IDENTIFIED CONFEDERATE C&R COLT RIFLE-MUSKET

$2,995.00

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 88-205

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This is an "attic condition" Civil War Colt Special Model 1861 rifle musket that is identified to a Virginia Confederate soldier. This unmolested Colt Special Model 1861 .58 caliber rifle- musket bears a visible 1863 date on the lock plate, indicating it is one of 47,000 delivered to the U.S. government that year. Colt had approached the U.S. Chief of Ordnance on May 13, 1861, for some of the new Model 1861 rifle muskets as a pattern for production, but the official pattern had not yet been adopted, and Colt began producing a rifle-musket for his initial contract of 25,000 that blended elements of the Model 1861 and the British Pattern 1853 rifle muskets. His pattern, in fact, included several improvements later adopted for the Model 1863, including a contoured hammer and direct vent that used a flat-faced bolster without cleanout screw and permitted a thinner lock plate, used clamping barrel bands that did away with springs, and made several other changes. Colt delivered 8,005 in 1862, 47,000 in 1863.

This rifle-musket follows the standard configuration and is complete with all bands, swivels, ramrod, sights, etc. The rear sight is there but it is missing its long leaf the shorter leaf is intact. The metal is patinated brown and pitted overall, but it is not unsightly. The mechanics are good and the bore, though dark, is clean and has visible rifling. Inspector's marks are visible. The “STEEL” marking on the left flat is clear. The lock plate has shallow pitting and reads: “U. S. / COLT’S PT F. A. MFG CO / HARTFORD, CT”. There is a very legible 1863 date at rear. The U.S. on the butt plate tang is visible. The stock is full length and complete, with a good fit to the metal, and has good color, but does show handling marks, and rounding to the edges from all from field use. There is no evidence of sanding. The flat opposite the lock plate shows an inspector's cartouche. The nipple and breech show pitting, and the wood beside the hammer, behind the nipple, shows some mild burn out from combat use. A genuine Confederate linen sling has been placed on the weapon by the consignor.

Stamped just in front of the trigger guard is an ampersand (‘&”) recognized as one of those used by C.S. ordnance inspectors working in the Confederate cleaning and repair system on arms that had been captured or collected on sundry battlefields. Steven Knott, identified these markings as belonging to CS Ordnance inspectors in the 2019 book “Captured and Collected” Confederate Reissued Firearms”. He estimated that as many as 200,000 firearms gathered by CS Ordnance teams or civilians were placed into the Confederate cleaning and repair (“C&R”) system for reissue to Confederate troops, along with perhaps another 50,000 turned in by Confederate units. Most of these were in the eastern theatre, where Confederate victories left battlefields in southern hands, and the guns went through the process at Danville, Staunton, Lynchburg, or Richmond. Knott’s original catalog of five letter marks designating different inspectors (A,F,Q,T,Z) has expanded slightly to include a “D” and also this “&” stamp, the ampersand clearly showing the letters may not represent inspectors’ actual initials. It has been observed by collectors, many aware of these re-arsenal stampings for decades, that the "&" is found on arms of 1864 and 1865 re-issue

The rifle had two old card labels simply taped to the right buttstock (Now preserved off the weapon but see the scan attached of the tag on the stock prior to removal). One tag merely identifies it as a “Colt 3-band", "1863" of "58 Cal" and "Civil War Musket.” The other, in black ink reads, “Civil War Vet" and "John Posie Cregger” (sic). The only viable candidate we turn up, north or south is John Posey Crigger, born in Wythe County, Virginia 8/30/1835 and died in Tipton County, Tennessee 12/31/1901 (John Posey Crigger (1835-1901) - Find a Grave Memorial). John P. Crigger enlisted in Co. D 45th Virginia on May 29, 1861, at Wytheville, VA, to serve 12 months. That soldier shows up as absent sick, at home, from mid-July into November 1861, but present again by the end of December. After that it seems he was present for until an April 1, 1864, muster roll lists him as “absent sick in Wythe County" since Nov. 1, 1863". Returning to duty shortly after this is a certainty (the records for the 45th Virginia for the year 1864 are scant).  And it is certain after his return that he drew this C & R Colt rifle-musket with the circa 1864 ampersand.

The 45th Virginia Infantry was organized by former VA Governor John B. Floyd in his role as militia general and commanded by Henry Heth as Colonel (History of the 45th Virginia Infantry Regiment in the American Civil War). They fought in western Virginia in 1861, were present at Carnifex Ferry and took part in campaigning against Rosecrans. They joined A.S. Johnston in Tennessee in early 1862, but returned to southwest Virginia in April, saw action at Giles Courthouse, Fayetteville, and Charleston. In 1863 they continued to serve in southwestern Virginia, protecting the area around Saltville and were heavily engaged at White Sulphur Springs in August, and served briefly again in Tennessee in the wake of Chickamauga, but soon returned again to Virginia to protect the railroad lines and the valuable the salt and lead mines around Saltville and Wytheville, fighting at Cloyd’s Mountain in May 1864, losing 26 killed and 96 wounded. At Piedmont, on June 5, they fought under “Grumble” Jones against Union general Hunter, who was tasked with destroying Confederate resources in the Shenandoah. The battle ended with a rout of the Confederate forces, with 45th losing, in addition to killed and wounded, some 325 captured, among whom was the John Crigger of Company B. The regiment went on to serve under Early in the Army of the Valley, fighting at Monocacy, Kernstown, Opequon, Fisher’s Hill, Cedar Creek, and lastly Waynesboro in 1865. The regiment disbanded, not formerly surrendering, and thereby enabling Crigger to take his rifle-musket home and put it in a corner or hang it on the wall.

If you want an unaltered, attic condition identified to a great regiment C & R firearm this is it.  [pe] [ph:L]

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