Welcome to immediately’s Photo of the Day! Right here we have now a Whitney Sample 1853 Enfield rifle-musket that performed a starring position in Civil Battle politics earlier than the primary shot was fired. Whitney made about 3,500 of those round 1859-1862, and their distribution tells a narrative of pre-war tensions. At the very least 2,000 went to Maryland, the place they had been captured by Accomplice sympathizers throughout the Baltimore riots of April 1861. One other 1,225-1,700 shipped to Georgia earlier than the battle began. This meant Whitney’s Enfield copies had been arming Southern forces whereas the North scrambled for weapons.
The rifle reveals typical Whitney modifications to the British design – “E. WHITNEY” marked lock, brass set off guard bow with iron strap, and Whitney’s long-range rear sight. The bayonet stud doubles as a blade entrance sight, and the boxed “SR” over “15” marking on the inventory flat signifies army inspection.
What makes this rifle traditionally important is documented provenance – it’s pictured on pages 473-474 of George D. Moller’s “American Navy Shoulder Arms, Vol. III” and bears his assortment initials “GDM” on the toe. Moller was the definitive authority on American army weapons, making this a museum-quality documented instance.
Whitney’s timing was unlucky from a Union perspective. His high-quality Enfield copies reached Southern fingers simply as sectional tensions exploded into violence. The Baltimore riots confirmed how shortly civilian weapons might turn out to be army property – these Whitney rifle-muskets went from state militia arms to Accomplice battlefield weapons nearly in a single day.
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“Whitney Sample 1853 Enfield Kind Percussion Rifle-Musket.” Rock Island Public sale, www.rockislandauction.com/element/4095/225/whitney-pattern-1853-enfield-type-percussion-riflemusket. Accessed 12 Aug. 2025.
Author | TheFirearmBlog
Author | AllOutdoor.com Instagram | sfsgunsmith Outdated soul, licensed gunsmith, revealed creator, avid firearm historical past learner, and appreciator of outdated and distinctive weapons.
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