.58 caliber. 40" round barrel secured by three flat, spring retained bands. NSN. Bright finish, iron furniture, walnut stock. Single shot percussion muzzleloading rifle musket with M1861 3-leaf rear sight, Barleycorn combination front sight and socket bayonet lug, sling swivel and a swelled shank tulip head ramrod. Lock marked with a {Spread-Winged Eagle} forward of the hammer and in three horizontal lines, U.S./JAs D. MOWRY/NORWICH, CONN.  with the date 1864 at the tail. Top of breech with mismatched 1862 date and left angled flat with typical V/P/{Eagle Head} proof marks. Counterpane with oval JD MOWRY/NORWICH/CONN cartouche and three script inspection cartouches, a JM for James Mills and an AJN for Augustus J Noble, both arsenal sub-inspectors and correct for a Mowry contract rifle musket. Additionally the script ESA of Erskine S Allin is present as well. Daum & Pate discuss the fact that the ESA sometimes appears on these guns and to date have found no real answer as to why. Like so many of the contractors to produced Model 1861 Rifle Muskets during the Civil War, the story of James D Mowry is somewhat convoluted and confusing. The firm received a total of three contracts for Model 1861s, totaling 42,000 guns and in the end delivered roughly half that amount, a total of 22,000 with 11,000 each being delivered in 1863 and 1864. {ANTIQUE}