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As for lubrication, it seems to me, from my study, the use of components like grease and treated wads is more related to modern shooting practices than when the arms were first used. I may be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure soldiers carrying an 1851, 1858, or 1860 didn't normally carry a bag of Wonder Wads or a can of Crisco on their person
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Colt in their literature said not to use wads. Safety is a bigger issue today than it was back then. There have been guns found that were loaded way back when that still had a waxy substance on top of the balls. General Lee's .36 Colt was one. I have two modern repros that I have fired without wads or lube and they didn't chainfire but some kind of lube is needed to keep fouling soft.