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<blockquote data-quote="Dogbrain" data-source="post: 1438213" data-attributes="member: 14980">During the English Civil War, complaints were made by officers that men would not put their swords to their intended uses.&nbsp; Instead, swords were much more likely used to clear brush, chop wood, or dig holes than for combat.&nbsp; So, I'd say that the writing was on the wall for swords before that point.The last use of massed sword in infantry in British service was in the middle of the 18th century.&nbsp; Highland infantry charged emplaced French positions on the Plains of Abraham (in Quebec).&nbsp; It was a turkey shoot for the French until British regulars gave them serious fire support.The US Cavalry might have been issued swords, but during the US Civil War, their primary weapon was the repeating carbine (aka &quot;That damned Yankee gun that can be loaded once on Sunday and used the rest of the week.&quot;).&nbsp; Likewise, except for scouting purposes and a couple of freak encounters, the primary use of cavalry during the US Civil War was actually not as cavalry at all.&nbsp; They were either scouts or mounted infantry.&nbsp; In a sense, they were the first use of &quot;mechanized&quot; infantry.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Dogbrain, post: 1438213, member: 14980"] During the English Civil War, complaints were made by officers that men would not put their swords to their intended uses. Instead, swords were much more likely used to clear brush, chop wood, or dig holes than for combat. So, I'd say that the writing was on the wall for swords before that point. The last use of massed sword in infantry in British service was in the middle of the 18th century. Highland infantry charged emplaced French positions on the Plains of Abraham (in Quebec). It was a turkey shoot for the French until British regulars gave them serious fire support. The US Cavalry might have been issued swords, but during the US Civil War, their primary weapon was the repeating carbine (aka "That damned Yankee gun that can be loaded once on Sunday and used the rest of the week."). Likewise, except for scouting purposes and a couple of freak encounters, the primary use of cavalry during the US Civil War was actually not as cavalry at all. They were either scouts or mounted infantry. In a sense, they were the first use of "mechanized" infantry. [/QUOTE]

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