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Alymer Military Models
A model of a Confederate Colonel standing next to his horse in gloss finish.
The American Civil War saw cavalry tactics move largely away from the offensive towards the defensive, with the emphasis on screening, reconnaissance, raiding and harassment. Development of the rifled musket had also rendered the cavalry charge impractical.
In the first half of the war, the Confederates enjoyed the advantage in cavalry, as southern men were more accustomed to the riding and shooting life, and most of the experienced cavalry officers from the regular army had chosen to side with the Confederacy . A notable example was Bedford Forrest, who effectively dominated Tennessee & northern Mississippi until the end of the war.
By the second half, from 1863 onward, the Union Army had gained an equal cavalry capability, through Benjamin Grierson’s brilliant deception tactics in the Mississippi Valley, and Philip Sheridan’s aggressive movements, while in command of the Army of the Shenandoah at the end of the war in Virginia.
Cavalry units proved highly expensive to maintain, and unscrupulous agents would often exploit shortages by supplying defective animals at exorbitant prices.