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CLICK THE ABOVE ICON TO READ THE COMPLETE HISTORY FOLDER
F510. CONFEDERATE VIRGINIA – IDENTIFIED - CUT-DOWN SPRINGFIELD RIFLE & VIRGINIA MANUFACTORY SABER: In December, 1874, this cut-down Springfield Model 1861 rifle, and a Virginia Manufactory Saber were found in New Hope Virginia under a pile of Confederate soldiers’ bones. Both are considered in relic condition, but are very solid. The gun stock has no breaks, and the lock is original, but no longer works. The rear and front site are gone and the length was shortened for cavalry use.
On the stock are several carved initials and names indicatingthe gun was carried by several different soldiers. On the right side of the stock are the faint initials “W H” or it could be “H M” which may belong to the first soldier who carried the gun since they are the hardest to see. Next are “J H Vor” above a carved cross. This is a partial name and though there are 3 possible soldiers, a positive identification cannot be made. Next is the name “A S Roots” followed by the date Dec 24 1874. This is believed to be the person who found the gun and sword and the date discovered. On the left side of the stock are carved the initials “J L” & “g w s” and the name “C S Booth” in large bold graceful letters with the date “Sept 1 186?”. The letter “S” for both the name and date are done in the same hand indicating the same person, C S Booth; and the date, which likely is Sept 1, 1862, corresponds to the Battle of Chantilly where Private Booth was present with the 33rd Virginia Infantry. This may be where he got this gun. He would later transfer to a cavalry unit and would be issued the Virginia Manufactory Saber. The saber has a 35-inch clip-point blade with 4’V’ Reg’ stamped on the spine of the blade, and the number 2 on its side. The steel guard and backstrap are firm with no movements, the leather grip is 99% gone except for a small piece near the pommel, and the wood core is exposed with 100% original brass wire.
How the gun and saber found its way into a grave site of Confederatesoldiers will never be known. It is speculative, but maybe it happened during the Valley Campaign of 1864.
From the beginning on his service with the Viginia 33rd Infantry through his time with the Virginia 11th Cavalry, Private Corydon S. Booth fought in many of the major battles of the Civil War:
33rd Virginia Infantry Engagements: First Battle of Manassas; Romney Campaign; First Battle of Kernstown; Jackson’s Valley Campaign; Battle of McDowell; Battle of Front Royal; First Battle of Winchester; Battle of Port Republic; Seven Days Battles; Battle of Gaines’ Mill; Battle of Malvern Hill; Battle of Cedar Mountain; Battle of Groveton (Brawner’s Farm); Second Battle of Manassas (Bull Run); Battle of Chantilly; Siege and surrender of Harpers Ferry; Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam).
Virginia 11th Cavalry Engagements: Battle of Antietam; Battle of Fredericksburg; Battle of Chancellorsville; Battle of Brandy Station; Battle of Gettysburg; Bristoe Campaign; Overland Campaign; Siege of Petersburg; Valley Campaigns of 1864; Appomattox Campaign; Battle of Five Forks.
Shipping & Insurance included as well as the 39-page history binder. $5900.00
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CLICK THE ABOVE ICON TO READ THE COMPLETE HISTORY FOLDER
F509. 6th KANSAS CAVALRY IDENTIFIED - COLT MODEL 1851 NAVY REVOLVER: This Colt Model 1851 Navy Revolver was issued & carried by Private Jesse L. Vance, while he served in G Company, Kansas 6th Cavalry. The revolver serial number is 121593 and was manufacture in 1862, and the number matches on all part to include the wedge and loading lever. The grip is original and tight with 90% + original finish and all screws are original, and the action properly functions.
On May 8, 1995, Springfield Research Servicepublished aletter documenting this revolver as being used in Co. G, 6th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, and the company records show it being issued to a Private Vance in 1862. However, since there were three Vance brothers in Company G: Isaac, Jesse L. & George W., and a lack of full access to all the National Archives records, Springfield Research could not positively identify which brother received the revolver. As such, a more thorough look at each soldier’s records was necessary to determine who had this revolver, and all the muster sheets and records were requested from the National Archives.
Private George W. Vance did not receive this revolver because he enlisted on 10/1/1863 and the gun was issued in 1862. He also was sick and in the hospital at Ft. Smith Arkansas 14 December, 1863 and died from measles on August 28, 1864. His muster sheets make no reference to a Colt revolver.
Private Isaac Vance enlisted on 10/17/1861 and transferred to Company G on 6/1/1862. In January & February 1862 he was absent and then listed as a deserter 1 April 1862. He was absent without leave in October 1862 and in confinement November & December 1862, and Court-Martialed January – February 1863. For most of 1862, Private Isaac Vance was not with his command either absent, listed as a deserter, or in confinement. He does not appear to be present for most of 1862, and there is no documentation of him received or purchasing a revolver.
Private Jesse L. Vance enlisted on 11/25/1861 and transferred to Company G on 6/1/1862. He also deserted with his brother and was court martialed, but served no time in confinement. On his muster sheets for Sept, Oct & Nov, Dec 1864 it documents he owed the US government for one C. A. (Colt Army) revolver. This would have been the Model 1851 Navy revolver, and of the three brothers, Jesse's muster sheets are the only ones that documents the receipt of a Colt revolver.
Shipping & Insurance included as well as the historical binder. $6500.00
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CLICK THE ABOVE MOH TO READ A FEW KEY DOCUMENTS
A309. ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT - INSCRIBED SWORD & COLT 1851 NAVY REVOLVER OF CAPTAIN SAMUEL HYMER OF THE 115TH ILLINOIS VOLUNTEERS: Samuel Hymer (1829-1906) was a 33-year-old preacher from Bainbridge, IL when he was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant into Company D of the 115th Illinois Volunteer Infantry on September 13, 1862. The company had been raised by the local circuit riding Methodist minister, Reverend Stephen M. Huckstep, and upon Huckstep's mortal wounding at Chickamauga on September 20, 1863, Hymer would succeed to the command of the company, being promoted to captain on December 9, 1863. The 115th Illinois would serve in nearly all the major battles and campaigns of the Army of the Tennessee from the fall of 1862 through the end of the war, starting with the Tullahoma Campaign and ending with the Battle of Nashville. During their service they fought at Chickamuaga, the Chattanooga Campaign, the Atlanta Campaign (including the battles of Resacca, Dallas, New Hope Church, Altoona, Kennesaw Mountain, Atlanta, Jonesborough, Lovejoy's Station and Buzzard Roost Gap) and would be at the Battle of Franklin and subsequently Nashville.
It was at the Battle of Buzzard's Roost Gap that Hymer would earn the Congressional Medal of Honor, while in command of a single company who was charged to hold a blockhouse that controlled a bridge between Tunnel Hill and Dalton, GA. The fighting was furious and the small contingent of Union soldiers managed to hold off a tremendously larger Confederate force for some ten hours before being forced to surrender.
Hymer's Medal of Honor citation for his actions that dayreads: "With only 41 men under his command, defended and held a blockhouse against the attack of Hood's Division for nearly 10 hours, thus checking the advance of the enemy and insuring the safety of the balance of the regiment as well as the 8th Kentucky Infantry, then stationed at Ringgold, GA." Hymer and the balance of his surviving men finally surrendered and those who were ambulatory were sent to prisoner of war camps, including the notorious Andersonville. Hymer and his lieutenant were separated from the enlisted men and were initially confined at Camp Sorghum near Columbia, SC and later transferred to Charlotte, NC as Sherman's army approached Columbia. Eventually Hymer and his surviving men were exchanged prior to the conclusion of the war. In addition to the Medal of Honor, Hymer was breveted to the rank of Major for his heroics at Buzzard's Roost. He later went on to have a successful career as a Kansas legislator, was active in the GAR, and a member of the Odd Fellows after the war. He died of stomach cancer in 1906.
These two inscribed items of Hymer's were separated by time, and during the late 19th or early 20th century the 1851 Navy revolver and the sword were reunited by Dr. Oldenbourg during the 1980s. The sword was acquired from Norm Flayderman from Catalog #109, item #45, and Dr. Oldenbourg became aware of the Colt Navy from a July 1987 Gun Report where a detailed article by John Hamilton was written about the gun, and he subsequently acquired the gun.
The engraving on these items appears to be in the same hand; suggesting they were personalized by the same engraver. From a timeline perspective, the sword is inscribed to Hymer as a 1st lieutenant, a rank he achieved on May 26, 1863. The 1851 Colt Navy is inscribed to him as a captain, placing the inscriptions after his promotion to that rank on December 9, 1863. The gun dates to that year.
It appears that Hymer acquired the sword in the summer of 1863 and the Colt 1851 Navy revolver soon after being promoted to company commander, and he carried both through his service and capture. It is likely they were taken from him at the time of his capture which explains their separation from both Hymer and his family.
Since the inscription on that gun matches the hand and style of the sword, it would be safe to assume that both were acquired from, or at least engraved by a local engraver in or near Hymer's hometown.
Imported Foot Officer's Sword: 30.125" slightly curved, singled-edged spear point blade, 1" wide at ricasso with a 21.125" stopped median fuller and a 13.5" narrow fuller at the spine. 36" in overall length with a gilt cast brass guard and a 5.5" hilt with grooved wood grip covered in leather with ten wraps of twisted brass wire. Blade etched with marital and patriotic themes, panoplies of arms and foliate patterns. No maker mark is present. Pommel cap decorated with the Shield of Columbia and stars. Brass mounted; lap seamed browned steel scabbard is engraved between the suspension mounts on the obverse: 1st Lt. Samuel Hymer/Co "D" 115 Ill. Inf./Aug. 20th, 1863.
Colt 1851 Navy Revolver: .36 caliber. 7.5" octagonal barrel. SN: 146943 (Mfg. ca.1863). Blued and color casehardened finish, silver plated brass backstrap and trigger guard, one piece walnut grip. One line New York barrel address, standard frame marking and 36 CAL mark on trigger guard web. Visible serial numbers match, with the exception of the cylinder which is numbered with the four digits 4165. Wedge renumbered in matching dies to the rest of the gun 746943 over three or four other numbers and appears to be a simple error. Standard hammer notch rear sight with German silver blade front sight. Left side of barrel engraved in a period hand: Capt. Samuel Hymer U.S.A.
Included is a 3-inch-thick binder with detail information organized by Dr. Oldenbourg. It included letters documenting where the sword and gun were located, history of Captain Hymer and the 115th Illinois infantry, a detailed article publish on the revolver, and copies military records and pension file for Captain. The binder is too thick to copy and publish on the web site, so key documents have been scanned and compiled into a smaller file which can be viewed by clicking on the above Medal of Honor image. There is a known Colt pocket revolver and a Henry rifle inscribed to Captain Hymer, but these were not in his possession at the Battle of Buzzard's Roost Gap. The sword, revolver, binder, as well as a flash-drive with the complete history of the 115th Illinois infantry is included. Shipping and Insurance included. $15,000
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F507. CONFEDERATE - SCARCE - PATTERN 1853 ARTILLERY CARBINE BY BARNETT: The Pattern 1853 family of percussion long arms that started with the “Enfield” Rifle Musket gave rise to a variety of specialty long arms including the 21” barreled Pattern 1856 Cavalry Carbine with a captive rammer and the 24” barreled Artillery Carbine.
The Artillery carbines were intended for troops that mighthave the need for a long arm, rather than a pistol, but did not need to be encumbered with the weight and length of a Pattern 1853 rifle. During the American Civil War, these guns were imported by both sides, but in very small numbers when compared to the importation of rifle muskets and rifles, making Civil War used examples extremely scarce.
The Pattern 1853 Artillery Carbine like the rifle was a .577 caliber, muzzle loading, percussion ignition long arm. The gun was brass mounted and was 40” in overall length. The 24” barrel was rifled with three grooves, and had a bayonet lug mounted on the right side near the muzzle for a semi-Yataghan saber bayonet. The carbine had a simple three-leaf rear sight, which was graduated to 100, 200 and 300 yards. A sling swivel was mounted on the upper barrel bands, and one was screwed into the toe of the stock to the rear of the trigger-guard tang.
Civil War used Enfield artillery carbines are quite scarce. TheUS Ordnance documents indicate somewhere between 480 and 730 were imported by the US for use, but it is difficult to determine for sure. Southern importation was significantly greater but was probably only around 4,500.
The early contract for 1,500 guns was marked like the 2nd Sinclair, Hamilton & Company contract Pattern 1853 Enfield rifle muskets, and the associated rifle contracts. Those guns were marked with a JS / {ANCHOR} inspection mark behind the trigger-guard and with an engraved inventory number on the butt-plate tang and the ramrod shank. Other than these 1,500 JS/Anchors marked and inventory numbered guns, some additional 3,000 carbines appear to have been purchased. Some were purchased from English arms speculator William Grazebrook, and at least 220 artillery carbines are listed in the inventory of the blockade runner Fingal, which made its delivery of arms into the port of Savannah, GA on November 14, 1861. Additional carbines were listed in the inventories of the Confederate blockade runners Stephen Hart (captured and believed to be part of the original order of 1,500 numbered guns) and Harriett Pickney. Between 1863 and 1864, some additional 3,400 “artillery carbines” were delivered into the port of Wilmington, NC by a variety of Confederate blockade runners. However, it not completely clear what pattern these guns were, as some could have been Austrian artillery carbines as well.
The Pattern 1853 Artillery Carbine was particularly popularwith Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart, the commander of the Army of Northern Virginia’s cavalry corps.
“Application from General Stuart,commanding cavalry, to exchange rifles, for the Enfield carbines (artillery) in the hands of our infantry.”
This not only indicates Stuart’s preference for theshort-barreled arm, but also indicates that some of these guns were seeing service in the ranks of Confederate infantry around the time of the battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg).
The Pattern 1853 Enfield Artillery Carbine offered here was discovered in Georgia. It has a Barnett LONDON lock and a Confederate viewer inspection Circle with Block letters marked forward of the butt-plate tang. It is faint, but discernable. The gun saw heavy service, and may have been carried by two or three different soldiers because there are three sets or initials and/or names on the gun. It is believed the first soldier to carry the gun has the initials T.W.P. which are on the left side of the flat opposite of the lock, and are faint and under the carved name W. Hall. T.W.P. was most likely killed in action and the guns sustained damage. It was refurbished at an arsenal, most likely in Macon Georgia, and a replacement barrel was fitted to the gun as well as a non-Enfield hammer using a brass screw. The barrel is tight and is flush to the bolster, but not to the back of the stock. There is a 1/2-inch gap, which may at one time been filled in with wood or not, and a field repair with pins behind the barrel tang. The lock properly functions and holds both half and full cock; however, the nipple is sheared off and appears to have been that way when last carried in battle. The second soldier to have the gun is believed to be W. Hall since his name is carved over the first set of initials and more pronounced. He may have done the field repair behind the barrel tang and replaced a lost metal ram-rod with a hickory-wood field version carved to the correct length. The gun was hard used and the barrel is shot-out and smooth. The last set of initials are T.E.B. over the date 1871. This may have been the last soldier to carry the gun or just a family member. All the initials and names are common and there is not enough information to make a positive identification. Shipping and Insurance included. $4100.00
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C498. CONFEDERATE - LEECH & RIGDON (C S) GUARD SHORT ARTILLERY SWORD: This is a Confederate short artillery sword with the C S on the ends of the cross guard, and thought to have been made by Leech & Rigdon while still in Memphis, Tennessee. The sword is complete with the original leather scabbard complete with its tin throat & drag. The hilt is sand cast and has great casting flaws with larges C & S on the sides of the cross guard. The leather scabbard is original to the sword and is very solid. It is extremly rare to find one complete with both mounts and the frog stud. Shipping & Insurance included. $6100.00
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C586. CONFEDERATE BRASS HILTED P53 CAVALRY SWORD: Thousands of Pattern-1853 Cavalry sabers were purchased by the Confederate government during the Civil War, and shipped to neutral ports of Bermuda, Havana or Nassau where they were reloaded into swift moving blockade-running ships, which under cover of darkness slipped into Confederate controlled ports. Like the Enfield rifles imported by the Confederacy, most were unmarked and cannot be positively identified as Confederate used. However, there are a few ways to identify the Confederate import sabers. This one is marked MOLE on the blade’s spine and features a brass guard, which is also MOLE marked, but obscured by the original white buff leather blade washer. This saber can be identified as Confederate because the British used only iron guards for their own troops since brass is softer and easily deformed, and it was less expensive. Combined this with those that have been identified to Confederate Cavalrymen leaves no doubt as to it being a Confederate saber. Also, the Federal Government did not buy brass guard MOLE sabers. The guard on this saber is in excellent condition with no breaks; a few dents; and a slightly pushed back quillion. It has a deep brown untouched patina, and the leather grips are in great condition. The MOLE marked 35 5/8” blade was period sharpened and has some areas of dark spots, but no major issues. No scabbard, but if you find one that fits the value will double. Overall, an excellent example of a Confederate brass guard, MOLE marked, Pattern-1853 saber and half the cost of a complete example. Shipping & Insurance included. $2750.00
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C585. CONFEDERATE - VIRGINIA CONTRACT AMES MODEL 1840 NCO SWORD: Prior to the outbreak of the Civil War, the state of Virginia placed an order with Ames in Massachusetts for 1200 cavalry sabers. These sabers were all dated 1860 and Ames maker marked. Some were uninspected, but there are examples that were US inspected. However, for an inspected example to be part of the Virginia contract it must have the secondary Virginia 6-point inspection star. It is also known that Model 1840 Artillery sabers, Model 1840 NCO and Model 1840 Musician swords were also purchased by Virginia. All identified examples of these swords are Ames maker marked; dated 1860; US inspected; and have the Virginia 6-point inspection star, and are extremely rare.
This Ames Model 1840 NCO sword is part of the VirginiaContract with the 1860 date; US inspection; Ames maker mark; and the Virginia 6-point inspection star on the underside of the guard. The reverse clam shell was period removed to make it easy to carry. It is tight with a 32 1/4-inch blade, which was period sharpened and has nicks running the entire length of the blade. It has a dark patina which is a good indication it has not had a scabbard since the war. This sword was discovered in Georgia. Shipping & Insurance is included. $850.00
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