I recently learned of the danger posed by carrying a loaded single action revolver, because the hammer is resting on the firing pin/ percussion cap which can cause an unintended discharge surprisingly easily. So most gun guys or competition shooters will make it a habit to only load 5 rounds (or leave one chamber empty if they have more or less than 6 shots). Historically how did soldiers in, for example, the civil war balance carrying their weapon safely and having the maximum volume of rounds in their chambers? How did gunslinger or “shootists” carry their guns? Would they, for example, carry their holstered gun with an empty chamber but have extra cylinders loaded with all six with the logic that if they were reloading in a hurry they needed all six shots ready to go?
You have to consider that during the Civil War, most common soldiers didn't carry a pistol at all. While some did, pistols were more common among officers and cavalrymen, the latter of which praised their ability to be used by one hand and offer quick follow up shots. It was fairly common for cavalrymen to carry multiple revolvers, to postpone the need to reload as long as possible. The "danger" of carrying a single action revolver isn't actually that great, as most could take serious abuse with a round in the chamber without any significant risk of a discharge. Consider that revolvers were the preferred sidearm of most US police officers well into the 1970s and 80s, and that these were mostly double action revolvers (which are arguably more dangerous as they do not require the shooter to manipulate the hammer before shooting, as is the case on a single action. Double action requires that you simply pull the trigger). I can't find any significant statistics of accidental discharges caused by the revolvers design, suggesting it is a rare occurrence. Another consideration you must allow is that most bullet primers require significant force to detonate, which is why the hammer has to travel back before slamming forward. Simply bumping the hammer of an uncocked revolver will cause a discharge on exceedingly rare occasions. Soldiers, gunslingers, and police would carry their guns fully loaded, as the need to carry as much ammo as possible is among their top concerns. Having experience with revolvers myself, including double action and single action, of both modern cartridges and black powder, I will say that carrying a revolver fully loaded is not inherently dangerous, and definitely wouldn't be the concern of someone who could rely on all those rounds in a life or death situation.