"Florence Fleming" was the name of the rifle belonging to Sam Watkins messmate W A Hughes in Company Aytch. Watkins says it was "the brightest gun in the whole army." After Hughes was mortally injured in July 1864, he asked that Watkins receive some personal effects along with the rifle Florence Fleming, which Sam Watkins carried until the surrender at Bentonville, NC in 1865. Watkins writes that the rifle had the name on the stock in silver letters. And not much else is said about it after that.
I was under the impression that Co H had been issued Enfields and Watkins speaks several times about "blazing away with his Enfield" and so on. Hence, I assumed Florence Fleming was a polished Enfield. I was told recently by someone whom I consider knowledgeable that it was a US Model rifle-musket or CS Richmond, and further that it was part of the SPAR (Springfield Armory) collection! I can't find anything on this piece in the SPAR archives. Anybody have a clue here about this? Or what sort of rifle Florence Fleming might have been, besides a bright one?
I was under the impression that Co H had been issued Enfields and Watkins speaks several times about "blazing away with his Enfield" and so on. Hence, I assumed Florence Fleming was a polished Enfield. I was told recently by someone whom I consider knowledgeable that it was a US Model rifle-musket or CS Richmond, and further that it was part of the SPAR (Springfield Armory) collection! I can't find anything on this piece in the SPAR archives. Anybody have a clue here about this? Or what sort of rifle Florence Fleming might have been, besides a bright one?
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