Description
Very solid example of the famous weapon often confused with the Henry Rifle that the Confederates said you could load on Sunday and shoot all week. The most effective and most highly produced of all of the Civil War breech loading cartridge weapons, this famous gun was pushed by Lincoln to arm troops with but he met with resistance from old school officers who felt the soldiers would waste ammunition. Chambered in a powerful .52 cartridge noted as the 56-56, this weapon held seven (7) self- primed metallic cartridges which had an effective range of 500 yards. The weapon could be accurately and effectively fired 14-20 rounds per minute as compared to a standard percussion muzzleloader, which could do the same job at 2-3 rounds per minute. Over 200,000 rifles and carbines were produced.
This particular weapon, #37385, is complete and original and other than for minor natural oxidation and wear from field use, the weapon is mechanically tight and fully functional. Overall it exhibits a smooth gray brown patina with minor oxidation and at some point in time, someone replaced the hammer screw. According to the Springfield Research Database, it falls in the range of carbines issued to the 2nd New Jersey Cavalry in 1863.
The 2nd New Jersey Cavalry Regiment lost 3 officers and 48 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 190 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. Organized at Camp Parker, Trenton, N.J. under Colonel Joseph Karge as the 32nd Volunteers. It’s most notable action was likely as part of the famed Grierson’s Raid.
August 15 Mustered in; October 5 Left State for Washington, D.C. In camp near Alexandria, Va., attached to Stoneman’s Cavalry Division, 22nd Army Corps, Dept. of Washington;October 18 Scout to Annandale (Companies B, C, G and L);November 9-28 Moved to Eastport, Miss.;December 6 To Columbus, Ky. attached to District of Columbus, Ky., 6th Division, 16th Army Corps, Dept. of the Tennessee;December 15 To Union City, Tenn. Attached to Waring’s Cavalry Brigade, 16th Army Corps;December 23 Garrison and scout duty at Paris, Tenn.;(1864)January 16-20 Moved to Union City attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, 16th Army Corps;January 22-27 Expedition from Union City to Trenton;January 28-February 8 March from Union City to Memphis and Colliersville, Tenn.;February 11-26 Smith’s Expedition to Okolona, Miss.;February 19 Aberdeen, Miss.;February 20 Prairie Station;February 20-21 West Point; February 21-22 Okolona ;February 22 Ivy’s Farm ;February 23 Tallahatchie River;March 16-April 14 Operations against Forest in West Tennessee and Kentucky;April 5 Near Memphis;April 10 Raleigh;April 30-May 9 Sturgis’ Expedition to Ripley, Miss;May 2 Bolivar, Tenn.;May 23 Holly Springs ;June 1-13 Sturgis’ Expedition to Guntown ;June 10 Brice’s Cross Roads or Tishamingo Creek, near Guntown attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, Cavalry Corps, District of West Tennessee;June 11 Ripley ;June 25-July 5 Duty on Memphis & Charleston Railroad between Moscow and LaGrange;July 4-24Expedition from Memphis to Grand Gulf, Miss. (Detachment);July 5-6 Moved to Vicksburg, Miss.;July 14 Port Gibson;July 15-16 Grand Gulf;August 1-30 Smith’s Expedition to Oxford, Miss.;August 9 Hurricane Creek and Oxford;August 14 Tallahatchie River ;August 19 Waterford ;August 31;Duty at Memphis, Tenn.October 15 Hernando;November Attached to 2nd Brigade, 6th Division, Cavalry Corps, Military Division Mississippi;December 2 Yazoo City;December 10 Chickasawba Bridge;December 20 Grierson’s Raid to destroy Mobile & Ohio Railroad, attched to 1st Brigade, Cavalry Division, District of West Tennessee;December 25 Verona;December 28 Egypt Station;(1865) January 19 Moved to Natchez, Miss.;February Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Military Division West Mississippi;March 4;Moved to New Orleans, La., and camp at Carrollton;April 5 Moved to Mobile, Ala.;April 8 Spanish Fort ;April Fort Blakely;April 17 Expedition from Blakely, Ala., to Georgetown, Ga. attached to 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, Dept. of the Gulf;April 30 Moved to Columbus, Miss.;June 7 Moved to Vicksburg;July-November Duty at Vicksburg and at Natchez, Port Gibson and Brookhaven;November 1 Mustered out at Vicksburg, Miss.
