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The Rifle Musket in Civil War Combat: Reality and Myth

Earl J. Hess

4.18 · Rating details · 49 ratings · 10 reviews

The Civil War's single-shot, muzzle-loading musket revolutionized warfare-or so we've been told for years. Noted historian Earl J. Hess forcefully challenges that claim, offering a new, clear-eyed, and convincing assessment of the rifle musket's actual performance on the battlefield and its impact on the course of the Civil War.

Many contemporaries were impressed with the n ...more

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Hardcover, 296 pages

Published September 9th 2008 by University Press of Kansas (first published September 1st 2008)

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Jun 16, 2020 Joseph rated it it was amazing

The author debunks several long-standing myths about the rifle musket in Civil War battles. One of the most interesting parts of this book, for me, was the discussion of Whitworth rifles run in through the Federal naval blockade. I didn't realize the Confederates had organized special units of snipers as well as the Federals. Not sure why this thought never presented itself to me in the hundreds of Civil War books I've read, but there it is, anyway. Bottom line; this book is far too nuanced for ...more

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Jan 20, 2019 Charles Inglin rated it really liked it

The author challenges the conventional view that the introduction of the rifle musket significantly changed warfare in the age of the black powder muzzle loading weapon. The rifle musket, unlike its predecessor the smoothbore musket, was capable of accurate fire at much longer ranges. Where a smoothbore musket was seldom accurate beyond 75-100 yards the rifle musket was capable of accurate fire to as much as 1,500 yards. This extended range, in many opinions, meant that in the Civil War infantry The author challenges the conventional view that the introduction of the rifle musket significantly changed warfare in the age of the black powder muzzle loading weapon. The rifle musket, unlike its predecessor the smoothbore musket, was capable of accurate fire at much longer ranges. Where a smoothbore musket was seldom accurate beyond 75-100 yards the rifle musket was capable of accurate fire to as much as 1,500 yards. This extended range, in many opinions, meant that in the Civil War infantry attacks were bloodier, cavalry charges became impracticable, artillery was forced to position further from the main battle line, and entrenchments became more common. The author disputes this.

Drawing on the works and studies of other historians he points out that the typical Civil War battlefield seldom had open terrain where the full range of the rifle musket could come into play. Even if it was the high arc of the rifle musket bullet meant that accurate fire against a target advancing from a distance required the individual soldier to have a high degree of skill in range estimation and setting his sights, a skill which most soldiers didn't possess. In fact, the standard of marksmanship overall was relatively low and surprisingly neither army, with some units being exceptions, had much of a program to improve it. Instead reliance remained as it had been on massed volleys aimed generally in the direction of the enemy battle line. Studies of the ranges that battles were fought at indicate that the distance between battle lines increased only marginally.

Where the rifle musket did causes some changes was in the increased use of skirmishers, screens of soldiers sent out in front of the battle line to harass and disrupt the enemy line, taking advantage of terrain and aimed fire, where the capability of the rifle musket could be used to greater effect. Additionally the practice of sniping became much more common as the war progressed, with select expert shots being trained in performing the duty, often equipped with specialized target rifle capable of surprising accuracy for the day.

An interesting fact the author mentions: the American Civil War was the only major war in which both sides used the rifle musket. The rifle musket was developed around the late 1840's and started going into general issue in the mid-1850's, with the Pattern 1853 and 1856 Enfield in England and the Models 1855 and 1861 Springfield rifle Muskets in the US, and their equivalents in Europe. In the Crimean War the British and French were partially equipped with rifle muskets while the Russians were primarily armed with smoothbores. But in the next major war after the Civil War, the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, both sides were equipped primarily with breech loading rifles. Such was the speed of firearms development.

Highly recommended for students of the American Civil War.
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Jul 18, 2017 Clarke Wood rated it really liked it

Until about ten years ago, the standard interpretation of civil war combat was that the rifled musket and field fortifications revolutionized war and the US civil war was a precursor to the First World War. The high casualty rates in the war are attributed to the rifle, along with outdated tactics and the myopia of many military leaders. A number of scholars have challenged this interpretation, and Mr. Hess wrote a whole book about this. To summarize, while the rifled musket influenced skirmishi ...more

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Feb 20, 2020 Henry Davis IV rated it really liked it

A good book which challenges conventional wisdom about the effectiveness of rifles on Civil War battlefields, "The Rifle Musket in Civil War Combat" is a must read for anyone interested in Civil War (or 19th Century) tactics, sniping / military marksmanship, or the evolution of infantry equipment and tactics. In this book, Hess convincingly argues that even though the widespread use of rifles by both Union and Confederate forces helped make the enabling functions of skirmishing and sharpshooting ...more

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Aug 31, 2018 Matt Heil rated it it was amazing

An excellent overview of the actual use of the rifle musket -and not just its capabilities - during the American Civil War. Not only disproves unfounded assumptions, such as the rifle musket making Civil War combat bloodier, but also delves into the Soldier's relationships with their guns - cleaning and maintenance, gun culture before and during the war, preferences, tactics, and a great deal more. It's a fascinating and easily accessible read that every Civil War scholar, whether popular or aca ...more

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Apr 28, 2018 Sean Chick rated it really liked it

One of the seminal books on Civil War tactics. I have my reservations on a few points, such as his discussion of decisive battles, but all around the thesis holds up. I like that he does mention the rifled musket being dangerous with skirmishers and snipers, which made it hard for artillery to offer close support and generals to survey the battlefield. Napoleon and Frederick II often did close inspections which got men such as McCulloh and Sedgwick killed.

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Apr 06, 2021 James Dickerson rated it it was amazing

Good review on the reality of the role of the Rifle Musket

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Nov 21, 2013 Nick rated it liked it

Shelves: military-history, history-civil-war

The author set himself the very difficult task of proving a negative. His premise was that most other authors on the subject of Civil War weaponry were wrong, and that the technology of rifling did NOT have a major influence on combat.
Several facts he presented were very enlightening, such as the fact that a rifled musket actually has a lower velocity for the bullet as it leaves the barrel than a smoothbore. On the other hand, he didn't seem to mention the more rapid drop-off of velocity, and hi ...more

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Jul 11, 2010 Chuck rated it really liked it

A fairly comprehensive book on the rifle-musket and the civil war.

The author wrote well and I enjoyed the book. It was well researched and highly informative.

But the book seemed fairly technical and dispassionate. I did not get the feeling that he was out there with muzzle-loading/black powder groups shooting every weekend. Clearly to write a book on this subject requires a lot of love for the subject. But the author's voice in the writing did not convey that to me as a reader.

I highly recomme ...more

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May 08, 2015 Danielle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-for-school, history

I absolutely loved this book! Chapter 1 was a little rough because I didn't understand all the parts of the gun, but once I found a diagram of a Cvil War musket I was good to go. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. ...more

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