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WELL USED UNTOUCHED 1862 DATED M1861 SPRINGFIELD WITH CONFEDERATE C&R INITIALS AND SOLDIER’S NAME ON STOCK

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This is an untouched M1861 Springfield Rifle Musket in well-used condition bearing both the “A” and “Q” stamps associated with arms passing through the Confederate Ordnance cleaning and repair service. These marks are covered in Steven W. Knot’s “’Captured and Collected’ Confederate Reissued Firearms.” According to Knott’s research CS Ordnance teams, aided by some civilians, gathered as many as 200,000 firearms from battlefields during the war, mostly in the eastern theatre, where Lee’s victories left them in possession of the field. Along with another 50,000 or so turned in by CS units, these weapons went largely to CS facilities at Danville, Staunton, Lynchburg, and Richmond for cleaning, repair as necessary or possible, and reissue to Confederate troops. The catalog of individual letter stamps applied to these guns by inspectors or workman has grown somewhat, but “A” and “Q” were in Knot’s original list of five, thought at first perhaps to be inspector’s personal initials, but now thought to be rather assigned letters or symbols. In this case the “Q” appears in the customary spot on the stock forward of the triggerguard and the “A” appears both on the stock and the rear of the barrel.

The gun is complete and the standard configuration of the M1861, with all bands, springs, sights, rod and swivels in place, though with the triggerguard bow mounted backward on the triggerguard plate for some reason. The rifle shows both wear and cleaning, with the metal showing shallow pitting under a dark patina and the wood numerous handling marks, but no breaks or cracks. The barrel markings are gone and the lock markings are worn or scrubbed with the eagle gone, but the U.S. Springfield and 1862 visible. The mechanics need work, with the hammer holding at half cock, but not full cock. The bore shows some rifling but also pitting.

Like the metal, the wood in untouched and shows use, with various handling dings and scratches. The U.S. cartouches in the wood are long gone, and there are some partially visible, but indecipherable markings in addition to the “A” and “Q” stamps, but most interesting is the name clearly scratched or inked into the wood on the left butt flat with the letters lightly done and the square periods somewhat more emphatic. The name is pretty clearly “J.T. ORR” with the letters formed somewhat like a stencil. The first “R” is rubbed, but the O and last R are clear and we can’t think of any alternatives to the name. Even on a gun without the C&R stamps the marking would have one looking in Confederate records and, unfortunately, there are several candidates to choose from just among men with those first two initials, and likely other whose middle names or initials are simply not put listed in the records, but if you were looking for a U.S. musket with C.S. use, this one would be in your hands. It has a great deal of character and we would leave it exactly as is, even the mechanics.

It has grown slightly since Confederate inspection marks applied to these guns before reissue were at first thought to be inspector’s initials, but are now taken more to be letter and symbol stamps used by specific inspectors, but not necessarily corresponding to an inspector’s initial. Knot illustrates a Fifth Model Burnside also with a Q marking on pages 74-75, noting its placement, as here, on the buttstock behind the triggerguard tang, rather than forward of the triggeruard tang, as was possible on rifles and muskets. He also notes breechloading carbines are uncommon with these markings because cavalry engagements yielded few guns to capture and Confederate authorities in 1864 offered a very high $75.00 to civilian scavengers of battlefields for each breech-loading carbine turned in.  [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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