1861 Tower Enfield

[MissPauline]

Hi y'all! I have a 1861 Tower Enfield and thought I had a good idea who the original owner was BUT after a bit of better light and a close up pic I see a name stamped into the buttstock that I overlooked. There is a handwritten carving of the name stevenson, which is who I assumed the riffle was originally issued to. I am now seeing the name Joseph Wilson. So now I am even more intrigued. Any info would be truly appreciated. PS... OK so I'm seeing the name Joseph wilson on several of these.. Forgive my lack of knowledge BUT has anyone seen the Joseph Wilson mark on Union Riffles?

 

[JOHN42768]

Welcome, enjoy. Joseph Wilson is the name of a stock maker. Read this info http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/articles/walden/enfauth.htm Not everything you might want , but it answers your question. Firearms switched hands many different ways. Union also did purchase Enfields.

 

[MissPauline]

This is a huge help! Thank you!

 

[Jobe Holiday]

28th Mass., Co. A, 46th man......WOW! What a terrific addition to any collection! I would buy that any time, anywhere!
J.

 

[Story]

What's the bore look like?

 

[hawknknife]

Notice the Confederate viewers mark "script SL" in the oval in front of the butt plate tang...is this rifle marked Barnett on the lock plate? I havea pattern 1853 marked 33rd Mass. with Confederate viewers mark. Story on these is they were captured on a blockaid runner and issued to Mass regiments, Very nice find!

 

[captaindrew]

Wow, if that rifle could talk, nice piece!

 

[hawknknife]

Would be a buyer for this or lots of good stuff to trade, Just sayin.

 

[Ralph Heinz]

The great thing for you is that you can now research the 28th Mass. and see what battles they served in starting early in the war as this is almost certainly one of the rifles captured from a blockade runner very early in the war. With at least the last name Stevenson carved in the stock you may find a unit roster for the 28th Mass. and go from there. It's a great find!

 

[originalrebelyell]

Looks like a nice rifle post some more photos of it. I would like to see the rest of it. Thank You.

 

[MissPauline]

WoW this is beginning to be a better story than I imagined. I have a pretty great history of Stevenson BUT he served from 2-27-1864 through 11-17-1865 He was from Pennsylvania. I'll dig up more of the Docs I have that outline his info. I'll also post more pictures Thanks all y'all for all this help!!! This carved X thing might be nothing but I thought it was interesting... And the 2 circle indents. I'll take more pics tonight.

 

[Ralph Heinz]

I would strongly recommend that you buy Suppliers to the Confederacy -- both Vol. I and II as you will find some very interesting information in Vol. I about Joseph Wilson -- the maker of your rifle. Makers often stamped their name on the belly of the stock as yours is stamped since many used locks made by other firms whose lock plates are simply marked TOWER and the date. Joseph Wilson of 67-70 Great Charles Street, Birmingham was one of the most important gun makers of the era. One of the two authors of the two volumes I recommended is Craig Barry, a frequent and very knowledgeable contributor to this site. These two volumes are readily available and can be found on Ebay.

If you want to see who made the lock on your rifle, you need a hollow ground screw driver that fits the two lock plate screws so that you don't bugger up the metal slots in the screws. Hollow ground screw drivers have the tip ground flat on each side so that both sides are parallel. Normal screw drivers have a carrot shape tapered at the point and this slips around in the screw slots and causes the metal to disfigure. Many lock plates are stamped with the maker on the inside above the main spring. I use a set of different sized hollow ground screw drivers I ground the tips on myself from regular screw drivers and I always put a small piece of scotch tape on the tip so that there is a very tight fit and no metal to metal contact that removes patina as you turn the screw driver. Messed up screw heads are the bane of collectors!

 

[Jobe Holiday]

And....you should also find the barrel makers name on the bottom of the barrel towards the breech end.
J.

 

[MissPauline]

 

[originalrebelyell]

Very interesting it looks like a nice rifle. The X is prob. something the soldier carved out of boredom. It looks very nice.

 

[JOHN42768]

Proof marks and 25 25 indicate that it is .577cal.

 

[Craig L Barry]

Thanks, Joseph Wilson is the gun-maker (not the stock maker). The gun-maker "set up" the various components from a number of different subcontractors. Wilson was a founding member of BSAT. His firm was a bigger supplier and very well known. I would suspect the lock is marked "Tower" and not Barnett. There is quite a bit on him in the book Suppliers to the Confederacy Vol I , as previously stated.

 

[UCVRelics]

VERY NICE piece with a GREAT History Thanks for sharing.

What's the bore look like?

I wouldn't care what the bore looks like, I would buy it even if the bore was missing all its lands & grooves and was smooth as a babies bottom

 

[frontrank2]

28th Mass., Co. A, 46th man......WOW! What a terrific addition to any collection! I would buy that any time, anywhere!
J.

Fourth Regiment of the famed Irish Brigade. The New York Regiments ( 63rd, 69th, & 88th ) were armed with M 1842 smoothbore muskets, but the 28th Mass. were issued the 1853, 3 band Enfields.

 

[originalrebelyell]

Very interesting piece I would get it too.