One may think that during the American Civil War, the need for swords and bayonets were probably already phased out by technology, and only issued because it was simply the traditional way armies were equipped prior.  While there is some truth to the latter notion, the need for swords and bayonets, among other things, had not really diminished.  Firearms that used brass cartridges would not see much widespread military use until after the war, but even so, for the cavalry, the sword would remain in service until World War I demonstrated how horse-mounted cavalry was completely obsolete.  Civil War swords, such as this Civil War Cavalry Trooper Sword, were very essential weapon in the cavalryman’s arsenal principally because of the tactic of the cavalry charge.  This shock tactic of driving at the enemy as hard and fast as one can go would evoke fear into the enemy, and once you got to him you needed something other than a pistol to fend off any pike or whatever he may have when you get close to him.  Close combat, especially in modern warfare, is a very terrifying thing, and the cavalry charge took advantage of that terror to cut down the enemy, quickly, and then get out to recover while the infantry mopped up.  If the cavalry faced enemy cavalry, the sword would prove invaluable again since, in situations like that, you didn’t have time to reload your pistol.  It’s no wonder why the cavalry sword remains a symbol of modern, mechanized cavalry units today, because it was always there, ready for action, when they needed it.