Presented here is an example of a breech loading, .50 caliber, percussion model Gallager carbine issued to the Federal cavalry during the Civil War. Mahlon J. Gallager, a South Carolina native, developed the weapon while he resided in Savannah, Georgia in July 1860. Gallagher received patent # 29,157 for his prototype carbine and subsequently the Philadelphia firm of Richardson and Overman obtained the rights to manufacture Gallager’s product via several contracts with the U.S. Ordnance Department. From its factory location at 12^th and Thompson Sts, the firm produced almost 18,000 of these carbines for the Federal government from 1861 to 1865.

These carbines saw extended service with Union horse soldiers during the war, but the weapon was not well liked by the troopers due to the difficulty in extracting the spent cartridge casings from the breech. The Gallager featured a breech loading mechanism which consisted of a lever / trigger guard combination that when pushed down, allowed the barrel to slide forward and tilt up and away from the barrel. A brass cased 56-52 Spencer cartridge was inserted into the barrel breech. Though Gallager boasted that his design would facilitate the easy removal of the spent casing from the breech, this extraction action was the major defect of his weapon.

This original specimen bears serial # 20157 and features a 22 3/8” long round barrel and no fore-end. Carbine has a total length of 38½” and weighs 7 lbs., 8 oz. Fitted with a sling bar with saddle ring on the left side of the frame, the carbine also has a folding single leaf rear sight, iron blade front sight, a slightly curved butt plate and an iron patch box. The round barrel wears a medium-gray colored patina and exhibits scattered light pinprick rusting overall. Looks to have been cleaned at one time. Carbine is iron mounted and exhibits a mottled gray receiver. No original bluing. All stampings on the obverse side of the iron lockplate are clear and sharp and read, “MANUFACTURED BY / RICHARD & OVERMAN / PHILADA / 20157” in four lines. An additional stamping of “Gallager’s Patent / July 17^th 1860” rests at the left edge of the plate tang.

The black walnut buttstock exhibits its original iron patchbox. Wood has a few light dings and scratches and appears to never have been cleaned. Two government cartouches are seen at the sling bar area. One cartouche is thin but there. Right side of stock exhibits two, one-inch high, hand carved initials “T C” while the left shoulder side bears a single large carved “X”. Carbine exhibits crisp mechanics and frame screws are not buggered up save for one. This Civil War Gallager model carbine is a very good representative cavalry weapon of the Civil War.

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