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, #45446, 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 applied a light varnish to the stocks. According to the Springfield Research Database, it falls in the range of carbines issued to the 2nd NY Cavalry, aka, Harris Light Cavalry, in 1863. This is an incredible heavy combat cavalry unit which saw extensive service including Gettysburg.
The 2nd New York Cavalry Regiment, officially known as the 2nd Regiment, New York Volunteer Cavalry, was a unit of the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served with the Army of the Potomac and fought MANY battles as listed below.
It started its duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C. Attached to McDowell’s Division, Army of the Potomac with the famous Col. And later General Judson Kilpatrick (“Kill-Kill Kilpatrick) in the command ranks. The 2nd New York Volunteer Cavalry Regiment lost 9 officers and 112 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 235 enlisted men to disease in the Civil War. It is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.
March 10-16 Advance on Manassas, Va.; April 3-18 Advance on Falmouth, Va. ;May 5 Near Fredericksburg; May 11 Bowling Green Road; July 4 Flipper’s Orchard;July 19-20 Expedition from Fredericksburg to Hanover Junction;July 20 Beaver Dam Station;July 22-24;Reconnaissance to James City; July 23 Mt. Camel Church; August 5-8 Expedition to Frederick’s Hall Station;August 5;Thornburg or Massaponax Church;August 8 Orange Court House;August 9 Battle of Cedar Mountain;September 2Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia;August 18 Near Rapidan Station;August 20 Brandy Station; August 21-23 Fords of the Rappahannock;August 21 Kelly’s Ford;August 22 Catlett’s Station;August 23 Culpeper and Waterloo Bridge;August 24 Sulphur Springs;August 26 Manassas Junction;August 28 Thoroughfare Gap; August 29 Groveton;Second Battle of Bull Run;August 31 Germantown, Centreville and Chantilly;September 1 Little River Turnpike;September 14 South Mountain, Md.;September 17 Goose Creek. Six Companies in action at Leesburg.September 29 Warrenton; October 5 Dumfries; October Hazel River; October 31 Aldie and Mountsville; November 3 Sudley Church;November 4 New Baltimore, Salem, Warrenton and Upperville;November 8-9 Rappahannock Station;November 25 Aldie December 7 Stafford Court House; Battle of Fredericksburg; April 14 Rappahannock Station; April 16 Warrenton;April 19 Rappahannock Station;April 27-May 8 Stoneman’s Raid;May 2 Louisa Court House May 3 Ashland and Hanover Station;May 4 Glen Allen;May 5 Aylett’s;May King and Queen Court House;May 6 Centreville;May 10 Morrisville;May 19-20 Expedition from Gloucester into Matthews County (Detachment);June 1 Falmouth; Battle of Brandy Station;June 17 Aldie;June 19MiddleburgJune 21 Upperville;June 24-July 7 The detached battalion took part in Dix’s Peninsula Campaign assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 4th Army Corps, Dept. of Virginia;June 28 Rockville, Md.;June 29 Cooksville; Battle of Gettysburg;The regiment was commanded during the Gettysburg campaign by Lieutenant Colonel Otto Harhaus and brought 264 men to the campaign.
From the monument at Gettysburg:
“This Regiment was engaged in the battles and skirmishes of the Cavalry Corps until the Brigade reached Hanover Junction, June 30, 1863, when it was moved hastily to Manchester, to guard trains against rumored movements of the enemy, and picketed the surrounding country. July 4th Joined 3rd Division in pursuit of the enemy and participated in the Cavalry engagements until the enemy retreated into Virginia.”
July 4 Monterey Gap;July 5 Smithburg, Emmettsburg;July 6 Hagerstown and Williamsport;July 8 Boonsborough;July 9 Funkstown;July 10-13 Jones’ Cross Roads;July 11-13 Hagerstown July 14 Williamsport, Falling Waters; July 16 Berryville; July 27 Bristerburg; August 3 Fairfax; August 5 Thoroughfare Gap;August 12-14 Near Aldie;August 22 U.S. Ford;September 1-3 Expedition to Port Conway;September 1 Lamb’s Creek;September 13-17 Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan;September 13 Culpeper Court House;September 14 Somerville Ford;September 16 Robertson’s Ford;September 17 U.S. Ford;September 19 Culpeper;September 21 Madison Court House;September 21-22 White’s Ford and Liberty Mills;September 27-28 Scout to Hazel River;October 2 Hazel RunOctober 6 Hazel River;October 7 Culpeper;October 9-22 Bristoe Campaign;October 1 James City, Robertson’s River and Bethesda Church;October 11 Near Culpeper;October 11-12 Brandy Station;October 14 Gainesville; October 17-18 Groveton;October 19 Haymarket, Buckland’s Mills and New Baltimore;November 4 Catlett’s Station; November 7-8 Advance to line of the RappahannockNovember 7 Stevensburg; November 15 Hartwood Church;November 18 Germania FordNovember 26-December 2 Mine Run Campaign;November 26 Morton’s Ford;November 27 New Hope Church;November 29 Robertson’s Tavern;December 2 Germania Ford;December 5 Raccoon FordDecember 18 Somerville;January 12 Kelly’s Ford;January 17 Ellis Ford;January 19 Stevensburg and Ely’s Ford;March 3 Kilpatrick’s Raid to Richmond;February 29 Beaver Dam and Frederick’s Hall Station and South Anna Bridge;March 1 Defenses of Richmond;March 2 Old Church and King and Queen; Near Walkertown (Detachment. Dahlgren killed);March 3 Near Tunstall Station (Detachment) and New Kent Court House and Stevensville;March 11 Carrollton’s Store;May-June Rapidan Campaign;May 5 Craig’s Meeting House;May 5-6 Todd’s Tavern; Battle of the Wilderness;May 8 Alsop’s Farm, Spottsylvania;May 9-24 Sheridan’s Raid to James River;May 9-10 North Anna River;May 11Ground Squirrel Church and Yellow Tavern;May 12 Brooks’ Church or fortifications of Richmond and Strawberry Hill;May 23 Polecat Station;May 26 Demonstration on Little Rive;May 28-31 TotopotomoyMay 29-30; Hanover Court House;May 31 Mechump’s Creek;June 1-12 Cold Harbor;June 2Totopotomoy and Gaines’ Mill;June 3 Haw’s Shop;June 3 Via’s House;June 10-11 Old Church June 11 Bethesda;June 12 Riddell’s Shop and Long Bridge;June 14 Malvern Hill;June 15 Smith’s Store near St. Mary’s Church;June 22-30 Wilson’s Raid to south side and Danville Railroad;June 2 Black and White Station and Notreway Court House;June 28 Sapponay Church or Stony Creek;June 29-30 July 3 Ream’s Station;August 7-November 28 Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign. Attached to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Shenandoah, Middle Military Division;August 17 Near Winchester August 21 Summit Point, Charlestown;August 25 Near Kearneysville;September 2 Waynesboro ;September 4 Berryville ;September 9 Near Winchester; September 13 Abram’s Creek;September 19Third Battle of Winchester (Opequan);September 20 Near Cedarville;September 21 Fisher’s Hill and Front Royal Pike;September 22 Milford;September 26 Staunton;September 29Waynesboro;September 30 Mt. Crawford;October 2 Bridgewater and Woodstock;October 6 Brock’s Gap;October 7 New Market;October 8 Fisher’s Hill;October 8-9 Tom’s Brook, “Woodstock Races”;October 13 Cedar Run; October 19 Battle of Cedar Creek; November 7 Cedar Creek;November 12 Nineveh ;November 22 Mt. Jackson;November 23 Hood’s Hill;November 28-December 2 Expedition from Kernstown to Moorefield December 3 Moorefield;December 19-22 Expedition to Lacy Springs;December 21 Lacy Springs and Mt. Jackson;March 25 Sheridan’s Raid from Winchester; March 2 Occupation of Staunton and Action at Waynesboro;March 3 Charlottesville;March 15 Ashland;March 28-April 9 Appomattox Campaign;March 30-31 Dinwiddie Court House;April 1 Five Forks;April 2 Fall of Petersburg;April 3Namozine Church;April 6 Sailor’s Creek;April 8 Appomattox Station;April 9 Appomattox Court House; Surrender of Lee and his army. April 23-29 Expedition to Danville;May March to Washington, D.C.; May 23 Grand Review; June 5 Mustered out.
