31 NJ INFANTRY SERGEANT—LIEUTENANT Colt Model 1849 Pocket CIVIL WAR Antique Abram O.S. Carpenter of New Jersey

Product Description

31 NJ INFANTRY SERGEANT—LIEUTENANT Colt Model 1849 Pocket CIVIL WAR Antique

Abram O.S. Carpenter of New Jersey

Here we present an antique Colt Model 1849 Pocket Revolver, made in 1862 in Hartford, Connecticut, Inscribed to Lieutenant A.O.S. Carpenter of Company C of the 31^st New Jersey Volunteer Infantry. Abram O. Styles Carpenter was born circa 1836 in New Jersey. At age 14 the 1850 census has him in Harmony, Warren, New Jersey as a carriage maker. Carpenter was about 26 years old when he enlisted in the 31^st as a 1^st Sergeant on the 3^rd of September 1862. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 10^th of February 1863. He mustered out on the 24^th of June of that year. It is unclear why, but it is possible that he was incapacitated while in service. He died not long after in June of 1866 and is buried at the Saint James Lutheran Cemetery in Hunterdon County, New Jersey.

The Model 1849 Pocket, the replacement for the Baby Dragoon, was the most widely produced of any Colt percussion pistol. Nearly 340,000 were manufactured during its 23-year production run that ended in 1873. Over 280,000 of these were produced by Colt’s factory at Hartford by the end of the American Civil War in 1865. These were very popular and saw a lot of use on the battlefield, on the home front and in the West. These were some of the smallest, handiest pocket revolvers of the time.

One of the most aesthetically pleasing aspects of this pistol is its cylinder scene. Cylinder scenes during this period were common, especially for Colt, not only for their visual appeal, but because it made a revolver more difficult to forge. The scene on the 1849 Pocket is that of a stagecoach robbery. The focal point is the stagecoach drawn by four horses. A woman in a dress is seen framed in the doorway of the side of the coach. The driver is standing alongside wielding his pistol against multiple assailants as the horses rear and struggle against their harnesses. Several of the bandits lay dying on the ground, one tries to control the horses, two are running away and one is in the process of falling dead after being shot. Not a bad way to show interested buyers what a pistol like this would be good for. It did a fine job as a self-defense handgun for the average citizen in 19^th Century America.

The overall condition is very good. Some original blue finish and case colors remain. The stagecoach robbery cylinder scene remains visible. The numbers match. The action needs adjustment as the hammer does not hold the full-cock notch, but does hold half-cock, and the cylinder indexes and locks up. The bore is in nice condition and is reflective with sharp rifling. Grip shows use and remains solid. A great piece of Civil War history!

Own the original! This is a legitimate antique and not a reproduction.

Barrel is 5 inches.

Caliber: .31 percussion

Overall condition as seen in photos.

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$3300
#20176