Amazing find!

[NH Civil War Gal]

And I just found this:

Civil War New England Target Rifle Made in Bangor Maine
www.gunsinternational.com/guns.../rifles/civil-war-rifles/civil-war-new-england-target...
Civil War New England Target Rifle Made in Bangor Maine Description: NSN, .48 caliber, 33 3/4" heavy octagon barrel with an excellent, bright bore. This is a 20 lb. behemoth of a percussion target/sharpshooter type rifle and was built by Charles V. Ramsdell of Bangor, ME, ca. 1861. This rifle is of a type commonly made by ...

 

[Twlunt]

Here is a link to American Gunsmith database:

https://www.earmi.it/USA Gunmakers/H.html

There is an R.P. Huse listed in Manchester as making a percussion pistol.

@Jobe Holiday wrote this on my original post in the weapons forum
"O. Huse was part of a gun building family in Manchester, NH. One of the others was Richard Huse. It is quite possible that O. Huse made the barrel, but on rifles like these the larger signature is usually the gun builder. With the diminutive signature being that of another gunsmith who worked on the arm at a later date. Such an example is Nelson Lewis, who is documented as having made Sharp Shooting Rifles for use in the Civil War. At one time he had a brief partnership with George Ferris, which ended with animosity on both sides. After that, whenever George Ferris worked on one of Nelson Lewis' rifles he added his name stamp to the barrel. This caused Nelson Lewis to fly into a rage every time he saw one of the double stamped rifles, which caused no small amount of delight on the part of George Ferris!

Some additional information which you may not have yet: Malcom W. Long was born 1834 and died in 1912. He worked in Bangor ME from 1855 - 1871. He then relocated to Augusta ME, and was there from 1871 - 1879. While in Augusta he was in a partnership for awhile, and worked as Grove & Long from 1871 to 1875, breaking away on his own again from 1876 - 1879. He relocated once more to Harrisburg PA in 1880, and worked there until his death in 1912"

 

[Kip124thNY]

Great piece of history, thanks for posting.

 

[Twlunt]

@gary

Camp 2nd Reg USSS
Before Petersburg, VA
Nov 5th 1864

Adjutant,

I have the favor to ask permission to carry a telescopic rifle in place of one which the Government furnishes. I have a rifle which was made expressly for me in Bangor, ME at the expense of $125.00

Very respectfully
Your obedient servant
Ira Lunt
Private Co D 2nd USSS

 

[Twlunt]

@gary
This letter makes me assume that Malcolm Long was the original smith. He was from Bangor, ME. Even though his name is smaller. If O. Huse did some work on the gun he had the opportunity to stamp his name larger after the fact. But he specifically says he had it made in Bangor, ME. Thoughts?
@Jobe Holiday ?

 

[connecticut yankee]

http://www.fishermensvoice.com/archives/201209MadeInMaine.html

"...Although Maine has never had a significant gun manufacturing industry like Massachusetts and Connecticut, during the Civil War, Bangor gun maker C.V. Ramsdell produced some of the best rifles used by Union sharpshooters. "


The rifle on top sure looks like yours in many aspects...

Photo courtesy Paul S. Plumer and the Maine State Museum.

 

[donna]

Wonderful gun. Thanks so much for sharing.

 

[James N.]

It's interesting that both Union and Confederate officers sometimes carried their own private shoulder arms - Above is the personal Spencer Rifle owned and used by Col. John Wilder, commander of Wilder's Lightning Brigade of Union mounted infantry from Illinois; in his book Co. Aytch Confederate soldier Sam Watkins describes the revolving rifle used by his commanding officer Col. Hume Field of the 1st Tennessee.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

While trying to find out more about Civil War gunsmiths in Manchester, NH, I came upon this.

I thought people reading this thread might be interested. It makes sense but I didn't realize they were also recruiters for CW Sharpshooters. I bet other gunsmiths, everywhere, were recruiters too. I wonder if they just took them at their word or make them hit targets?


John Brown Family - Gunsmiths
January 20. 2014 2:19PM
Route 107
Fremont, NH

Marker Number: 156
Name and date established: Fremont 1988

Description: Around 1845, John Brown of Poplin, now Fremont, built this gun shop, and with sons Andrew and Freeman spend 62 years producing fine target and hunting rifles, shotguns, and pistols. During the Civil War these prominent gunsmiths made firearms for the U.S. government, and in 1861 their gun shop served as a recruiting office for enlisting Union sharpshooters.

Location: Located on the north side of Route 107, three buildings west of the Fremont United Methodist Church.

"John Brown Family-Gunsmiths"

John Brown Family's Home in Fremont, New Hampshire

This is a very typical 2 room down and 2 room up house. I haven't seen it but I'm sure it has been much modified.

 

[Twlunt]

While trying to find out more about Civil War gunsmiths in Manchester, NH, I came upon this.

I thought people reading this thread might be interested. It makes sense but I didn't realize they were also recruiters for CW Sharpshooters. I bet other gunsmiths, everywhere, were recruiters too. I wonder if they just took them at their word or make them hit targets?


John Brown Family - Gunsmiths
January 20. 2014 2:19PM
Route 107
Fremont, NH

Marker Number: 156
Name and date established: Fremont 1988

Description: Around 1845, John Brown of Poplin, now Fremont, built this gun shop, and with sons Andrew and Freeman spend 62 years producing fine target and hunting rifles, shotguns, and pistols. During the Civil War these prominent gunsmiths made firearms for the U.S. government, and in 1861 their gun shop served as a recruiting office for enlisting Union sharpshooters.

Location: Located on the north side of Route 107, three buildings west of the Fremont United Methodist Church.

"John Brown Family-Gunsmiths"

John Brown Family's Home in Fremont, New Hampshire

This is a very typical 2 room down and 2 room up house. I haven't seen it but I'm sure it has been much modified.

That's awesome. Here is a quote from the qualifications to be a Sharpshooter
" No man would be enlisted who could not put ten bullets in succession within five inches from the center at a distance of six hundred feet from a rest or three hundred feet off hand".

I would assume they were required to pass this test upon showing up for duty.

 

[Twlunt]

I'm planning a road trip to Maine this summer. Ira Lunt was from Old Town Maine. I'll be able to research the smith and other stuff.

 

[Twlunt]

Visited the National Civil War Museum today. Here's one of the Sharpshooter Target Rifles on display and mine side by side. The metalwork is so similar. I wish I could have learned who made that one. The soldier was from Massachusetts. Mine is from Maine.

 

[Twlunt]

This was with the gun. I love the advice. "Keep the sight straight and the powder dry!"

 

[Patrick H]

I really like your rifle. I can't imagine lugging such a thing around, but I'll bet it was sweet to shoot. Your letter is a very nice item, too.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

Concerning the scope, I may have be thinking the wrong thing. I was talking over the weekend to a friend who collects (but doesn't have this type) and he said the scope was a metal tube. I was thinking it was a metal tube with a crystal or glass lens inside with cross hairs. My friend didn't think that had been invented yet.

So, the question is: is the scope a long, narrow tube OR is it a long, narrow tube with crystal in it?

 

[Twlunt]

Concerning the scope, I may have be thinking the wrong thing. I was talking over the weekend to a friend who collects (but doesn't have this type) and he said the scope was a metal tube. I was thinking it was a metal tube with a crystal or glass lens inside with cross hairs. My friend didn't think that had been invented yet.

So, the question is: is the scope a long, narrow tube OR is it a long, narrow tube with crystal in it?

It has glass optics at each end. I don't know what the magnification is but it's definitely a scope not a tube sight. That distinction is made in his letter when he wrote "telescoping rifle". I'm not knowledgeable in with the timeline of technology either. No clue when scopes were invented for rifles. But this one has one!

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

Thank you for answering this!

 

[Badgercwcollector]

The fun is in the hunt ! Nice find