Dear Bob:
Do you remember the "Factor's Walk Military Museum" not too far from The Boar's Head? It was operated by Col. Lindsey P. Henderson, Jr and it contained his personal collection of Civil War era arms and artifacts. He started collecting Civil War items in the 1930's when he was growing up in Savannah.
Col Henderson was also one of the co-founders of the North-South Skirmish Association unit in Savannah, the Oglethorpe Light Infantry.
Back in 1972 [as I recall] I was a member of the OLI and I was planning on going to the N-SSA Nationals at Fort Shenandoah outside of Winchester, VA.
The N-SSA had added a new competition to the National Skirmish that year-it was the Carbine Team Matches. As I didn't have a carbine, I called Col. Henderson and asked if I could borrow a carbine from him. He said: "Yes, but you will have to stop by the museum to pick it up."
So, I was packed and my car was loaded when I stopped by the museum. When I walked into the museum I told the old gentleman that was the "Curator" that I was there to pick up the carbine Col. Henderson said I could borrow.
The old man handed me a screwdriver and pointed to a glass case across the room. In that glass case was an original Smith Carbine on display.
Well, 5 minutes later I had the carbine out of the glass case, wrapped it in a blanket and thanking the old man, I headed for my car and then for Virginia.
I arrived at Fort Shanandoah late that night after a long drive. Threw up my tent and was soon sound asleep. The next morning I hit "Sutler's Row," purchased a hundred Smith cases, a hundred Smith bullets. I went over to a friend's house in Winchester and he helped me load the ammo.
Anyway, later that afternoon, when I stepped on the firing line at Fort Shanandoah for the Carbine Team Match-I had absolutely NO idea where that Smith was hitting. Fortunately, the first event was a clay board at 50 yards and back in those days, I had very good eyesight.
I aimed at a clay, squeezed and it blew apart. From the hole in the board, I could see that the carbine was "Dead On." Needless to say, I hit my fair share of targets and was very happy with the Smith. Matter of fact, I had a Great Time!
The following Tuesday, I was back in Savannah and dropped by Col. Henderson's home to return the carbine. I handed the carbine to Col. Henderson and thanked him. I also told him I really appreciated the fact that he had "Sighted" the carbine in.
He laughed and told me: "Until you shot it at the Nationals, it probably hadn't been fired since 1864."
According to Col. Henderson, the Smith had belonged to a Cavalryman from Savannah who was wounded in one of the battles outside of Richmond in 1864. He was sent to the Confederate Hospital in Richmond. After he died, his personal effects were sent to his family in Savannah. Included in that trunk was that Smith Carbine. In the mid-1930's Col Henderson had purchased that trunk from the estate of the cavalryman's old maid daughter. Inside the trunk besides the carbine was a uniform, shirts, a bitters bottle, and a belt and holster but the pistol that had been in the holster at one time was missing.
Well, that Smith Carbine went back in that display case at the Factors Walk Military Museum. I was left with some fond memories of a unique experience. It wasn't too long after that I purchased my first Smith Carbine. I still own one. They are FUN guns to shoot!
Bringing the