During the Civil War, carbines were furnished to the army by mainly three different ways. The most common method was the federal government, especially starting in 1862. The state government also played a large role in carbine purchasing during the first year of the war, before the federal government was able to take over mobilization. Private citizens, either soldiers buying their own weapons or wealthy, prominent people funding certain regiments, helped to arm the soldiers as well.

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Without these customers, especially the federal government in the form of the Ordnance Department, advancements in arms technology would have not grown as quickly as it had.