Henry 1860
This Henry lever
action rifle was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Company in November 1863 as
part of an 800 rifle order by the Ordnance Department. The Ordnance Department
purchased 800 Henry rifles from the New Haven Arms Co., to arm the 1st D.C.
Cavalry regiment on December 30, 1863. The Henry rifles in this 800-gun order
were in the 3000-4000 serial number range, inspected by Ordnance Sub-Inspector
Charles G. Chapman and stamped with his "C.G.C" inspection mark. The 800 C.G.C.
inspected rifles were the only Henry rifles stamped with Ordnance inspection
marks and the 1st D.C. Cavalry was the only Federal unit completely equipped
with Henry rifles during the Civil War. This rifle has the distinctive Henry
brass receiver and octagon barrel with integral 15-shot magazine. The barrel has
a nickel-silver, square-back front sight blade, folding leaf rear sight with 900
yard center notch and elevation bar stop screw and thick brass magazine
follower. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the first style, two-line
legend: "HENRY'S PATENT. OCT. 16. 1860/MANUFACT'D BY THE NEWHAVEN ARMS CO.
NEWHAVEN. CT" ahead of the rear sight. This first style legend, utilized until
around serial number 4000, is slightly smaller than the second style legend and
uses block letters for "NEWHAVEN" in the address. The second style brass
receiver lacks the rear sight dove-tail found on earlier Henry receivers. The
bottom of the receiver has the beveled magazine follower cut-out typical of
Henry receivers in this serial number range. The straight grain walnut stock has
a varnished semi-gloss finish and is fitted with the first style buttplate with
rounded heel. The buttplate has a hinged trap door. The left side of the stock
and barrel are finely fitted with the sling swivel and screw-fastened loop for a
sling hook which were extra cost items for Henry rifles in this serial number
range. The Ordnance "C.G.C." inspection mark is visible on the right barrel flat
at the junction with the receiver. The "H" factory sub-inspection mark of B.
Tyler Henry is stamped on the barrel flat immediately below the "C.G.C." stamp
and on the edge of the receiver adjacent to the barrel inspection marks. The
encircled, script, "CGC" final inspection mark usually stamped on the right
stock wrist of U.S. contract Henry rifles is not visible.(As in 95 % of the ones
known). The serial number "3530" is stamped on the top barrel flat between the
rear sight and the receiver and on the lower left barrel tang beneath the stock.
The bolt has been
period converted to a center-fire firing pin and the magazine follower is a
period replacement. The 1st D.C. Cavalry originally served as the provost force
for the District of Columbia responsible directly to Secretary of War Edwin
Stanton. The regiment was subsequently ordered to suppress Confederate partisan
rangers operating in Northern Virginia commanded by Lieutenant Colonel John S.
Mosby. In the spring of 1864 ,the 1st D.C. Cavalry was assigned to the Army of
the Potomac and participated in the Overland Campaign and Siege of Petersburg.
Significant numbers of 1st D.C. Cavalry Henry rifles were captured and re-issued
by Confederate forces during the final months of the Civil War. Experts believe
that most of the Henry rifles manufactured by the New Haven Arms Company between
April and 1862 and April 1865 were privately purchased by individual Federal
soldiers who appreciated the advanced design and superior firepower of the Henry
rifle. However, the Ordnance Department purchased only 1,731 Henry rifles during
the war. Of these rifles, only the 800 Henry rifles purchased to arm the 1st
D.C. Cavalry in December 1863 were fully inspected and marked with the Ordnance
"C.G.C." inspection mark. At least 127 of the Henry rifles issued to the 1st
D.C. Cavalry were purchased by discharged veterans when they mustered out of
Federal service at the end of the Civil War.
Four-Piece Wood
Henry Repeating Rifle Cleaning Rod.
Measuring 27 1/2
inches when assembled, this is an original Henry Rifle hickory wood
cleaning rod, which breaks down into four sections for storage in a buttstock
compartment. A set of three male/female threaded iron ferrules, one end having a
flat tip and the other having cut grooves for use with a cleaning patch.
