.54 caliber. 22" round barrel with single barrel band. SN: 15870. Bright finish, color casehardened lock and hammer, brass furniture, walnut stock. Single shot breechloading percussion carbine with Merrill's patent action. Lock marked in three horizontal lines J.H. MERRILL BALTO/PAT. JULY 1858/APL. 9 MAY 21-28-61 forward of the hammer and vertically in a single line at the tail with the date 1863. Breech lever marked J.H. MERRILL BALTO/PAT. JULY 1858 in two lines on the top along with the serial number 15870. A weak script RKW cartouche is visible on the counterpane above the sling bar, the mark of arsenal sub-inspector Robert K. Whitely. Numerous variations of Merrill carbine front and rear sights have been noted by students of the arms, as well as variations in patchboxes and other small parts. Carbine retains the original multi-leaf rear sight whose base doubles as the catch for the breech lever and retains the original rounded iron blade front sight. 2nd Model carbines were produced without patchboxes. A total of 14,495 Merrill carbines of both variants were produced with nearly all being purchased by the US Government for Civil War service. Many saw use with the 1st & 2nd Kentucky (US), 6th & 7th Indiana as well as the 14th Kansas Cavalry regiments. A search of the Springfield Research Service serial number books did not find this gun's serial number. {ANTIQUE}