Mississippi Rifle use by Federal Troops

[ajroscoe]

I was wondering if anyone has a listing of Federal units that were known to have carried the Mississippi Rifle during the war? After reading through the thread on Todd Watt's defarb work on them and reading Mr. Barry's pleas for us all to try to reintroduce it to the hobby, I was interested to find these units. I know that some of the rebels at Bull Run this year will be carrying them, but would love to find an appropriate event for the boys in blue to carry them. I know the 45th New York carried them with saber bayonets at Gettysburg and from the forum that some men in the 1st Minnesota were carrying them at Bull Run, but I have never really heard of their usage by other units. I know the Ordnance Department considered them obsolete by mid war, and made strides to pull them from service in favor of M1861/63s. Any help anyone could give would be appreciated.

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Mississippi Rifle use by Federal Troops

Check the Appendix of Coates & Thomas "Civil War Small Arms" which contains a partial listing
of units issued the US 1841, both US and CS.

[CSchneider]

Re: Mississippi Rifle use by Federal Troops

Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park's Eric Mink exhaustively transcribed the 4th Quarter 1862 Ordnance Returns for the entire Army of the Potomac, essentially giving a nearly complete list, BY COMPANY, of every weapon present in the AOP just after the battle of Fredericksburg. The wonderful 158 page document can be found here: http://www.nps.gov/frsp/historycultu...ericksburg.pdf

A few regiments were still carrying Mississippi Rifles late into 1862. There were 618 .54 versions and 317 .58 versions in the AOP, accounting for just over 1% of the arms on hand.

-Craig Schneider

[ACo.]

Re: Mississippi Rifle use by Federal Troops

Excellent work Eric!!

Thanks for posting the link Craig.

[Darrell Cochran]

Re: Mississippi Rifle use by Federal Troops

Can someone help decipher the notations - For example, what does "N.A." stand for in the listing Springfield Rifled Muskets, model 1855, 1861, N.A. and contract, Calibre .58 ?

Thanks

[CSchneider]

Re: Mississippi Rifle use by Federal Troops

National Armory, I believe.

-Craig Schneider

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Mississippi Rifle use by Federal Troops

Hallo!

Correct...

(Not to be confused with "N/A" for "not available." :) )

Curt

[Darrell Cochran]

Re: Mississippi Rifle use by Federal Troops

Thanks to you both. I would have ruminated for a week and not come up with that ... Although I had pretty much ruled out Not Available.

[ajroscoe]

Re: Mississippi Rifle use by Federal Troops

Thank you everyone for putting that information out. Once I finish moving to my new base next week, I'll invest in a copy of "Civil War Small Arms." I think it would be great for Federal reenactors to find a scenario with a unit that used these weapons. When I first got mine and drilled with it, I really understood Hardee's Tactics much better, since they were mean for rifles, not rifled muskets. As Craig has been saying, its time to bring back the Mississippi.

[Johan Steele]

Re: Mississippi Rifle use by Federal Troops

I now own a Whitney M1841 w/ probably provenance to a man of the 4th MN VI who apparently purchased it at his muster out in 1865. If I can verify this it will conclusively prove that there were still M1841's in the field as late as the Grand Review. This on top of a CDV in the possesion of the MN Hysterical Society clearly showing an NCO w/ an M1841 Colt Conversion/Alteration & Rifleman's belt is of a lot of interest to me.

A partial listing of US units carrying the M1841 is in the excellent work by McAulay Rifles of the US Army, IMO a must own for a variety of reasons.

By late 1862 the M1841 seems most prevelant out west.

Nov/Dec 62
Inf: 10th US, 8th Conn, 10th, 33rd, 42nd, 52nd, & 57th IL, 2nd, 4th, 5th & 10th IA, 1st, 8th, 10th, & 18th KS, 7th Maine, 4th, 5th, 8th & 10th MN *, 1st MO Eng, 1st & 11th MO, 20th & 45th NY, 6th & 9th NH, 12th NJ, 55th PA & 1st Washington Territory.

* 4th & 5th MN were issued large numbers of the Colt Conversion/Alteration
They were also used by a varitety of Cav units.

[Brent Brumagin]

Re: Mississippi Rifle use by Federal Troops

Not to get off track here but there is a Don Troiani painting on the front cover of the above mentioned book with a member of the 45th NY carrying a Mississippi. I would like to get a copy of that picture. I think it looks great. Gaiters, NY jacket, and just down right Army of the Potomac.

If anyone knows where one of these can be found I would love to get a copy.

Brent Brumagin

[brown]

Re: Mississippi Rifle use by Federal Troops

5th Tennessee Infantry, US, had a few 1841s in .54 calibre (most men had Austrians in .54) up until the fall of Atlanta, according to transcripts of ordnance reports I have.
As previously mentioned, the 8th Kansas has some at some point. There is a great 1862 (I believe) image of some of the men with them; altered piece, I believe, with saber bayonets.

[Championhilz]

Re: Mississippi Rifle use by Federal Troops

The 45th Illinois Infantry carried Mississippi Rifles during the Vicksburg Campaign - there's a great picture of a company of the 45th posing with their weapons on the lawn of the Vicksburg courthouse after the siege.