Different Weapons used by the North & South in the Civil War - Nathan Hamilton, Tara's office

During the Civil War, the soldiers used rifles, pistols, swords, bayonets and cannons. Because the North was more industrialized, they were able to manufacture better weapons than the South. The South were initially able to import weapons from other countries but the naval blockade by the north soon prevented this from continuing. This forced the agriculturally-based South to open factories to try to produce weapons to arm the confederate forces. The weapons produced in the South from inferior materials were not as good as the ones produced in the North and this led to a military advantage for the North. The Sharps' carbine was one of the most desirable weapons in the Civil War. It was more accurate than a conventional rifle and was the favored weapon for snipers. The Sharps' carbine was not mass-produced until the Union troops started specifically requesting the rifle.