“Dear Sir, there is one hundred and fifty double-barrell shotguns here, all in good order. Shall I send them to have the Bowie knife attached to them? Price is seven 50/100 dollars each for the knife attachment. There are about one hundred and fifty flint lock muskets here. Shall I send them to Holly Springs for alteration and repairs? Please answer immediately.”
Captain John Travis, CSA, Grenada, Mississippi, to Governor John Pettus, September 16, 1861.
There is a lingering perception that the American Civil War was only fought with rifles, muskets, bayonets, and artillery, but early in the war just about anything that would shoot was needed to arm the fledgling Confederate States. A soldier of the First Kentucky (Confederate) Orphan Brigade makes note of going in to battle armed with civilian firearms prior to the battle of Shiloh (April 1862). Period accounts of Orphan Brigade units from Burnsville state they had been using “…outdated flintlock muskets, Belgian Rifles and even civilian hunting rifles and shotguns.”
At the start of the Civil War, Mobile and its shipping facilities were guarded by Alabama State Troops. These state troops were eventually turned over to Confederate central government command. A part of the deal for the turnover was that Alabama would arm two regiments that had shown up in Mobile without arms (21st & 22nd Ala. Inf.). To arm these units, the state’s Adjutant General beefed up the facilities at the Mobile Depot, which ingeniously adapted single and double barreled shotguns for military use. The guns were the result of an earlier effort by the governor to procure arms. He had authorized the sheriffs of the various counties and state agents to purchase all available sporting weapons throughout the state. The wooden ramrods proved too flimsy for military use, and were a sore point. Shotguns were also
p y r ollc
Master Distributor of
Black Powder 1FA•2FA•3FA•4FA•Meal-D
fitted with special bayonets. The shotguns were altered at the Mobile Depot by applying a 5" double lug bayonet attachment to the right side of both single and double barrel shotguns. They manufactured a bayonet for this double lug system to fit the shotgun. A special scabbard was also made.
When the Confederacy was threatened with invasion by Federal forces in 1861, so many volunteers flocked to her standard that many were turned away for lack of arms. The different state governments scoured the countryside in search of sporting rifles, old flintlock pistols and shotguns; any weapon that could aid in arming their Volunteers. In a short and to the point note dated May 18, 1861, the Confederate Secretary of War wrote to Mississippi Governor Pettus, “Can you give me two regiments for twelve months, armed with heavy double barrel shotguns?”
This was not unique to Mississippi and Alabama; in Virginia Col. (at this time) Jubal A. Early wrote to Virginia’s Adjutant General, “There are now eight companies of cavalry here, well mounted and in fine condition, but for the arms necessary for them, which are mostly wanting. Two companies are armed with double barreled shotguns, and two more will soon have them.” In a following letter Colonel Early wrote, “I have directed them to get all the double barrel shotguns they could.” In July 1861 Kentuckian Wm. T. Withers wrote
to the Confederate Secretary of War, “Many Companies of cavalry have tendered their services, who propose to arm themselves with shotguns and revolvers.” On July 2, 1861, the Governor of Tennessee tendered the provisional Army of Tennessee to the Confederate President. Offering “twenty-two regiments of infantry, two regiments of cavalry…. part of the cavalry armed with revolvers and sabers, the balance with double barrel shotguns.”
The extensive use of shotguns by the Confederacy is frequently attributed to the severe shortage of military firearms available for issuance early in the war. However, this is not the only reason. As early as August 1861, the shotgun’s long term use was being discussed; Captain of Ordnance Wm. R. Hunt wrote to the Secretary of War from Memphis, recommending that contracts be let for 10,000 sword bayonets for double barreled shotguns. Nearly a year later Hunt wrote to Secretary of War J. P. Benjamin, “Colonel Forrest, the most efficient cavalry officer in this department, informs me that the double barrel shotgun is the best gun with which the cavalry can be armed.” A more qualified endorsement of shotguns could not be desired; it was the most efficient short range arm used during the war. As late as July 24, 1863, S.C. Governor Milledge Bonham opined to Secretary of War Seddon that the state had turned over all available shotguns to the Confederacy.
The Confederate Cavalry continued to employ shotguns for the remainder of the war albeit
with less frequency. The attrition of close quarter combat took its toll; cavalrymen began to skirmish at longer ranges and eventually began to fight primarily as mounted infantry.
As far as ammunition, could the shotgun use standard military cartridges and loads? The 12 gauge barrel is approximately .72 caliber and the .69 buck and ball cartridge would have been widely available and a good fit. If the paper was tamped over the ball it would act as a wad to keep the charge from spilling out. If the soldier just tore the tail of the cartridge open, dumped the powder down the barrel, and then rammed the entire remainder of the cartridge down on top
Civil War Catalog Featuring a large assortment of Civil War and Indian War autographs, accoutrements, memorabilia, medals,
insignia, buttons, GAR, documents, photos, & books. of the powder, there was plenty of sealing ability. It is important to remember that in close quarter fighting cavalrymen weren’t necessarily looking for the tight pattern that is fired out of a shotgun while hunting game for the dinner table. It was an anti-personal load, and it was intended to scatter.
There is also evidence of usage of the shotgun, both as a primary and supplementary weapon in Confederate infantry units. There is some anecdotal evidence of soldiers bringing these weapons with them from home when they enlisted. In the case of the shotgun, it may have served as required by circumstances. One Confederate soldier was identified as carrying his issued rifle-musket for longer distance encounters and a shotgun strapped to his back for close range engagements. In case all else failed, he also kept a pistol tucked in his belt.
Craig L Barry was born in Charlottesville, Va. He holds his BA and Masters degrees from the University of North Carolina (Charlotte). Craig served The Watchdog Civil War Quarterly as Associate Editor and Editor from 2003-2017. The Watchdog published both books and columns on the material culture of the mid-19th century and donated all funds from publications to battlefield preservation.