Keith:
Thanks for the information. In Ken Baumann's book, "Arming the Suckers: A Compilation of Illinois Civil War Weapons," he lists, for Battery "L" 1st Illinois Light Artillery (aka Rourke's Battery or Mulligan's Brass Band) Two 12-pounder guns m/1857, Four James Rifles, 3.80" and "148 Cavalry Sabers." The Battery was organized at Camp Douglas on Feb 22, 1862, and was composed of Wisconsin Irishmen. They are also listed as possessing, at various time carbines and .44 caliber Army revolvers. It seemed strange that an artillery battery would be armed with cavalry sabers. There were several other things that were strange about this battery, so it seems to fit with your comments about arms early (4th Quarter 1862 to 4th Quarter 1863) in the war.