This musket is a brilliant Belgium made rifle-musket; a copy of the French Model 1857. Produced by Monsieur in Liege for export to American belligerents 1861 to 1865. These arms, in this configuration by this maker, were classified as "commercial" for export to the highest bidder and were not made for the Belgian Army. The slight octagonal to round Belgian proofed rifled barrel measures approximately 40 ½” and it is.70 caliber. The bore is clean with excellent rifling. Long-range rear elevating sight and blade front sight. There are two single iron barrel bands and a double front band. The sling swivels are attached on middle barrel band and at front of the trigger guard. The back action lock works perfectly. The lock plate is unmarked except for a small crown over a “B”. The original threaded ramrod is in place. Small proof marks appear on many parts: lock plate, butt plate, trigger guard, barrel, sight, barrel bands, ramrod, and stock. All metal surfaces are excellent and bright as made with no pitting. The crisp excellent "feathered" black walnut stock bears a deep stamp "Monsieur Liege" in a circle while there are several other smaller factory proofs. There are some minor service and storage abrasions. All components are "factory" with no restorations.

These, "state of the art" weapons, were embraced and used extensively by the Union army and should NOT be confused with more archaic, often converted from flint, versions imported and derogatorily described as "Pumpkin Throwers".  Although extensive evidence in the form of inventories or shipping manifests have yet to be unearthed, one can assume hundreds or thousands of these were imported directly by the Confederate States and Southern state governments. Low country "free agent" gunmakers were highly regarded for centuries before our Civil War. The Belgians sold weapons freely without all the political entanglements/red tape involved with dealing with the French, English, Austrians or Prussians. When one reads Confederate contemporary sources one finds multiple references to Belgian arms in the ranks. Battlefield recoveries from Southern positions are known. The famous Southern artist Conrad Wise Chapman in 1863 did a self-portrait on picket duty. In his hand is a Belgian back-action M 1857 rifle-musket. The hard fighting 9th Texas Infantry "...previously armed with a mix of weapons, double-barreled shotguns, sportsman's rifles, and muskets, many of them in bad order, on August 15, 1862, Ordnance Sgt. Ben R. Milam sent in a requisition for 400 Enfield rifles. He noted that the regiment had only 25 Enfield rifles at the time. They never did receive the new Enfields, but did acquire 360 Belgian rifles." This, our offered example, was found in Virginia and then sold by the Horse Soldier to the consignor, an advanced collector of Confederate arms. A real gem for condition! [pe]  [ph:L]

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