Hawkins Rifle?

[NH Civil War Gal]

Don't know if I have this right. I was a Colonial Reenactor on 7/1 here in NH (asked to do a spinning demonstration on the seacoast). The Civil War camp was camped next to us with their mountain howitzer which they got to fire off a few times (which I loved).

Anyway, part of their group was a young man who had been reenacting for 8 or 9 years in the Federal Signal Corps. As the day wound down, and visitors to the encampments became few due to the intense heat, he came over to visit us, and we talked about the Signal Corp. He had his rifle with him and I asked where his bayonet was. He said because he was in the Signal Corp they don't carry bayonets because they aren't infantry and don't participate in charges. However, because they are sometimes under fire, they need to be able to defend themselves and carry a Hawkins (?) rifle. He was going to Gettysburg the following week where his group actually string telegraph wire and run signals back and forth through it but our encampment was too small for small that, so they were using flags for signals.

So can someone please come along and explain the use of Hawkins rifle in the Signal Corps to me? I know you fellows always drool over collecting a Sharps or Enfield but I haven't seen anything about these rifles here.

 

[Jimklag]

a

 

[Jimklag]

Don't know if I have this right. I was a Colonial Reenactor on 7/1 here in NH (asked to do a spinning demonstration on the seacoast). The Civil War camp was camped next to us with their mountain howitzer which they got to fire off a few times (which I loved).

Anyway, part of their group was a young man who had been reenacting for 8 or 9 years in the Federal Signal Corps. As the day wound down, and visitors to the encampments became few due to the intense heat, he came over to visit us, and we talked about the Signal Corp. He had his rifle with him and I asked where his bayonet was. He said because he was in the Signal Corp they don't carry bayonets because they aren't infantry and don't participate in charges. However, because they are sometimes under fire, they need to be able to defend themselves and carry a Hawkins (?) rifle. He was going to Gettysburg the following week where his group actually string telegraph wire and run signals back and forth through it but our encampment was too small for small that, so they were using flags for signals.

So can someone please come along and explain the use of Hawkins rifle in the Signal Corps to me? I know you fellows always drool over collecting a Sharps or Enfield but I haven't seen anything about these rifles here.

Tina, that would be Hawken, not Hawkins. They were manufactured by Jacob and Samuel Hawken in the early 1800's and were very highly prized by early frontiersmen.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

That's a real beauty in that picture! His didn't look anything like that.

 

[mofederal]

They were made in St. Louis. A good friend of mine lived close to their house. They are generally plainer looking not so fancy. They were made to order.

 

[Jimklag]

That's a real beauty in that picture! His didn't look anything like that.

I have no idea why they might be used by the Signal Corps.

 

[captaindrew]

That was a civilian rifle, never heard of any branch of service using them especially Federal. May have seen a few brought from home in the Southern ranks early in the war.

 

[mofederal]

My friend's house was located on land originally owned by Grant, it was the site of Grants Cabin, which was located at the head of the street and at the front of what is now a cemetery. There are no burials around the cabin site. The Hawken House is just down the road from his house.

 

[UCVRelics]

I have never seen anything would relate a Hawken to the Signal Corp.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

I wonder what it really was. I asked him twice just so I could be sure (I know nothing about this) and I repeated it back. His rifle was very plain, maybe 3 feet long. Now, I'm wondering what it really was.

 

[Jobe Holiday]

The use of a "Hawken Rifle" by a Union Signal Corps soldier is pure fantasy.
J.

 

[Legion Para]

The use of a "Hawken Rifle" by a Union Signal Corps soldier is pure fantasy.
J.

Agreed.

 

[1903sprfld]

now I am curious what would a signal corps soldier be armed with

 

[ikesdad]

According to this link, they had carbines.

http://www.civilwarsignals.org/pages/signal/signalpages/weapons.html

 

[Legion Para]

According to this link, they had carbines.

http://www.civilwarsignals.org/pages/signal/signalpages/weapons.html

There are numerous educational websites like this one, but most people are to lazy to do a simple Google. Thanks @ikesdad for taking the time to post this link.

 

[tbuckley]

I wonder if he was carrying a modern Thompson Center Hawken.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

Well, I'm certainly learning a lot about what it couldn't be and that's good.

 

[johan_steele]

Don't know if I have this right. I was a Colonial Reenactor on 7/1 here in NH (asked to do a spinning demonstration on the seacoast). The Civil War camp was camped next to us with their mountain howitzer which they got to fire off a few times (which I loved).

Anyway, part of their group was a young man who had been reenacting for 8 or 9 years in the Federal Signal Corps. As the day wound down, and visitors to the encampments became few due to the intense heat, he came over to visit us, and we talked about the Signal Corp. He had his rifle with him and I asked where his bayonet was. He said because he was in the Signal Corp they don't carry bayonets because they aren't infantry and don't participate in charges. However, because they are sometimes under fire, they need to be able to defend themselves and carry a Hawkins (?) rifle. He was going to Gettysburg the following week where his group actually string telegraph wire and run signals back and forth through it but our encampment was too small for small that, so they were using flags for signals.

So can someone please come along and explain the use of Hawkins rifle in the Signal Corps to me? I know you fellows always drool over collecting a Sharps or Enfield but I haven't seen anything about these rifles here.

Oh dear... That young man had no idea what he was talking about.

The signal corps was issued all sorts of long arms to include carbines and rifles as well as rifle muskets.

I've read of M1817, M1841, M1855 rifles as well as M1861 & Sharps rifles and Sharps carbines.

I have never read of a Hawken or other "plains" rifle in Signal corps hands.

The ugly truth is the "Hawken" kits are relatively cheap compared to any military long arm repro.

 

[ikesdad]

They're Yugos to me.