Revolving Rifles

[Bentonville]

In his book Watkins wrote that the captain of his company had a revolving rifle and was a good shot too.

I figure these were private purchase but I'm interested in finding out how common they were at the time.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Believe that the Federal government purchased around forty-six hundred of the Northern manufactured .56 cal. Colt revolving five-shot rifles, and most were used in the west.

The below link provides details of the number of Colt revolving rifles in service during the war:-

Colt's Model 1855 Revolving Rifle In The Civil War | An Official Journal Of The NRA (americanrifleman.org)

Below is a summary of the numbers in active use, at different points of time during the war, by the U.S. government:-

pre '61 - 700 rifles (deliveries received)

end '62 - 2,400 rifles (in field service)

fall '63 - 2,700 rifles (in field service)

mid '64 - 1,300 rifles (in field service)

end of war – 305 rifles (taken home)

Don't believe any Colt revolving rifles were issued to Confederate forces.

Thought any Confederate officer (or soldier) possessing such a rifle, might have captured the weapon in the field. (e.g. At Chickamauga, the surrendered 21st Ohio Infantry had 167 Colt rifles; at Brice's Cross Roads, the routed 9th Illinois Cavalry carried around 140 of these weapons).

Wonder when it was that Sam Watkins saw his company Captain with a revolving rifle (pre or post Chickamauga?).

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

[Unidentified soldier from North Carolina with Model 1855 Colt revolving rifle]

1 photograph : hand-colored ambrotype ; plate 83 x 70 mm (sixth plate format), case 93 x 81 mm.

www.loc.gov

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

[Unidentified soldier in Confederate uniform with Colt Revolving rifle and D-Guard Bowie knife]

1 photograph : sixth-plate tintype, hand-colored ; 9.3 x 8.0 cm (case)

www.loc.gov

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

[Unidentified soldier in Union uniform with Colt Revolving Rifle Model 1855]

1 photograph : ninth-plate ambrotype, hand-colored ; 7.3 x 6.1 cm (case)

www.loc.gov

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

Inspection Arms! – Colt’s Side Hammer Revolving Military Rifles

In 1855, Samuel Colt introduced his “Side Hammer” series of percussion handguns and longarms. The handguns are known to collectors today as the “Root” revolvers, in honor of their designer,

www.historicalpublicationsllc.com

"In addition to the 1st and 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters, Colt revolving rifles were issued to the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th U.S. Regular Infantry Regiments. Many of the rifles that saw use during the War, particularly the ones used by various state troops, were not acquired through an official Ordnance Department contract."

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

An Official Journal Of The NRA | Colt's Model 1855 Revolving Rifle In The Civil War

Though eclipsed by other repeaters—such as the Henry and Spencer—the rifle version of Col. Colt’s percussion revolver saw field service with Yankee forces throughout America’s bloodiest conflict.

www.americanrifleman.org

"Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans, commanding the Union forces around Corinth, Miss., was greatly concerned about the lack of small arms for his cavalry. To totally arm three of his regiments, he requested 824 Colt revolving rifles, and on October 28, 1862, the Colt factory delivered 824 to the Army. The Colts sent to Rosecrans' units were issued as follows: 294 to the 3rd Michigan Cavalry, 30 to the 2nd Iowa; and 500 to 7th Kansas. A month later, the Ordnance Department ordered 1,600 more Colt revolving rifles for Rosecrans' cavalry."

Read the entire article (link above) to numerous other units armed with Colt revolving rifles.

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

OrtnerGraphics.com — Col. Colt's Revolving Rifle and the United State's Civil War

Samuel Colt's Revolving Rifles during the War Between the States

www.ortnergraphics.com

"The Confederate states also purchased some rifles and carbines made prior to the war for state inspections. Among them was Virginia, which received eighty carbines in .44 caliber plus 160 rifles in various calibers on May 7, 1859. North Carolina also bought 120 rifles and 60 carbines in this spirit. On the same date Louisiana Purchased 10 rifles, while Alabama brought in 50. They were, for the most part unpopular, though. This stems from the arms complex and sometimes unreliable construction." . . . . .

". . . . . However, the repeating longarms were a disappointment to Samuel Colt in more ways then just poor sales. Following Fort Sumter, Colt proposed the creation of a regiment to Governor Buckingham. He offered to arm the entire regiment. According to correspondence between J.D. Williams of the Adjutant General's office to the Governor on April 25, 1861 it was "to be called the 1st Connecticut Regiment Colt's Revolving Rifles, to be officered by Army officers and West Point cadets of Connecticut origin, for the field, and as many captains as can be procured the regiment to be enlisted for the War and offered to the President. He can make 100 rifles a week after the second week, so that enough to arm the Regiment could be made in nine weeks, if authority is given for enlistments. He will furnish officers to drill the recruits as fast as they come in." 1

The Governor recognized a good deal when he saw one. He appraised the value of furnishing a regiment with such arms at costing over $50,000 cash. Thus, he accepted the offer upon receipt of the letter on April 26. On May 1 he addressed the legislature and mentioned that the arms would consist of two banded rifles and issued with saber bayonets. They could fire Colt's solid bullet or the mini bullet if necessity required. Ten companies would thus be equipped with 1,000 of these revolving rifles.

Enlistment for the special regiment began on May 14 and on May 16 Special Orders No. 83 from the Adjutant Generals Office stated "Sam Colt, Esquire, of Hartford is appointed Colonel 1st Regiment Colts Revolving Rifles of Connecticut." 2"

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

The 21st Ohio and the Colt Rifle

Marc Grad’s question about the 21st Ohio seems worthy of a blog entry in its own right… Not all of Rosecrans’ new tactical schemes came to complete fruition. Wilder’s brigad…

chickamaugablog.wordpress.com

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

We're there any Confederate units armed with repreaters? | Small Arms & Ammunition

The Union is well known for arming troops with repeating weapons, either officially or with private purchase (see the Lightning Brigade). However, were there any Confederate units armed with repeaters or breachloaders? I can see why this is unlikely given the Confederate armory was struggling to...

civilwartalk.com

 

[7thWisconsin]

The rifle was also for sale on the civilian market before the War. The Texas Rangers purchased a bunch of them (like that technical term, there? ¨Bunch!¨) I could see an officer toting one of these. He´s not expected to have to fire very may times in an engagement, and it certainly has more cool factor than a revolver. Also he´s in a position to maintain it more easily than his men.
The thing about the Colt revolving rifles is that they take good maintenance. A man is likely to maintain something he bought himself, and is going to depend on. Soldiers are notoriously bad at maintaining equipment because they can always get another one.

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

Colt Revolving Military Rifle - Very Scarce .44 Variant

Colt Revolving Military Rifle Very Scarce 44 Variant

collegehillarsenal.com

". . . . The US military had placed their first order for Colt long arms in 1838 when they acquired 50 of the Colt Patterson Number 1 Ring Lever Rifles for use fighting the Seminoles in Florida. These revolving firearms must have rendered at least satisfactory service in the field, as additional orders were soon placed for M-1839 Patterson repeating carbines. On March 2, 1841 M-1839 repeating carbines were ordered by the US Ordnance Department for the US Navy. Subsequent orders included 60 for the US Dragoons on July 23, 1841, 100 for the US Navy's Pacific Squadron in December of 1841 and another 100 for the US Navy on August 28, 1845. . . . ."

 

[johan_steele]

The Colt Revolving rifle and Colt Revolving shotguns had a good reputation pre war. Their complexity and cost caused some issues during. As a military arm their cost and complexity caused enough issue that no military ever issued them in bulk.

 

[nc native]

The revolving rifle had its critics because of the fact that on some occasions more than one cylinder would be touched off at one time and the fact that there was a hand in front of the cylinder when that happened could lead to some severe hand injuries. With the lack of industrial technology that the Confederacy had during the Civil War, the revolving rifle was the only repeating rifle that was of practical use for its soldiers. I don't know if any attempts were made to manufacture revolving rifles in the South but it seems to reason that it could have been at least attempted.

 

[ConfederateCanuck]

I absolutely luv those Colt Revolving Rifles!

I recall a story that during the famous Rock of Chicamauga battle, a regiment of Colt Rev Rifles was instrumental in holding back the Confederates.

EDIT: Here's a link that confirms that story:

Battle of Chickamauga: 21st Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry and Their Colt's Revolving Rifles

'My God, We Thought You Had a Division Here!' The 21st Ohio Infantry's unique repeating weaponry was its salvation - and nearly its undoing - at Chickamauga.

www.historynet.com

 

[Bentonville]

Believe that the Federal government purchased around forty-six hundred of the Northern manufactured .56 cal. Colt revolving five-shot rifles, and most were used in the west.

The below link provides details of the number of Colt revolving rifles in service during the war:-

Colt's Model 1855 Revolving Rifle In The Civil War | An Official Journal Of The NRA (americanrifleman.org)

Below is a summary of the numbers in active use, at different points of time during the war, by the U.S. government:-

pre '61 - 700 rifles (deliveries received)

end '62 - 2,400 rifles (in field service)

fall '63 - 2,700 rifles (in field service)

mid '64 - 1,300 rifles (in field service)

end of war – 305 rifles (taken home)

Don't believe any Colt revolving rifles were issued to Confederate forces.

Thought any Confederate officer (or soldier) possessing such a rifle, might have captured the weapon in the field. (e.g. At Chickamauga, the surrendered 21st Ohio Infantry had 167 Colt rifles; at Brice's Cross Roads, the routed 9th Illinois Cavalry carried around 140 of these weapons).

Wonder when it was that Sam Watkins saw his company Captain with a revolving rifle (pre or post Chickamauga?).

Early war. That's why I thought there may have been private purchases made pre-war.

Watkins memory has been called into question recently. While not scholarly he was a college graduate and spoke rudiments of Latin and Greek. His writing is wry at times but I doubt a guy who spent a lot of time killing the other side's troops would forget such a strange weapon.

 

[Bentonville]

[Unidentified soldier in Confederate uniform with Colt Revolving rifle and D-Guard Bowie knife]

1 photograph : sixth-plate tintype, hand-colored ; 9.3 x 8.0 cm (case)

www.loc.gov

D guard. I'd be early war. Ot doesn't look like a prop blade to my eye.

 

[Bentonville]

An Official Journal Of The NRA | Colt's Model 1855 Revolving Rifle In The Civil War

Though eclipsed by other repeaters—such as the Henry and Spencer—the rifle version of Col. Colt’s percussion revolver saw field service with Yankee forces throughout America’s bloodiest conflict.

www.americanrifleman.org

"Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans, commanding the Union forces around Corinth, Miss., was greatly concerned about the lack of small arms for his cavalry. To totally arm three of his regiments, he requested 824 Colt revolving rifles, and on October 28, 1862, the Colt factory delivered 824 to the Army. The Colts sent to Rosecrans' units were issued as follows: 294 to the 3rd Michigan Cavalry, 30 to the 2nd Iowa; and 500 to 7th Kansas. A month later, the Ordnance Department ordered 1,600 more Colt revolving rifles for Rosecrans' cavalry."

Read the entire article (link above) to numerous other units armed with Colt revolving rifles.

Thank you much.

 

[Bentonville]

The rifle was also for sale on the civilian market before the War. The Texas Rangers purchased a bunch of them (like that technical term, there? ¨Bunch!¨) I could see an officer toting one of these. He´s not expected to have to fire very may times in an engagement, and it certainly has more cool factor than a revolver. Also he´s in a position to maintain it more easily than his men.
The thing about the Colt revolving rifles is that they take good maintenance. A man is likely to maintain something he bought himself, and is going to depend on. Soldiers are notoriously bad at maintaining equipment because they can always get another one.

I like 'bunch' myself. I think that is jargon still.

 

[Story]

I'm interested in finding out how common they were at the time.

18.3k / 1,000,000 = a tip of the iceberg answer​

Between 1855 and 1864 Colt produced a total of 18,300 revolving long arms, of which only 1,100 were shotguns, with the balance being rifled arms. The rifled arms were available in a wide variety of calibers from . 36 through . 64 and were produced as Sporting Rifles, Carbines, and Military Rifles.
Source

Colt Revolving Military Rifle - Very Scarce .44 Variant

Colt Revolving Military Rifle Very Scarce 44 Variant

collegehillarsenal.com

Over 1,000,000 Model 1861 rifled muskets were produced, with the Springfield Armory increasing its production during the war by contracting out to twenty other firms in the Union. The number of Model 1861 rifled muskets produced by the Springfield Armory was 265,129 between January 1, 1861 and December 31, 1863.

Springfield Model 1861 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org