Whitneyville US Contract Model 1861 Rifle Musket

American Civil War

.58 caliber. 40" barrel secured by three flat spring retained bands. NSN. Bright finish, iron furniture, walnut musket stock. Single shot percussion muzzleloading rifle musket with M1861 pattern three leaf rear sight, Barleycorn combination front sight and socket bayonet lug, sling swivels and a swelled shank tulip head ramrod. Lock marked with a {Spread-Winged Eagle}/U.S. and WHITNEY-VILLE forward of the hammer and dated 1864 horizontally at the tail. Breech dated 1864 as well with the standard V/P/{Eagle Head} inspection marks on the left angled flat. A small W sub-inspection is present on the left breech flat and the outline of a worn and illegible cartouche is on the counterpane. The letter "J" is carved on the counterpane and the letters "JS" which were painted red at one time, are carved in the top of the stock comb. The majority of the Whitney production of long arms during the American Civil War were of his numerous "Good & Serviceable" arms which were "not subject to gauging" and were not fully interchangeable. However, he did receive two contracts from the US Government to produce fully interchangeable Model 1861 Rifle Muskets, one for 40,000 guns and one for 15,000 guns. Due to his facility being tied up producing US Model 1861 Navy Rifles ("Plymouth Rifles") and numerous state contracts, particularly for Connecticut, he did not deliver any guns under that contracts in a timely fashion. In the end the two contracts were combined and were reduced to 25,000 gun, of which Whitney delivered 15,000 between 1863 and 1865 with the bulk of the deliveries in 1864. {ANTIQUE}

From the Lifetime Collection of Robert G. Paulsen

This lot is located in Cincinnati.