Truth shoots down Spencer rifle lore

[lrd89]

This article appeared 9-30-2006 in the Washington Post.

According to popular lore, President Lincoln personally intervened in the Union Army's weapons selection process in 1863, ensuring that the repeating Spencer rifle, a revolutionary small-arms technology rejected by hidebound ordnance officers, was adopted and issued to Federal forces, thus changing the course of the war. The truth of the matter, is somewhat different, as is often the case.
In fact, Spencers were in service before Lincoln laid eyes on one. An 1862 contract to supply the Army with 7,500 Spencer rifles was fulfilled by the spring of 1863. By late summer, in the wake of its successful use at the battles of Hoover's Gap, Tenn., and Gettysburg, the Spencer had acquired an excellent reputation in the field, and demand for the guns from Union soldiers and commanders increased.
Maj. Gen. Stephan A. Hurlbut, commanding the XVI Army Corps and the city of Memphis, Tenn., requested Spencer "Navy rifles" to arm two regiments of mounted infantrymen.
Hurlbut was bedeviled by Confederate "partisan rangers" sniping at Union shipping on the Mississippi River from the Arkansas side and badly wanted to clean them out.

SNIP

LINK to the rest of the article:
http://www.washtimes.com/civilwar/20060929-083624-2018r.htm

 

[tomh]

Spencer Rifle/Carbine

Folks,

Here is a good reference on the chronology of the Spencer Rifle/Carbine

http://www.civilwarguns.com/spencer1.html

The action was copyrighted in 1861, and the first Federal order was for 700 rifles for Navy use (June 1861). An order was placed for 10,000 rifles for Army use in December of the same year. Because of manufacturing problems (Spencer did not have a factory/armory at the time of the orders) the Navy repeaters were not delivered until February 1863, and the Army order was actually bumped up, with the first being delivered in December 1862. The first unit issued these rifles was the 5th MI Cav, and the order was eventually reduced to 7,500 rifles.

Contrary to popular belief, the Spencer Carbine was not present at Gettysburg and did not have an effect on the Day 1 battle. It was the rifle that was issued to Custer's troops, the Carbine was not manufactured before July 1863.

The Lincoln story is based around the second visit by Spencer to the President. On the first visit, the rifle had mis-fed and Lincoln decided that it was not appropriate for troop use. In August of 63, Spencer returned to the President for a second demonstration which changed Lincoln's perceptions and opened the door for wider military issue. The rifle used at that second demonstration is still at the Smithsonian, and was included in a display of Lincoln artifacts until the opening of the new Americans at War display. I am not sure where that rifle is now, and do not believe it is currently on display.

TomH

 

[larry_cockerham]

Not only was the Spencer the weapon of choice for the US Army, but N.B. Forrest and others in the south were also mighty fond of them. Thanks very much for posting these facts in the articles!

 

[tomh]

Spencer Rifles

larry,

I am a collector and lust after a Spencer Rifle. However, the prices on these weapons have climbed astronomically in the last couple of years and now have outpaced my meager budget. The carbines have climbed as well, but the rifle has gone out of sight.

I guess I'll have to continue to drool over the example in the NPS collection here in the Burg.

TomH

 

[gary]

Smithsonian shut down its American History Museum in its entirety and hopefully they'll bring back a gun gallery when they're reopened. I visited in July and hoped to see if they made a correction that I suggested. They were closed then but I visited their American Indian Museum and they have about 100 guns displayed there. How the German G-3 got there escapes me. Did we issue them in 'Nam and a particular N-D-N carry one?

BTW, there's a Spencer rifle (not a carbine) that's displayed in San Francisco.

 

[tomh]

smithsonian

gary,

I didn't realize that they closed the whole museum, I thought that it was going to be re-done in pieces.

I checked the online museum and couldn't find the Lincoln Spencer, but did find the Lincoln Henry, one of the most unique and valuable firearms held in any collection.

http://americanhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/collection/object.asp?ID=3&back=1

TomH