[
87]
| Good rifled arms on hand at the beginning of the war (this includes the arms in the hands of volunteer companies), | 25,000 |
| New arms manufactured in the Confederacy and in private Establishments | 40,000 |
| Arms received from the battle-fields and put in good order (this includes the great number of arms picked up by the soldiers) | 150,000 |
| Imported from January 1st, 1862, to July 1st, 1863 | 185,000 |
| ——— |
| Total | 400,000 |
This estimate does not include pistols and sabres, of which a small supply was imported.
To account for the very large number obtained from the enemy (rather an under than an over estimate), it must be remembered that in some fights, where our troops were not finally successful, they were so at first; and swept over the camps and positions of the enemy.
Whenever a Confederate soldier saw a weapon better than his own, he took it and left his inferior arm; and although he may have been finally driven back, he kept his improved musket.
So, too, on every field there were partial successes which in the early part of the war resulted in improved weapons; and although on another part of the field there may have been a reverse; the enemy had not the same advantage; the
Confederate arms being generally inferior to those of their adversaries.
The difference of arms was not so marked at a later day except in cavalry arms, in which we were always at a disadvantage, the celebrated
Spencer carbine being generally in the hands of the enemy's cavalry during the last two years of the war.
