Sam Colt's Dress Blues, A New Find, Sheds Light On Brief Chapter In Civil War

Hartford Courant ^ | May 14, 2011 | DAVID DRUR

[Daffynition]

In May 1861, Samuel Colt was Hartford's richest, most famous citizen.

A charismatic, driven entrepreneur, Colt possessed inventive genius, boundless imagination and unsurpassed marketing prowess. He had built an internationally renowned business centered in a state-of-the art armory in Hartford's South Meadows that produced the revolving handguns bearing his name.

Instruments of "moral reform,'' Colt once sardonically called his artful, deadly devices. How they were used, and by whom, did not trouble him much.

[Inyo-Mono]

The revolver you pictured shows a "Colt's" .45 cartridge revolver that was not introduced until 1873, 11 years after Sam'l Colt's death. This was the latest model Colt revolver at the time of his death, the .36 cal muzzle loading 1862 Police model:

[driftless2]

"Henry"

True about its faults. But what would have prevented the Federals from insisting the Henry company put on wooden forearms? In short, some of the faults could have been solved with a little pressure and/or money from the Federals. In any event, from the accounts I read, the Henry was very popular with the soldiers that used it. I guess it would be like the military switching from the M1 to the M16. The MI 30.6 cartridge had a more knocking down power than the M16 .223 cartridge, but the army concluded that going from a semi-automatic with stronger firepower to a fully automatic rifle with less firepower per bullet was worth it.

[Kickass Conservative]

Moral Reform = Peace through superior firepower.

[Daffynition]

ROFLOL

[SunkenCiv]

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[donmeaker]

by contrast, Maj. Reno had retreated to a defensible hilltop, and was able to hold his position.

What Custer really needed was the Gatlings, which he left behind. His prior knowledge of the Lakota told him that no more than a thousand could be supported in a village. The encampment had over 15 thousand, but most were about to leave, as they had come together for a few days to resolve some leadership issues.

[Flag_This]

"by contrast, Maj. Reno had retreated to a defensible hilltop, and was able to hold his position."

I think Custer saved Reno and Benteen. By that I mean once the Sioux and Cheyenne wiped out Custer they were done with serious fighting and just didn't have the discipline and determination to focus on Reno the same way they did on Custer. I always had the impression that Reno and Benteen barely managed to hold off the attacks they did face and they did not see the same number of attackers that Custer did.

"His prior knowledge of the Lakota told him that no more than a thousand could be supported in a village."

I don't know how he could have believed that - they had been following the Sioux trail - left by travois poles dragging in the dirt - and it was gigantic. Reno had struck that trail earlier and in some places it was hundreds of yards wide. Custer's Crow scouts knew the truth - I just don't know if he listened to them.

I think Custer was focused exclusively on offensive actions with no thought that he might actually have to play defense... until it was too late.