What was condition the Union cavalry at the beginning of the US Civil War?

Answer 1

As the US Civil War unfolded, it became clear that the US cavalry was not a strong overall battle unit. Historians claim that the Union cavalry was at a distinct disadvantage in comparison to the Confederate cavalry. Generally speaking, the US Army never had a horse mounted fighting tradition. Part of this was due to the expense of funding such a mounted battle unit. But the US Congress was not totally guilty of not wanting, prior to the US Civil War, a top notch cavalry. In fact, as the war began, the top general in the Union was Winfield Scott. He was convinced that the Union did not even need a cavalry. He pointed out that the wooded territories in the South, and its swamps would limit the effectiveness of mounted troops. He believed that on the battlefields, soldiers with rifles combined with artillery, would eliminate the danger of the enemy's cavalry. The Union's Department of War followed Scott's beliefs and would not accept cavalry units offered by Union states.

When it was finally realized this was a mistake, growth of the cavalry was slowed down by the lack of horses and other required supplies needed to field a significant cavalry force.

On the other hand, the Confederacy, welcomed the formation of cavalry units. In addition, simply based on Southern traditions, their large expanse of thinly populated territory had already a generation of mounted men.