Existing comment:
Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle-Musket (reproduction)
The rifle musket had an effective range of 500 yards, and was deadly at 300 yards, making it far superior to the smoothbore musket still used by many units in both armies during the Seven Days. However, this advantage was negated in some of the most intense fighting at Glendale.
Confederate officer E.P. Alexander later wrote, "It involved, I believe, more actual bayonet, & butt of gun, melee fighting than any other occasion I know of in the whole war." |