Rifle Musket in Civil War Combat

The Civil War''s single-shot, muzzle-loading musket revolutionized warfare-or so we''ve been told for years. Noted historian Earl J. Hess forcefully challenges that claim, offering a new, clear-eyed, and convincing assessment of the rifle musket''s actual performance on the battlefield and its impact on the course of the Civil War.

Many contemporaries were impressed with the new weapon''s increase...