personalized Weapons

[originalrebelyell]

I would too

 

[Package4]

Thanks... I like her too. She's no beauty queen, but she suits me just fine..
View attachment 91402View attachment 91403
Rear sight long gone, and ramrod lost somewhere along the way, crack in the stock, and the fore-stock has some damage and maybe been sanded, but she has character!

Can you tell if the stock has any markings near butt plate tang, trigger guard, or just the flat? Many Towers particularly ones dated '62-'63 went South, I would look for the Sinclair Hamilton & Co Marking, which would make it almost certain it was a Southern imported piece.

 

[originalrebelyell]

What I was thinking too

 

[Package4]

What I was thinking too

Well you know what they say about great minds............

 

[originalrebelyell]

I have looked at the stock of my Enfield there are not any markings on the stock the wood is worn smooth from handleing, and the markings on the side of the breech are gone from pitting. I am just guessing that it was Birmingham made

 

[Private Watkins]

Can you tell if the stock has any markings near butt plate tang, trigger guard, or just the flat? Many Towers particularly ones dated '62-'63 went South, I would look for the Sinclair Hamilton & Co Marking, which would make it almost certain it was a Southern imported piece.

I don't think so... like @originalrebelyell 's Enfield, the stock on this one is pretty worn and I haven't found any clear markings. I have wondered if this circled area from the belly of the stock could possibly be the remnant trace or outline of a Crown/SHC mark, but I think my imagination is probably just working overtime in the wishful thinking department... what do you guys think?

 

[Package4]

I don't think so... like @originalrebelyell 's Enfield, the stock on this one is pretty worn and I haven't found any clear markings. I have wondered if this circled area from the belly of the stock could possibly be the remnant trace or outline of a Crown/SHC mark, but I think my imagination is probably just working overtime in the wishful thinking department... what do you guys think?
View attachment 92287

Unfortunately that looks like a stock bruise

 

[originalrebelyell]

That is a nice one Private Watkins

 

[Ralph Heinz]

In the late 1970's in Bozeman, MT I bought a CW Spencer carbine from an old family there that had "Young 9th Ind." carved lightly into the right side of the butt stock and fairly small. Research showed that this unit did indeed have Spencer carbines during the war. The veteran carried that carbine over the Bozeman Trail to Montana Territory at a time when the Sioux and Cheyenne were a very real threat. I have do doubt he put his name and unit on the carbine during the war to quickly identify it as his issued weapon. When all these weapons look alike, grabbing your own carbine when in a hurry was a real plus and the serial numbers on these Spencers are small and hard to read when it came time to mount up.

When I enlisted in the US Army in 1968, our M14s had white painted numbers on the stocks so we knew which rifle was ours. It's not unusual to find Conf. weapons that have a man's initials carved into the stock for the same reason.

 

[Specster]

In the late 1970's in Bozeman, MT I bought a CW Spencer carbine from an old family there that had "Young 9th Ind." carved lightly into the right side of the butt stock and fairly small. Research showed that this unit did indeed have Spencer carbines during the war. The veteran carried that carbine over the Bozeman Trail to Montana Territory at a time when the Sioux and Cheyenne were a very real threat. I have do doubt he put his name and unit on the carbine during the war to quickly identify it as his issued weapon. When all these weapons look alike, grabbing your own carbine when in a hurry was a real plus and the serial numbers on these Spencers are small and hard to read when it came time to mount up.

When I enlisted in the US Army in 1968, our M14s had white painted numbers on the stocks so we knew which rifle was ours. It's not unusual to find Conf. weapons that have a man's initials carved into the stock for the same reason.

I think you are spot on. Men in the ACW, and I think especially vets (men with some time under their belts) and now wanted to used THEIR weapon, and they need a quick way to ID them.

 

[Southern Articifer]

Here is a Smith Carbine carried by a Confederate private in Moreland's Regiment (batt.) Ala. Calvary. Private G. P. Philips served at the battle of Brice's Cross Roads, MS, June 10, 1864. I'm sure he saw other service. This was the only info that showed his unit in combat that was found at this time. The stock of the carbine reads: G.P.Philips, Private in Co. A, Morelands Batt. Here is a good example of a repurposed federal carbine in the hands of Southern Calvary. The gun shows hard use, but is still serviceable. Philip's survived the war and received a solders pension.

 

[Jobe Holiday]

Since that is a Type 1 Smith Carbine, is it also a Mass. Arms manufactured arm?
J.

 

[Southern Articifer]

Since that is a Type 1 Smith Carbine, is it also a Mass. Arms manufactured arm?
J.

Yes, it's stamped horizontally. "MANUFACTURED BY/MASS. ARMS CO/CHICOPEE FALLS " in 3 lines. It also has the sling swivels as opposed to the later model with just a slide bar.

 

[originalrebelyell]

Nice Smith

 

[hawknknife]

On the subject of union personalized muskets, I have an enfield pattern 1858 navy two band rifle (the pattern 1856 with the heavier 5 groove rifled 33 inch barrel and rear swivel on the front of trigger G like the 1853 pattern) that is engraved at the breach, "Charles R. Saville, Co. L, 28th Penn vol vets" This is done in the same font as the sutler made and sold dog tags. I have seen probably 5 or 6 of these muskets marked the same way, all Pennsylvania Regts. It seems some sutler came up with the idea to make a little extra money. The 28th was reworked in Oct. of 1862 by forming the 147th Pennsylvania out of several of their companies.
The Regt histories of both the regiments mention the enfield rifles with big sword bayonets. It is interesting to read the accounts of the 28th at Antietam and Gettysburg. At Antietam the regiment opened on a Confederate unit with 800 enfield rifles at point blank range. The Confederate dead were staked on top of each other in the cornfield.
I have a little trouble with this rifle knowing full well it killed our boys in many battles..yes, it saw the elephant!

 

[Private Watkins]

On the subject of union personalized muskets, I have an enfield pattern 1858 navy two band rifle (the pattern 1856 with the heavier 5 groove rifled 33 inch barrel and rear swivel on the front of trigger G like the 1853 pattern) that is engraved at the breach, "Charles R. Saville, Co. L, 28th Penn vol vets" This is done in the same font as the sutler made and sold dog tags. I have seen probably 5 or 6 of these muskets marked the same way, all Pennsylvania Regts. It seems some sutler came up with the idea to make a little extra money. The 28th was reworked in Oct. of 1862 by forming the 147th Pennsylvania out of several of their companies.
The Regt histories of both the regiments mention the enfield rifles with big sword bayonets. It is interesting to read the accounts of the 28th at Antietam and Gettysburg. At Antietam the regiment opened on a Confederate unit with 800 enfield rifles at point blank range. The Confederate dead were staked on top of each other in the cornfield.
I have a little trouble with this rifle knowing full well it killed our boys in many battles..yes, it saw the elephant!

Would love to see some pics of your P58...!

 

[hawknknife]

Would love to see some pics of your P58...!

M
r. Holiday, I'll get mu youngun to take some pics and post them. It is an interesting combat used rifle.

 

[hawknknife]

This Enfield Naval two band rifle is engraved with the owners name and unit. The 28th Pennsylvania Infantry was very active at Antietam. The regimental history states they were issued Enfield rifles with the ferocious sword bayonet. At the cornfield, the 28th flanked a Confederate brigade and leveled 800 rifles at 100 foot range. The Confederate dead were so thick they were stacked on top of each other at the rail fence.
In Oct. of 1862, 6 companies of the 28th formed the 147th Pennsylvania. Very active at Gettysburg and down through the Georgia campaign, There is a bronze plaque at Gettysburg with Charles Saville's name on it, Culps Hill and the Round tops.
The rifle is a Tower Birmingham gun dated 1861. It is interesting that the name and unit stamped on the barrel is the same font used on the federal purchased dog tags.A sutler figured a way to make a little money. As i said, this one "Saw the elephant".

 

[originalrebelyell]

Very nice.

 

[Private Watkins]

Follow-up question here... we've talked about weapons with generally a single name or set of initials carved or personalized, but I've seen a few examples with what appear to be signs of multiple owners of the weapon. Could this be from a soldier getting killed or wounded and another soldier taking the weapon as his own, especially if it was a desirable weapon? I suppose it also could have easily been done post-war as the old muzzle loader was handed down in the family... what do you folks think? No way of really knowing for sure I guess...

Here's an example I saw not too long ago, it's an 1862 Fayetteville with three sets of initials: "TF" on the left side of the stock, and "TM" and "HA" on the right. I would think a good shooting Fayetteville rifle would have been a desirable arm and might indeed have been the type of weapon to be picked up by or passed along to a buddy if its original owner went down. This one looks like it saw lots of action.