CIVIL WAR Antique JAMES H. MERRILL .54 CAVALRY Saddle Ring Carbine Union NY, PA, NJ, IN, WI, KY, DE Cavalries

Product Description

CIVIL WAR Antique JAMES H. MERRILL .54 CAVALRY Saddle Ring Carbine Union  

NY, PA, NJ, IN, WI, KY, DE Cavalries

Here we present an antique James Merrill Second Type Percussion Carbine, made circa 1863 in Baltimore, Maryland. The carbines were produced in two versions, which were the First Type and the Second Type. The First Type included a brass patch box in the stock and had the breech lever secured by a flat, knurled latch. The Second Type was produced without the patch box and had the breech lever secured with a rounded, button type latch.

These were made by the company of James H. Merrill in Baltimore, Maryland (a very divided state leading up to the war), with a total production of 14,500. These carbines are known to have been allocated to the following Union cavalry regiments: NY 1^st, 5^th and 18^th; Pennsylvania 11^th, 17^th, and 18^th; NJ 1^st; Indiana 7^th; Wisconsin 1^st and 3^rd; Kentucky 27^th, and the Delaware 1^st. They are also known to have been used by Confederates as they were available before the war or as they would capture them. Confederate ammunition for these was made at the Richmond Laboratory on Brown’s Island in Virginia. It is telling about how many of the carbines the South may have fielded to justify a significant operation making ammunition at the lab.

As an interesting side-note, the Confederate States Richmond Laboratory was the site of the worst home-front disaster in Richmond for the entire war when careless handling of percussion caps caused the several hundred thousand percussion primers, cannon friction primers and 10 lbs. of gun powder to explode, killing at least 44 and seriously injuring 25 more in the small building.

The overall condition is good. Gray patina throughout. The action is excellent. The bore is shiny bright with sharp rifling. The left stock flat shows one good inspector cartouche. There is a repaired crack to the left wrist. Shows lots of handling throughout.

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

Barrel is 22-1/8 inches.

Caliber:  .54 Percussion

Overall condition as seen in photos.

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$1950
#240422