Confederate cavalrymen traveled lighter than their Union counterparts and were not usually armed with the more modern carbines.

Short, muzzle-loading carbines were more common in Confederate regiments, including imports from England. Some Southern troopers preferred to leave their sabers behind and carried extra pistols instead of sabers, for close work. Southern arsenals attempted to mass produce breech-loading carbines, even making copies of Union carbines made by the Sharps Rifle Company. Attempts at mass production of the weapon failed and Confederate cavalrymen relied upon a varied stock of captured and imported arms.
Cavalry units were dependent on fast movement so a trooper’s first priority was care of his horse. Each cavalry regiment had a blacksmith who shod and cared for the animals in camp. On active campaign, a trooper had to look out for his own animal and care for it. If the horse was disabled, it was easier for a Northern soldier to get a new mount from the herd which usually accompanied the army. Southerners brought their own mounts with them into service and woe be to the man whose horse pulled up lame or was injured. It sometimes meant the trooper became a foot soldier until another horse could be obtained. The armament of a typical cavalryman at Gettysburg included a light steel saber, a pistol and a carbine. By the time of the Battle of Gettysburg, breech-loading carbines were standard issue in all Union cavalry regiments. Two regiments, the 5th and 6th Michigan Cavalry, were armed with Spencer repeating rifles, a rifle that held a seven-round magazine. The carbine version of this weapon appeared in the Army of the Potomac after Gettysburg and made a great difference in firepower. On the cavalryman's saddle was strapped his baggage which included a shelter tent, blanket, poncho, saddle bags for rations and a canteen.
Most mounted troops of the Civil War carried a rifle or shotgun and several revolvers, meaning as many as they could acquire, to compensate for the lengthy process of reloading. Depending on the types of firearms obtained, the cavalryman with a single carbine and three revolvers could discharge as many as 30 rounds prior to reloading a single weapon. But though it makes for some serious firepower, an anxious soldier, by spending his ammunition quickly, could sacrifice accuracy.
Which do you think would make the best cavalryman, the experienced horseman or the seasoned gunfighter? If you said experienced rider, then you are correct. For it is much easier to train a veteran rider to both ride and shoot than it was to instruct the best gunfighter to gallop and discharge his weapon. The Comanche was considered the best equestrian of the era, and at full gallop the Comanche warrior could accurately fire 12 plus arrows in a single minute. After being taught to use the carbine, the Comanche was considered unmatched while astride his horse during battle. See also Civil War Cavalry, Dragoon, and Mounted Infantry Weapons: A Photogra