The American Civil War remains the country's national epic, having changed the fledgling "Union" into the "United States." The scars of that devastating internecine conflict have long since disappeared, but there remains a seemingly insatiable desire to learn more of the circumstances and the detail of the war. This beautifully illustrated book provides that detail, particularly in regard to the tactical deployment of forces in the field and the fighting methods employed by the infantry, artillery, and cavalry forces. CIVIL WAR WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT follows a soldier, gunner, and cavalryman from their enlistment to their eventual deployment in the field. When war broke out, some men had already served with volunteer units; some were just ill-prepared youths. At first, many officers and men were bewildered by their drills. They were also unfamiliar with their new weapons. By the end of the war, however, many had become highly experienced soldiers with an expert knowledge of field craft, tactics, and weaponry. Each chapter chronicles this development and the impact it had on the three million men who went to war from 1861 to 1865. CIVIL WAR WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT also includes features on the weapons of the war, from the infantryman's simple rifle and bayonet through a variety of officer's swords, sabers, pistols, and revolvers, to the mighty artillery pieces.