The infantry soldiers had the luxury of using their ramrods to clean and dry the bore of their rifles. However, federal cavalry during the American Civil War did not have that tool to use. How did they clean their carbines without a rod?

The average civil war cavalry trooper had to carry more than just his weapons. He had to carry his bedroll, shelter, canteen, poncho, picket pin, lariat, haversack, and much more! How and where did they put all of it when riding on campaign?

Keeping your blanket roll as thin as possible is paramount. Therefore, keeping it no less than 30 inches allows you to pack extra personal gear in your bed roll while not having a massive roll on your saddle that you have to get over when mounting your horse. Simply put, keep it at 30" in length ...

Here is a quick piece of fieldcraft. Let's learn how to fold the saddle blanket correctly in the Civil War era. What is correct? How did that help a campaigning trooper - and his horse?

Many cavalry officers, including the author of "Volunteer Cavalry" Lessons of a Decade, stated that the '59 pattern McClellan saddle was the best saddle ever to be used in military service. This video is the 1st part in a multipart series exploring the '59 pattern McClellan saddle. More specifica...