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  • Sling for Enfield

    Hello all,

    Hopefully this might be of some help, and/or might lead to further discussion and more definite conclusions, or ???

    Before embarking on this little task I did a fairly decent search here. Anyway...

    I recently procured a very nice defarbed repop “P1853 Enfield” so I decided to purchase a few items to compliment my new acquisition. When it came to deciding on a sling I found myself in a bit of a quandary - Which sling would be the most generally correct for my impression? – a Federal infantryman (usually from NYS). I noticed from a recent thread http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...=Enfield+sling ,and from my own search on the web, that at present there are at least two vendors selling what appear to be decent representations of English issued slings which might be proper for this particular firearm.

    One offers it in “waxed” blackened leather with a “square” brass buckle, and a “friction” type (without buckle). The other vendor offers it in black bridle, russet, white buff, and w/ special order “waxed” leather; with a choice of either a D-shaped buckle or a square buckle.

    What to do, what to do. So I decided to check on the photographic evidence. I concentrated my search on Federal soldiers who possess what can positively be identified as a three-band Enfield-type rifled musket. My criteria for identification: If the sling is clearly showing a buckle, then I will say it is a British issue sling. If it has a hook it is a U.S. issue rifle sling. If neither can be seen, then it is unidentifiable. I’m sure there are flaws in this, but I was only looking for a general idea of what types of slings are most commonly seen on Enfield rifled-muskets among Union soldiers in period images. I realize there is always the “It really depends on……time, place, unit, what was issued, source of weapon, soldier’s preference, photographer’s prop, other foreign slings, etc, etc…and all the other variables one can consider. I also realize the result is going to be based on a very small sample of images.

    I decided my guide for identification during this this search would be:
    1)Sling is present but unidentifiable
    2)Sling has a buckle so therefore probably British.
    3)Sling has a hook so probably U.S. issue
    4)Rifle has no sling

    My search on the LOC site only produced one useful image (though I’m sure there are more which I failed to locate). This image is a “Portrait of Pvt. George A. Striker, New York Regiment, USA” . This young man is definitely holding a British Enfield w/ a US issue sling.

    For what it's worth a search at the CW Soldiers and Sailors site resulted in two George Strykers from New York; one w/ Co A 104th NY Inf., the other w/ Co F 141st NY Inf.

    A quick search through my book shelf produced the following:

    In Brassey’s History of Uniforms – American Civil War: Union Army by Robin Smith I found only one useful image on page 43. The soldier is seated holding his Enfield rifle which has no sling.
    In The Image of War 1861-1865: Volume 1 - Shadows of the Storm, pg. 159 there is a group of soldiers of the 23rd New York Infantry. There are 6 identifiable “Enfields”, all have slings. Of these at least 2 appear to have adjustment hooks as per US issue slings.

    Echoes of Glory: Arms and Equipment of the Union. Page 198 shows a “Federal Infantryman in Full Marching Order”. Someone posted a very clear (& enlarged) image of this chap here on the A-C - my hardcopy is dated 1/15/06. In the image he is clearly holding an “Enfield” (w/ cone protector) w/ a US issue rifle sling.

    An Illustrated History of the Civil War: Images of an American Tragedy by Miller and Pohanka. On page 150 is a group image of a section of Co. H 44th Indiana Volunteers. At least 10 Enfields can be ID’d in the front rank (mixed w/ some Springfields). None of the weapons have slings. On pg. 240 there is another group photo showing part of Co. C, 110th Pennsylvania Infantry in winter camp (photo by AJ Russell). & Enfields can be positively identified; all have slings, only one has what appears to be an adjustment hook like that of a US issue sling.

    Billy Yank: The Uniform of the Union Army, 1861-1865 by McAfee & Langellier.
    Pg 21. Shows an excellent image of a Federal infantryman holding what is clearly an Enfield rifle-musket – you can even see the contrast between the blued bayonet socket and the polished blade, and what appears to be a brass/cork tompion in the muzzle. The sling is unidentifiable as far as buckle or adjustment hook, but it appears to be similar in color to the rest of his US issued traps - black.
    Pg. 46 Shows a group of seven soldiers of the 10th Mass. Vol. Infantry. Six are armed with Enfields, all appear to have slings but d/t to the quality of the image it is difficult to tell which type.
    Pg. 55. A possible member of the 150th Penn. Volunteers (Bucktail) holding an Enfield which has a sling but the subject has pulled the sling to the side with his hand while grasping the weapon therefore it is impossible to identify the type of sling.
    Pg. 67. A member of the 44th Mass. Volunteer Infantry wearing British accoutrements snake buckle bet et al), holding an Enfield w/ a English issue buckled sling.
    Pg. 68. A member of the 108th USCT holding an Enfield with a US issue rifle sling.

    From the above evidence it appears that the most generically "authentic" sling for a P1853 Enfield would be either a U.S. issue sling, or no sling at all, w/ very few British issue slings.

    Has anyone else gone through this before? I would think very likely.
    Thoughts???? Comments? Criticisms?
    Last edited by BobRoeder; 04-06-2010, 12:58 PM.
    Bob Roeder

    "I stood for a time and cried as freely as boys do when things hurt most; alone among the dead, then covered his face with an old coat I ran away, for I was alone passing dead men all about as I went". Pvt. Nathaniel C. Deane (age 16, Co D 21st Mass. Inf.) on the death of his friend Pvt. John D. Reynolds, May 31, 1864.

  • #2
    Re: Sling for Enfield

    Based on the number of English sling buckles I have seen recovered I would say your generalization is correct. Especially for Federal use.
    Jim Mayo
    Portsmouth Rifles, Company G, 9th Va. Inf.

    CW Show and Tell Site
    http://www.angelfire.com/ma4/j_mayo/index.html

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Sling for Enfield

      Hey,
      To comment on the photo of the soldier in the 44th Mass. That regiment was only a 9 month regiment that served in the department of NC from '62-'63. The entire regiment was outfitted with English leathers and muskets. They are somewhat of an anomaly in that sense, but fit the bill for some early war Mass. troops.

      The question I have is did Enfields come to the Union with slings attached to them? Or maybe only from particular firms and arsenals...
      Wade Rogers

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Sling for Enfield

        Originally posted by Jimmayo View Post
        Based on the number of English sling buckles I have seen recovered I would say your generalization is correct. Especially for Federal use.
        Sometime prior to Sept. 22, 1862, 300 + stands of arms (Enfields) were salvaged from the wreck of the Modern Greece north of Ft Fisher.

        Boxes of arms recovered from the same wreck in 1977 had bundles of “24 shoulder straps” tucked in the ends of them. The ends of the straps were twisted off during recovery or they rotted and fell off and were scattered. There is no mention of buckles or fasteners recoverd on the straps and fasteners do not appear in the illustrations. However, D buckles similar to those fixed to “shoulder straps” are listed in the inventory of bulk items recovered with or near the arms.

        Given the poor treatment of the artifacts in the water, the lack of accurate plotting of them during recovery and the incomplete details of the inventory list, these buckles could be from anywhere on the wreck. They mean very little at this point but are worth mentioning.

        I'll attempt to contact some of the Arch-lab dive team and see what they recall.
        Last edited by Vuhginyuh; 04-06-2010, 01:25 PM. Reason: added Arch-lab to distiguish between modern slavage and archaeology recovery efforts
        B. G. Beall (Long Gone)

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Sling for Enfield

          Mr. Beall,
          At the time of the discovery and sale of the Modern Greece artifacts a number of the Enfields were secured and sold by Lewis Leigh of Viginia to many collectors, including myself. My Enfield, and most I had seen then and since from the Modern Greece, were the two band rifle, not the three band rifled-musket.
          Might the size of the weaponry explain the lack of the buckles associated with a full sized Enfield?
          S.Sullivan

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Sling for Enfield

            Originally posted by rogue View Post
            Mr. Beall,
            Might the size of the weaponry explain the lack of the buckles associated with a full sized Enfield?
            S.Sullivan
            Though both arms were in fact recovered in equally large numbers, the archaeology site report does not clearly differentiate between rifles and rifled muskets. Nor does it list which boxes had straps or fragments of straps. Perhaps I am lost in the semantics here; straps for rifles, slings for rifled muskets? Does that work?
            B. G. Beall (Long Gone)

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Sling for Enfield

              I have the archeology report from the "Modern Greece" from 1976/77, as was prepared by the State of NC.
              There is no mention of any buckles of any type having been found within this archaeological report as being found on the remains of the wreck during this time.
              The Modern Greece is reported to have had 7000 Enfield pattern arms aboard when she left England.
              The 76/77 excavations found remains of two partially complete cases of arms numbering 24 weapons per case. Parts and pieces of "broken" arms indicate that there were at least a total numberer of 10 cases of arms.(providing they all had 24 arms per case) The rest were recovered during the original salvage efforts in 1862. With in the two partially complete arms chest that were recovered, were found bundles of leather straps. (Slings)

              I could not pick up and handle these slings but I was allowed to look at them very closely.
              One end had stitching holes which indicated a sown standing billet (Loop), which was no longer present. (no slot was cut at this end which would allow for a buckle tung)
              The other end exhibited two sets of four larger holes (equaling a total on eight holes) that could accommodate lacing. (no lacing was present)
              If there had been a sliding billet (loop), these too were no longer with the "slings".

              Of the bits and pieces of firearms that were recovered, it is clear that two types of weapons were recovered. 3 band Rifle Musket type arms, and two band Rifle length arms refereed to in this 1977 report at that time as "carbines". (according to the drawing and the type and location of the rear sight, these weapons could only be "Rifles")
              My suggestion, if you find a sling that fits, offers you the adjustment you need, and that you like... buy it.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Sling for Enfield

                Comrade Taylor's information seems to support the Civil Wartime issue of the buckless Enfield slings often (and perhaps correctly) associated with the later Snyder-Enfields and Henry-Martini rifles. There was quite a thread dealing with correct British manufactured slings of the 1861-'65 period in the posts some many months ago. This is interesting stuff.
                David Fox

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Sling for Enfield

                  Originally posted by Blair View Post
                  I have the archeology report from the "Modern Greece" from 1976/77, as was prepared by the State of NC.
                  There is no mention of any buckles of any type having been found within this archaeological report as being found on the remains of the wreck during this time.
                  The mid-seventies inventory report of the Modern Greece is a mere snapshot of that wreck. Salvage crews and looters took far more off her than the archaeologists. Don't dismiss the existence of artifacts simply because they are not listed in that very brief, very outdated paper.
                  John-Owen Kline

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Sling for Enfield

                    The report I am referring to is. "The Blockade Runner Modern Greece And Her Cargo", by Leslie S. Bright.
                    It is an 11" X 8 1/2 inch size paper back book with 210 pages, 183 Illustrations, along with XXI photographic Plate pages.
                    It may just be me, but I am not sure I would call this publication a "Paper".
                    This book was prepared and sold at the Blockade Runner Museum outside Fort Fisher, NC. Where many of the artifacts were on display. Sales of this book help raise monies for conservation/preservation of the artifact.
                    These straps/slings were found in their proper context with the firearms and can not be discounted or trivialized by non documented looters and salvage efforts.
                    What has been recovered is a unique "time capsule" of the type of goods that were trying to be imported.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Sling for Enfield

                      Comrade Kline: out of curiosity, what makes this publication detailing finds written by archaeological salvagers "outdated"?
                      David Fox

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Sling for Enfield

                        In short; it was 33 years ago. Plus it was a rush job, from start to finish. The state was competing with a several elements for the site. Read into that what you want.

                        Some of the finer points are:
                        1) outdated recovery and documentation practices (compared to today)
                        2) lack of control of artifacts before, during and after the state recovery
                        3) outdated treatment of surrounding concretions, where the buckles were found three years after the report was finalized
                        4) no amendments to the report have been filed.
                        5) incomplete artifact analysis
                        6) outdated conservation treatments

                        Reference material such as the McRae papers were not available or used.

                        Wrecks like the Modern Greece evolve. They are not open and shut with the turn of a page.
                        John-Owen Kline

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Sling for Enfield

                          Comrade Kline. Thanks for the insight. Wasn't sure what you meant by "outdated' given this 1960s salvage was the last possible major "dig" of this site. I was in college at Chapel Hill when the "Modern Greece" was sorted-out. Was interesting then-current news.

                          I am curious: do the recoveries from this 'runner indeed appear to establish Civil War contemporary manufacture and usage of the all-leather thong-tied British rifle-musket slings?
                          David Fox

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Sling for Enfield

                            I purchased an 1862-dated Tower marked M1853 Enflied from John Sexton in 1984. It had a portion of the sling still attached (I have the musket and sling remnants still) which is an undyed brown leather. The musket had provenance back to a Georgia Soldier. I also worked as Artifact Conservator for St Jons Archaeological Expeditions in the early 1990's during the Maple Leaf excavations; I also conserved several Enfields removed from a blockade runner near Charleston at that time. All were 3-band M1853 -none were 2 banders. Some leather fragments of slings came up, but were very challenging to conserve, coming from a salt water environment. But this does indicate leather slings coming from Britain.
                            -Thom Parham

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