American Civil War Question?

Question

Hi. I'm doing a report on the American Civil war (we have to make a newspaper) and I was wondering, does nayone know how much a horse would have cost back then, in like 1863, in the US?
Thanks!

Answer 1

Horses have always been expensive which is why the Cavalry was a rather elite unit and the average soldier walked. A good quality Horse has actually maintained its value over the years; a Math whiz can explain it better but here is a formula you can use.
Figure a modern price of $10,000/Ten Thousand to $15,000/fifteen thousand for a well trained healthy Horse, then deduct more than a hundred years of price escalations and you wind up with $300 to $500 on average in Civil War dollars, Gold Dollars, when quartermasters were 'forced' to take greenbacks they would up the price to $700 or $900. There were discounts of course, and so prices in the $150 to $250 frame were not uncommon, while less healthy of dubious value horses could be purchased for as low of $75. On the high end one of General Robert E Lee's steeds set him back $1,200! Mules were much cheaper, $150 to $175 most common with bargains as low as $50 to $ 75. In conclusion, a good horse was more than most men made in a year, a lot like a modern auto.

Peace...

Answer 2

The cost was somewhere around $75-$100, but horses could be acquired through the barter system as well. Then you would have to take into account its health etc.

Would love to hear what tysavage2 used as a discount rate to arrive at that price! Based on that forecast, you would be selling at a discount.

Answer 3

Slavery was the overriding issue. States' rights was smoke and mirrors, an excuse, not a reason to rebel. The South wanted to avoid making slavery their stated cause. It was seen as bad P.R. They knew that they would need help from Europe, probably Britain. Many European countries would have preferred that the U.S. be fractured. States had ceded their authority, when they ratified the Constitution. The Constitution was designed to place the federal authority over the states, because the original plan. of a weaker federal government had failed, under the Articles of Confederation. Newspaper articles, from the time of the ratification votes, urged ratification on the grounds that it would prevent states from secession.

Answer 4

Factoring in the rate of inflation, the cost of hay for feeding .. and the cost of labor ... taking it back to 1863 .. a solid, healthy horse would have cost approximately $56.48 Good Luck ! :)

Answer 5

It probably would have been expensive (for those times) because horses were in demand by the armies. probably 20 to 100 dollars or so.

Answer 6

Try this link. You will sitll have to do your own research.

Answer 7

No.