This Model 1863 Springfield is a very good example of the typical mid-war Union army rifle musket that well cared for and rates near excellent for condition, though personalized by the soldier with an intial “J” on the butt stock and side flat. This pattern was an improved version of the Model 1861, still a muzzle-loading .58 caliber rifle musket (i.e. a rifle of musket length,) but using a recurved and beveled hammer, bolster without clean-out screw, and clamping barrel bands with no retaining springs, among other improvements (though they thought better about the band springs.) Springfield Armory made some 270,000 through 1863. This one is dated 1863 on the lock and 1864 on the barrel, indicating it was assembled very early in 1864, in time for use in the major eastern and western campaigns: Grant’s overland campaign against Richmond, Sherman’s campaign against Atlanta and his March to the Sea and campaign of the Carolinas, to name the biggest.

As is correct on this pattern, the barrel and bands are in the bright. The metal is smooth, with no pitting or signs of over-cleaning. Both sights are in place. The rear sight is complete and shows some faded blue, which correct. The barrel has good sharp V/P/eagle head proofs and an 1864 date. The nipple is not battered and the breech is not pitted from percussion caps. The eagle on the bolster is crisp, as is the eagle and the U.S. / SPRINGFIELD stamp forward and the 1863 date at rear of the hammer on the lock plate. Both lock and hammer are smooth metal and show the mottled faint blues, browns and yellows of muted case colors. The buttplate is smooth, in the bright, and has a crisp U.S. on the tang.

The wood has good color and good edges along the barrel, around the lock, and on around the side flat, which has visible inspector cartouches. The ramrod channel is not gouged along its sides. The wood is not burned out around the hammer. Aside from some minor handling dings and light scratches and two small pressure dents on the left flat, the soldier took pretty good care of the gun, but personalized it by carving a “J” on either side of the butt flat and on the side flat. All bands, sights, swivels and the ramrod are in place. The mechanics are good and the bore strong, but not bright.

This is a nice example of a standard Civil War U.S longarm carried by infantrymen and those heavy artillerymen brought into service as infantry in 1864 to augment the field armies. It would look great in an infantry display. If you had an ancestor who served in the Union infantry in the last two years of the war he likely carried this or a very similar pattern. [sr]  [ph:L]

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