Standard Catalog of Civil War Firearms. John F. Graf
FINE–$3,500
U.S. MODEL 1858 CADET RIFLE-MUSKET, SPRINGFIELD, .58 CALIBER, PAPER CARTRIDGE, PERCUSSION
Manufactured by Springfield Armory, Springfield, Massachusetts, ca. 1858–60. Total production: 2,501.
Overall length: 53".
Muzzleloader, single shot.
“U.S. / SPRINGFIELD” to front of lock plate in front of hammer; year to rear of lock plate; spread eagle on primer door; year on top flat of barrel near breech; “V / P” over eagle head on upper left flat of barrel; “U” on right side of each barrel band; “US” on tang of butt plate.
The U.S. Model 1858 Cadet Rifle-Musket was similar to the U.S. Model 1855 Rifle-Musket, Type I, except for a shortened, 38" barrel and stock shortened 1" at the butt, yielding an overall length 3” shorter than the Model 1855 Rifle-Musket.
| GOOD–$1,500 | FINE–$4,500 |
James D. Julia Auctioneers, Fairfield, Maine
U.S. MODEL 1861 RIFLE-MUSKET, SPRINGFIELD, .58 CALIBER, PAPER CARTRIDGE, PERCUSSION
Manufactured by Springfield Armory, Springfield, Massachusetts, 1861–62. Total production: 265,129.
Overall length: 56". Weight: 9 lbs. 2 oz.
Muzzleloader, single shot.
“U.S. / SPRINGFIELD” to front of lock plate in front of hammer; spread eagle at center of lock plate; year to rear of lock plate; year on top flat of barrel near breech; “V / P” over eagle head on upper left flat of barrel; “U” on right side of each barrel band; “US” on tang of butt plate; inspector’s initials on left side of stock opposite the lock.
Considered the principal longarm in the Federal service in the Civil War, the U.S. Model 1861 Rifle-Musket was similar to the U.S. Model 1855 Musket-Rifle, Type II, except with an iron fore-tip and a standard percussion cap nipple and bolster, instead of the Maynard tape-primer mechanism. The round, 40" barrel was rifled with three broad grooves. All metal parts were bright finished, but blued rear sights are sometimes found. The rear sight was a two-leaf type graduated to 500 yards, but reportedly some early examples of the arm were fitted with Model 1858 sights. The black walnut stock was 53" long and oil finished.
| GOOD–$1,200 | FINE–$3,500 |
U.S. MODEL 1861 EAGLEVILLE CONTRACT RIFLE-MUSKET, .58 CALIBER, PAPER CARTRIDGE, PERCUSSION
Manufactured by Eagle Manufacturing Company, Mansfield, Connecticut, ca. 1861–63. Total production: at least 5,500; possibly as many as 20,000.
Overall length: 56". Weight: 9 lbs. 2 oz.
Muzzleloader, single shot.
“U.S. / EAGLEVILLE” on lock plate below bolster cutout; spread eagle at center of lockplate; year toward rear of lockplate.
In late December 1861, the Federal government contracted with the Eagle Manufacturing Company for 25,000 U.S. Model 1862 Rifle-Muskets, reducing that number to 20,000 in May 1862. The company is known to have delivered 5,500 units between April 14 and September 30, 1862, but documents indicate that the contract was fulfilled.
| GOOD–$950 | FINE–$3,000 |
Rock Island Auction Company
U.S. MODEL 1861 CONTRACT RIFLE-MUSKET, ALFRED JENKS & SON, .58 CALIBER, PAPER CARTRIDGE, PERCUSSION
James D. Julia Auctioneers, Fairfield, Maine
Amoskeag Auction Company, Inc.
Manufactured by Alfred Jenks & Son, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1861–62. Total production: 98,464.
Overall length: 56". Weight: 9 lbs. 2 oz.
Muzzleloader, single shot.
Three lock plate markings existed: 1) “U.S. / BRIDESBURG / 1861” below bolster cutout and spread eagle at center of lock plate (extremely rare); 2) “U.S. / PHILADELPHIA” below bolster cutout; spread eagle at center of lock plate; year of manufacture to rear of lock plate; 3) “U.S. / BRIDESBURG” below bolster cutout of lock plate, spread eagle at center of lock plate, year near rear of lock plate (most common).
Alfred Jenks & Son’s Bridesburg Machine Works delivered U.S. Model 1861 Rifle-Muskets under five contracts between July 13, 1861, and February 1, 1865.
| GOOD–$900 | FINE–$1,300 |
U.S. MODEL 1861 RIFLE-MUSKET, “MANTON” CONTRACT, .58 CALIBER, PAPER CARTRIDGE, PERCUSSION
Manufactured by Whitneyville Armory, New Haven, Connecticut, ca. 1862–63. Total production: probably fewer than 2,000.
Overall length: 56" and 55". Weight: approximately 9 lbs.
Muzzleloader, single shot.
“MANTON” engraved in Old English letters below bolster cutout on lock plate; year stamped vertically near rear of lock plate; “V / P” over eagle head on barrel (design of eagle head varied, and it was absent on some examples); inspector’s mark “G.W.Q.” on barrel of most examples.
The “Manton” Contract U.S. Model 1861 Rifle-Musket was actually the product of Eli Whitney, Jr.’s Whitneyville Armory. It is unclear why Whitney delivered these arms with markings inferring that they were the product of the London armory of J. Manton & Son, but it has been speculated that Whitney was attempting to pawn-off substandard weapons by attaching the name of a respected foreign manufacturer to them. Barrel lengths of 39" and 40" have been observed, and the “Manton” had a single-leaf rear sight different from the Springfield version of the arm.
| GOOD–$950 | FINE–$3,000 |
U.S. MODEL 1861 RIFLE-MUSKET, WILLIAM MASON CONTRACT, .58 CALIBER, PAPER CARTRIDGE, PERCUSSION
Manufactured by William Mason, Taunton, Massachusetts, ca. 1862–63. Total production: 30,000.
Overall length: 56". Weight: 9 lbs. 2 oz.
Muzzleloader, single shot.
“U.S. / WM MASON / TAUNTON” below bolster cutout on lock plate; spread eagle at center of lock plate; year at rear of lock plate.
The version of the U.S. Model 1861 Rifle-Musket produced by the factory of William Mason was very similar to the Springfield version of the weapon, with the exception of the lock plate markings.
| GOOD–$900 | FINE–$2,750 |