Civil War Muskets Used By Vermont Volunteers

[gew8805]

Also keep in mind that the M1861 was well supported by the supply system of both armies. Plenty of spare parts. The same was not true of the '63 which was new and while some parts were interchangeable with the '61 (buttplates, triggerguards, some lock parts), problems caused by heavy use could develop that would put arms out of service in a short time.

Actually, the M1863 Rifle Musket was never the front line weapon it was intended to be, many, if not most, were pulled out of storage in as new condition almost immediately after the War and converted to Allen patent breach loading arms, the predecessor to the Trapdoor Springfield. After the M1873 Trapdoor came into service, many of the '63s were surplussed on the civilian market and some were even sold to France for use in the Franco-Prussian War of 1871. They didn't make it in time and were confiscated by the Germans and sold on the open market through German retail and wholesale outfits in a fashion similar to the way Bannerman's did in this country. The M1861 is your best bet.

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[CLMN]

Also keep in mind that the M1861 was well supported by the supply system of both armies. Plenty of spare parts. The same was not true of the '63 which was new and while some parts were interchangeable with the '61 (buttplates, triggerguards, some lock parts), problems caused by heavy use could develop that would put arms out of service in a short time.

Actually, the M1863 Rifle Musket was never the front line weapon it was intended to be, many, if not most, were pulled out of storage in as new condition almost immediately after the War and converted to Allen patent breach loading arms, the predecessor to the Trapdoor Springfield. After the M1873 Trapdoor came into service, many of the '63s were surplussed on the civilian market and some were even sold to France for use in the Franco-Prussian War of 1871. They didn't make it in time and were confiscated by the Germans and sold on the open market through German retail and wholesale outfits in a fashion similar to the way Bannerman's did in this country. The M1861 is your best bet.

Once again, your recollection of period history... as far as I am aware of on this side of the Atlantic... is right on the money! Experts who support the 1861 position (in answer to my inquiry) point to these facts as the best logical reasoning, in absence of hard evidence to the contrary, that VT volunteers of that late timeframe would most likely still have been issued contract 1861s.

And yet other experts of seemingly equal standing have insisted that the very same set of facts re: the 1863 Springfield muskets points to the distinct possibility that 1863s were very possibly ending up in the hands of certain state volunteer forces very late in the war. In effect, they are saying that the supply and availability of the genuine Springfield article would have trumped the availability of the contract 1861s... in that very late timeframe... and, in particular, re: the VT volunteers.

CLMN

[gew8805]

Ah, but the fun part is, we will likely never know for sure. Best bet is to find the 17th's Ordnance records, if they exist, and see if they can tell you anything. Good luck.

[CLMN]

Ah, but the fun part is, we will likely never know for sure. Best bet is to find the 17th's Ordnance records, if they exist, and see if they can tell you anything. Good luck.

Yep... it's looking more and more like that's going to be the only way to solve this mystery once and for all. Thanks very much for your input.

CLMN