber Burnside carbines and .52 caliber Sharps’ carbines (limited returns on this regt.)

2^nd Tennessee Cavalry (U.S.): .52 caliber Sharps’ carbines (limited returns on this regt.)

Cavalry Corps Artillery

Battery D, 1^st OVLA:  2 3” Rodman/Ordnance rifles (2 guns)

 

Pioneer Brigade

Chicago Board of Trade: 4 6-pdr M1841 smoothbore field guns, 2 6-pdr James Rifles (6 guns)