Barren Co, KY

What's the Difference Between Mounted Infantry & Cavalry?

The following info applies to both Union and Confederate forces.

The cavalry were the eyes of the army. They traveled in the rear area of the enemy where they searched for information about the enemy force. Also, they captured enemy officers and men whom they took away as prisoners for questioning.
They were armed with sabers, pistols and carbines. These weapons were useful to defend against small groups of soldiers, civilians and guerillas whom they might meet behind the lines. However, their firing weapons had shorter range and
less impact force than that provided by rifles.

When a cavalry unit became engaged they usually broke off contact at once and rode away. The advantages of the cavalry were: 1) they could search the enemy's area to learn their strength and location and, 2) they could screen their army's size
and location from the enemy. In general cavalry units communicated orders by bugle calls.

The infantry were the principal strength of the army. They gained ground and defended their hold to deny use of the land by the enemy. They were used in large groups to combine their fire power. Their rifles could fire bullets many times further than a pistol or carbine could. Rifles were useful to keep large groups of the enemy from reaching the position held by the army in the defense. In the attack, the infantry usually fired their rifles as a group. A large volume of rifle fire could force defenders away from their position or keep them down until the attacking force moved into them to fight in hand to hand combat.

When a mounted infantry unit became engaged, they seldom, if ever, fired their rifles while mounted. Instead, they dismounted and formed groups to use their firepower in mass. The advantage of the mounted infantry was they could ride
to a place on the field and form quickly into groups either to help hold a position or attack and drive the enemy from the field. In general infantry units communicated their orders by drum beats.

At the start of the war, the Confederate army's cavalry units were more numerous and more effective than the cavalry units of the Union army. Since the economy in the South was more agrarian than in the North, I believe the Confederate army
used horses more for transport of infantry than did the North. And, I suspect the Confederate army had a greater percentage, and perhaps more in total, mounted infantry units than the Union army; particularly in the war's early years.

I include URL'S beneath my signature. They include some links which may be helpful in finding info about Confederate and Union units from Ky.

With best wishes to all in their search,

H. L. "Bud" Burke
Strafford, MO
hbeb@axs.net

http://www.civilwararchive.com/Confedreg/confedky.htm
http://www.civilwararchive.com/regim.htm