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CIVIL WAR SMITH CAVALRY CARBINE #5941

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This Smith carbine, complete and all original, rates very good or near fine for overall condition with lots of original finish, good markings, strong color to the metal and wood showing a little marring but with good edges, fit, and both cartouches. All the metal is smooth. Front and rear sights are complete and in place on the barrel, which has a full coverage in original blue, 90 percent or better. The barrel band has shifted to a plum brown, but the long breech spring retains vibrant blue. The receiver has slightly muted, but very visible case colors with a little rubbing behind the hammer where a shooter’s thumb would rest, but strong blue on the wrist collar which often shows gray from rubbing. The side bar and sling ring are in place. The buttplate is smooth metal, but shows more as brown and gray, from use or resting on the ground. The wood has good edges, matching color to the butt and forestock and tight fit, with the forestock having a very good finish and the buttstock showing a couple of scratches at the left wrist, not affecting the cartouches, and others on the buttflats, more in the right than the left, with a shallow pressure dent near the wrist, a divot on the rear near the buttplate, top near the tang, and one further along on the top of the comb. There is a little debate about whether the light scratches are in fact an owner’s initials: “AKK” very lightly and thinly scratched in- soldiers were docked for lost weapons so it might pay to be able to quickly identify it, even if a sergeant had written down the serial number.

The markings are strong in the metal and the wood. The left barrel flat at the breech shows a crisp L.F.R. barrel inspector stamp of La Fayette Rogers and the left wrist shows his sharp inspection stamp again and the “JH” inspection stamp of Joseph Hannis. The wood shows good edges, surface and rich brown color overall. Markings in the metal are as sharp as those in the wood. The left receiver is stamped vertically, “MANUFACTURED BY / AMN. M’CH’N WKS. / SPRINGFIELD, MASS.” partially under the front of the sling ring bar. At upper right rear is, “ADDRESS / POULTNEY & TRIMBLE / BALTIMORE U.S.A.” Below that, partly under the rear of the sling ring “SMITH’S PATENT / JUNE 23, 1857” partially behind the sling ring bar. The serial number 5941 is sharp on both elements of the hinge on the underside. Mechanics function well; the bore is clean and bright though the rifling is a bit light.

The Smith was among the top four cavalry carbines procured by the U.S. government and saw extensive service in the war. Patented by a New York physician in 1855 (with some additions in 1856 and 1857,) the .50 caliber carbine is hinged in the middle, exposing the breech for insertion of a rubber case or paper and foil cartridge pierced at the bottom for ignition by a standard percussion cap. Poultney and Trimble of Baltimore acted as agents on commission, selling the government some 31,002 from January 1862 to June 1865, with some others sold on the commercial market through military goods dealers such at Schuyler, Hartley and Graham, though a recent article by Spears in the American Society of Arms Collectors journal raises the total manufactured to 34,250, including both the 1861 model (with sling swivels) and 1863 model (made after July 1863, with side bar and sling ring.) McAulay lists some 40 cavalry units supplied with the Smith. Flayderman includes the 3^rd WV, 7^th and 11^th Illinois, 1^st CT, 7^th and 17^th PA, 6^th and 9^th Ohio, and the 1^st Mass. as among the cavalry regiments carrying it.

The Smith had not only different models but different manufacturers and duplicate serial numbers making research difficult. Study by arms scholars is ongoing and opinion divided on some topics, but an article by Spears in the ASAC journal now postulates the American Machine Works had been supplying components to the Mass Arms Company for some 5,000 carbines that went towards a September 1863 army contract obtained by Poultney, the agent for Smith, and then began producing its own starting about February 1864, and beginning with serial number 1, eventually producing some 12,200 guns, which would place this about midway in the production run, with the markings on this one correctly fitting their carbines in the 2,000 to 6,479 serial number range.  [sr][ph:L]

DISCLAIMER: All firearms are sold as collector's items only - we do not accept responsibility as to the shooting safety or reliability of any antique firearm. All firearms are described as accurately as possible, given the restraints of a catalog listing length. We want satisfied customers & often "under" describe the weapons. Any city or state regulations regarding owning antique firearms are the responsibility of the purchaser. All firearms are "mechanically perfect" unless noted, but again, are NOT warranted as safe to fire.

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