Hallo!
In the earlier years of the War, it was not unusual, both US and CS, for the old concept of the two "flank companies" (once a light infantry and a grenadier comapny out of the ten in a regiment now skirmish compamnies) to be rifle-armed while the remaining eight companies were musket armed. Obviously as rifle-muskets gain ascendancy in numbers, "anyone" could be a skirmisher).
Here are a few NC quckies...
Some of the first "Enfield" issuances to NC lads was the 33rd, their gettign them just before the March 14, 1862 New Berne fight. Later, the Palmettoe Sharpshooters were armed with Enfields (described as "long range guns" annoyed the Federal artillery during the Penninsula.
And the 45th NC at Kingston NC in March of 1863 it was remarked they had "Minie" rifles by the sound of the whistling bullets, which later turned up 15 Enfields from their abandoned camp.
It is interesting to look at the "in fighting" for Enfields, especially during the first of the blockade runners with the purchases made by CS agents in Europe like Huse. Such as with the first run in September 1861 on board the "Bermuda" running into Savannah. Or the second on the "Fingal" reloaded to the CS "Nashville" in Bermuda for Savannah.
One of the reasons for the "weird" CS markings on Enfields was to determine what belonged to who, and who had bought what, or had deals from the blockade runner owners for the crates. Especially with the CS system that often times pitted the central government against the individual states.
For example, the "BErmuda" shipment was mad eup of about 3500 Enfield and Austrian rifles. 1700 were owned by private likley CS state agents for their states. CSA Sec.of War Judah Benjamin had learned he had to "negotiate" with the private owners for the 1700, AND that Georgia Brig. General Lawton at SAvannah had claimed 3000 for Georgia troops.
Lawton gave in, a bit, and returned all but 1000. Teh next day, General Albert Johnston in KY asked for a smany as he could get, 30,000. President Davis explained that there were only 3500, and that 1800 went to the CSA (1700 purchased from the private owners), and that 1500 were going to Richmond for unnamed trops, and that the remaining 1000 would be shipped to Johnston at Nashville.
Or..., the "Colletis" to the "Fingal" to the "Nashville" shipment of 9620 Enfields. 7520 were owned by the CS War Department, 1100 by the state of Georgia, and 1000 by the state of Louisiana. Johnston still needed guns, and Benjamin had told him before the arrival of teh "Fingal" in Bermuda he was getting 10,000. But Johnston and Robert E. Lee had to divide hth government's portion so GEorgia's 1100 portion went to arming units in the East- largely teh 3rd GA. But Lee dispersed his 3760 (half of 7520) with 2500 going to three South CArolina regiments. Georgia Governor then divided is portion between the 30th and the 33rd GA.
A similar thign happeend with the third batch, on the "Gladiator..."
Anyways, my point is that "ownership" and "issuance" gets muddied and we should not necessarily always look to Enfields being off-loaded and always ending up belonging to, and getting issued to, the "local troops" based on what port the ship arrived in.
Curt
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