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Gents,
I was digging through the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, and found the following exchange of letters and telegrams relating to Enfield rifles purchased by the State of Georgia that were taken by Confederate officers on the docks. I have reproduced those communications below for your edification and enjoyment. Note: there is a table in the communication inclosure from Capt. Cuyler to A.E. Lawton--click on it to be able to actually read the text of the invoice.
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MILLEDGEVILLE, March 25, 1862
Hon. J.P. BENJAMIN,
Secretary of War:
I have a quantity of arms--part of the cargo of the Gladiator--imported for the State. The Confederate officers at Savannah have taken possession of them and sent them off to Confederate troops. The boxes were plainly marked, "J.E.B." I cannot submit to any seizure and demand the return of the arms or others of like quality in their place immediately.
JOS. E. BROWN
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Pocotaligo, S.C., March 26, 1862.
General A.R. Lawton, Savannah, Ga.:
General: I have just received the following telegraph. Answer me at once by telegraph and report facts in full by letter.
Richmond, March 26, 1862.
Major General Pemberton: The governor of Georgia complains that arms imported in the Gladiator and landed at Savannah have been seized by the Confederate officers. If this be so, have them released. GEO. W. RANDOLPH
J.C. PEMBERTON, Major-General Commanding.
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HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF GEORGIA,
Savannah, March 27, 1862.
Capt. J.R. WADDY,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Pocotaligo:
CAPTAIN: I beg leave to acknowledge the receipt of two telegraphic dispatches from Major-General Pemberton in relation to arms belonging to the State of Georgia, and herewith inclose statement of Captain Cuyler, ordnance officer, in relation thereto. These arms were all received by Captain Cuyler under directions from the Chief of Ordnance at Richmond as the property of the Confederacy. His attention was not called to any marks upon them nor to the claim of any one to any portion of them. They were therefore shipped and distributed in accordance with his instructions. After this was done, he was notified that some portion of them belonged to the State of Georgia. At that time there were only forty left in his hands, and General Jackson was informed through his ordnance officer that they would be turned over to him. The only remedy now would seem to be to turn over the proper number to the State authorities out of the next arrival from Florida. It is evident from this statement that the arms were never in any sense seized. I am also informed by General Jackson that in the last arrival of arms in Charleston, there were 1,980 Enfield rifles for the State of Georgia which have been shipped to Richmond and are now claimed by the Governor of Georgia. These should also be replaced out of the next arrival. I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
A.E. LAWTON, Brigadier-General Commanding.
[Sub-Inclosure]
ORDNANCE OFFICE,
Savannah, Ga., March 27, 1862.
Brig. Gen. A.E. LAWTON, Commanding Department of Georgia:
GENERAL: In reply to your verbal order of this morning, I have the honor to make the following report of the arms &c. received from Smyrna and how they have been distributed.
From this statement, it appears that I received 31 cases, or 620 Enfield rifles, marked J.E.B.; 38 cases were received, of which the marks were not taken; only 8 of the 38 were long Enfield rifles, so that as all the others marked J.E.B. were of this description; it is fair to presume that no more of the 38 boxes were the property of the State of Georgia than 8 boxes long Enfield rifles--probably not more than 4 of the 8. To make it plainer: Guns which I know to be marked J.E.B., 620 long Enfield rifles; guns about which I am in doubt, 160 Enfield rifles. The guns were issued as follows, without reference to the original marks: To Col. C.M. Avery, New Berne, N.C., 500 long Enfield rifles; to General Earl Van Dorn, Jacksonport, Ark., 1,600 British muskets, rifled; to General A.S. Johnston, Decatur, Ala., 1,200 British muskets, rifled; Colonel Chalmers, Corinth, Miss., 440 short Enfield rifles and 360 long Enfield rifles; Col. J. Gorgas, Chief of Ordnance, Richmond, 220 artillery carbines, 40 English muskets, rifled, 240 smooth-bore muskets, 40 long Enfield rifles; Retained here by order of General Lee, 1,000 long Enfield rifles.
Very respectfully your obedient servant,
RICH. M. CUYLER, Captain of Artillery and Ordnance.
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Hdqrs. Dept. of South Carolina and Georgia,
Pocotaligo, March 27, 1862.
General S. Cooper, Adjutant and Inspector General:
General: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a telegram from the Secretary of War, dated March 26, 1862, in relation to a complaint from the governor of Georgia that certain arms imported in the Gladiator and landed at Savannah had been seized by the Confederate officers. The Secretary directs if this be so, the arms shall be released.
I have replied by telegraph of this date, on report from Brigadier-General Lawton, commanding at Savannah, this moment received that--
The arms were not seized, but came into the hands of the ordnance officer with Confederate arms and without any notice of the State's claim until they were shipped. Those arms cannot be recovered for the State as they were shipped to Tennessee, Richmond, and other places, but they may be replaced by others to arrive from Florida.
Having had no notification of the disposition to be made of arms &c. from the cargo of the Gladiator, I am not prepared to say at present how the arms were diverted from their proper destination. General Lawton will report in full by mail to-morrow. I respectfully request to be instructed by the Department as to the course to be pursued in replacing these arms from any future arrival. I telegraphed to the Secretary of War this morning that certain parties in Atlanta, Ga., offered to dispose of about a ton of pig lead to the Government at 30 cents per pound. The highest price paid heretofore, as I am informed by Captain Cuyler, ordinance officer at Savannah, has been 16 cents. The lead is very necessary and becoming very scarce. I would suggest that general instructions be given me to impress for the use of the Confederate States in all cases where such gross extortion is attempted.
The 64,000 pounds of powder, which I was directed to impress on its reaching Columbus, Ga., has not yet arrived there. Officers are in attendance to carry out the instructions of the Secretary.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J.C. PEMBERTON, Major-General Commanding.
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Richmond, Va., March 28, 1862.
Governor Brown,
Milledgeville, Ga.:
Your arms were taken by mistake and distributed to various points. They cannot be recovered, but I have ordered General Pemberton to replace them from others expected from Florida.
GEO W RANDOLPH, Secretary of War
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MILLEDGEVILLE, April 3, 1862.
Hon. G.W. RANDOLPH, Secretary of War:
My agent sent to Florida to look after the guns imported for this State has returned. He reports that the State arms, as well as those for the Confederacy, have been sent to Richmond. Your officers have now seized 3,400 Enfield rifles imported for this State by three different arrivals--two at New Smyrna, and one at Charleston. Can this all be a mistake? Please order the number of same quality replaced immediately. It cost me great risk and heavy expense to import these guns. I cannot submit to these illegal seizures. I appeal to your justice for immediate redress, as I wish to avoid all harsh measures. Answer at Savannah, where I go to-night.
JOS. E. BROWN
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RICHMOND, April 8, 1862.
General J.C. PEMBERTON,
Pocotaligo, S.C.:
GENERAL: Your communication of the 27th of March has been submitted to the Secretary of War, who directs that you will apply Governor J.E. Brown for invoices of the arms seized, and such description of them as the Governor can give, and will replace them arms of the same character as nearly as possible. He says you have been directed to impress the lead, and may exercise the right in cases of great extortion and emergency, but as a general rule will avoid impressments. I am, sir, very respectfully your obedient servant,
R.H. CHILTON, Assistant Adjutant-General
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HDQRS. DEPT. OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA
Pocotaligo, April 21, 1862.
His Excellency JOSEPH E. BROWN, Governor of Georgia, Milledgeville, Ga.:
SIR: In accordance with instructions received from the War Department, I have the honor to request that you will furnish these headquarters with invoices of the arms belonging to the State of Georgia seized and appropriated to the use of the Confederate States in order that they may be replaced by arms of a similar character as nearly as possible.
I am, &c.,
J.C. PEMBERTON, Major-General Commanding.
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EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Milledgeville, Ga.
May 7, 1862.
Hon. G.W. RANDOLPH:
DEAR SIR: Inclosed I send you a copy of your dispatch to me of April 5, 1862, in which you promise to punish any Confederate officer who again knowingly interferes with the State's arms imported by me. By a letter from Colonel Gorgas dated May 1, 1862, I am informed that twelve boxes of my Enfleld rifles were received by the Nashville and that they have been ordered by General Lee to General E.K. Smith, of East Tennessee. Mr. Gorgas adds that he did not deem it worth while to send them to me. I simply state the case and remind you of your promise, not doubting that you will act properly in the premises. When may I expect all that have been seized to be returned? I shall regret to be compelled to resort to counter-seizures as the only mode of redress against these arbitrary wrongs of your officers.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOSEPH E. BROWN
[First indorsement.]
Chief of Ordnance for report.
[GEO. W. RANDOLPH]
[Second indorsement.]
The twelve boxes of arms referred to were received here from the cargo of the Nashville and were, by General Lee, directed to be forwarded to General Kirby Smith, Knoxville, to be by him placed in the hands of the Fifty-second Georgia Regiment at Chattanooga without arms. General Smith was informed of the destination of the arms, and Governor Brown requested to communicate with General Smith if he desired any other disposition made of the arms.
[J. GORGAS]
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HEADQUARTERS
Richmond, Va., May 13, 1862.
His Excellency JOSEPH E. BROWN, Governor of Georgia, Milledgeville:
GOVERNOR: I regret to perceive by Your Excellency's letter of the 7th instant to Colonel Gorgas that you suppose it was intended by me to take possession of certain Enfield rifles received by the Nashville. The cargo of the Nashville was saved with much difficulty and brought to Wilmington at a time when it was believed from the movements of General Burnside, then in possession of New Berne and other points on that coast, that he was preparing to attack that city. The whole cargo was reported as belonging to the Confederate States and was forwarded here with all possible dispatch, except certain arms issued to the troops at Goldsborough. Before the arrival of the arms in this city, orders were given for a certain number to be forwarded to General Kirby Smith, Knoxville, for the armament of the Georgia regiments sent by Your Excellency to that place. In the act of forwarding the arms to Knoxville, Colonel Gorgas reported that twelve of the boxes were marked with your initials, "J.E.B.," and that he was confident, though he had no other evidence, that they were intended for the State of Georgia. I told him to report the facts to you and ascertain your wishes. I was unwilling to retain the arms in this city, and thought it hazardous to send them back over the road and through Wilmington, which at that time was entirely engrossed with the transportation of troops, stores, &c., and therefore authorized them to be forwarded with the other arms to Knoxville, with the express understanding that they were not to be issued until you signified your assent, and then only to the Georgia troops. As you had been obliged to send these troops from the State unarmed, from your previous willingness to furnish all the arms in your power, I believed that would be the destination you would give them. I acknowledge your right as to their distribution, and but for the circumstances which I have related, I should have forbidden their leaving the city until you had been heard from. I will now direct that they be sent through Chattanooga to Milledgeville, and request General Smith to telegraph to you the time of their departure. I exceedingly regret my misapprehension of Your Excellency's intentions, especially as I have no other arms to issue to the Georgia regiments in their stead.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R.E. LEE, General.
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A rifle previously listed for sale at College Hill Arsenal gives us an idea of what these Georgia Enfields looked like.
They, by and large, came from London makers, like Barnett and E.P. Bond. They all had a distinctive "G" stamped into the obverse of the stock near the buttplate. They further had engraved inventory numbers either on the tang of the buttplate, or stamped into the toe of the buttplate. Guns purchased by South Carolina and North Carolina have also been found--marked SC and NC, respectively.
The information on the College Hill Arsenal website reads:
Best,
Joseph Knight
I was digging through the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, and found the following exchange of letters and telegrams relating to Enfield rifles purchased by the State of Georgia that were taken by Confederate officers on the docks. I have reproduced those communications below for your edification and enjoyment. Note: there is a table in the communication inclosure from Capt. Cuyler to A.E. Lawton--click on it to be able to actually read the text of the invoice.
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MILLEDGEVILLE, March 25, 1862
Hon. J.P. BENJAMIN,
Secretary of War:
I have a quantity of arms--part of the cargo of the Gladiator--imported for the State. The Confederate officers at Savannah have taken possession of them and sent them off to Confederate troops. The boxes were plainly marked, "J.E.B." I cannot submit to any seizure and demand the return of the arms or others of like quality in their place immediately.
JOS. E. BROWN
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Pocotaligo, S.C., March 26, 1862.
General A.R. Lawton, Savannah, Ga.:
General: I have just received the following telegraph. Answer me at once by telegraph and report facts in full by letter.
Richmond, March 26, 1862.
Major General Pemberton: The governor of Georgia complains that arms imported in the Gladiator and landed at Savannah have been seized by the Confederate officers. If this be so, have them released. GEO. W. RANDOLPH
J.C. PEMBERTON, Major-General Commanding.
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HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF GEORGIA,
Savannah, March 27, 1862.
Capt. J.R. WADDY,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Pocotaligo:
CAPTAIN: I beg leave to acknowledge the receipt of two telegraphic dispatches from Major-General Pemberton in relation to arms belonging to the State of Georgia, and herewith inclose statement of Captain Cuyler, ordnance officer, in relation thereto. These arms were all received by Captain Cuyler under directions from the Chief of Ordnance at Richmond as the property of the Confederacy. His attention was not called to any marks upon them nor to the claim of any one to any portion of them. They were therefore shipped and distributed in accordance with his instructions. After this was done, he was notified that some portion of them belonged to the State of Georgia. At that time there were only forty left in his hands, and General Jackson was informed through his ordnance officer that they would be turned over to him. The only remedy now would seem to be to turn over the proper number to the State authorities out of the next arrival from Florida. It is evident from this statement that the arms were never in any sense seized. I am also informed by General Jackson that in the last arrival of arms in Charleston, there were 1,980 Enfield rifles for the State of Georgia which have been shipped to Richmond and are now claimed by the Governor of Georgia. These should also be replaced out of the next arrival. I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
A.E. LAWTON, Brigadier-General Commanding.
[Sub-Inclosure]
ORDNANCE OFFICE,
Savannah, Ga., March 27, 1862.
Brig. Gen. A.E. LAWTON, Commanding Department of Georgia:
GENERAL: In reply to your verbal order of this morning, I have the honor to make the following report of the arms &c. received from Smyrna and how they have been distributed.
From this statement, it appears that I received 31 cases, or 620 Enfield rifles, marked J.E.B.; 38 cases were received, of which the marks were not taken; only 8 of the 38 were long Enfield rifles, so that as all the others marked J.E.B. were of this description; it is fair to presume that no more of the 38 boxes were the property of the State of Georgia than 8 boxes long Enfield rifles--probably not more than 4 of the 8. To make it plainer: Guns which I know to be marked J.E.B., 620 long Enfield rifles; guns about which I am in doubt, 160 Enfield rifles. The guns were issued as follows, without reference to the original marks: To Col. C.M. Avery, New Berne, N.C., 500 long Enfield rifles; to General Earl Van Dorn, Jacksonport, Ark., 1,600 British muskets, rifled; to General A.S. Johnston, Decatur, Ala., 1,200 British muskets, rifled; Colonel Chalmers, Corinth, Miss., 440 short Enfield rifles and 360 long Enfield rifles; Col. J. Gorgas, Chief of Ordnance, Richmond, 220 artillery carbines, 40 English muskets, rifled, 240 smooth-bore muskets, 40 long Enfield rifles; Retained here by order of General Lee, 1,000 long Enfield rifles.
Very respectfully your obedient servant,
RICH. M. CUYLER, Captain of Artillery and Ordnance.
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Hdqrs. Dept. of South Carolina and Georgia,
Pocotaligo, March 27, 1862.
General S. Cooper, Adjutant and Inspector General:
General: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a telegram from the Secretary of War, dated March 26, 1862, in relation to a complaint from the governor of Georgia that certain arms imported in the Gladiator and landed at Savannah had been seized by the Confederate officers. The Secretary directs if this be so, the arms shall be released.
I have replied by telegraph of this date, on report from Brigadier-General Lawton, commanding at Savannah, this moment received that--
The arms were not seized, but came into the hands of the ordnance officer with Confederate arms and without any notice of the State's claim until they were shipped. Those arms cannot be recovered for the State as they were shipped to Tennessee, Richmond, and other places, but they may be replaced by others to arrive from Florida.
Having had no notification of the disposition to be made of arms &c. from the cargo of the Gladiator, I am not prepared to say at present how the arms were diverted from their proper destination. General Lawton will report in full by mail to-morrow. I respectfully request to be instructed by the Department as to the course to be pursued in replacing these arms from any future arrival. I telegraphed to the Secretary of War this morning that certain parties in Atlanta, Ga., offered to dispose of about a ton of pig lead to the Government at 30 cents per pound. The highest price paid heretofore, as I am informed by Captain Cuyler, ordinance officer at Savannah, has been 16 cents. The lead is very necessary and becoming very scarce. I would suggest that general instructions be given me to impress for the use of the Confederate States in all cases where such gross extortion is attempted.
The 64,000 pounds of powder, which I was directed to impress on its reaching Columbus, Ga., has not yet arrived there. Officers are in attendance to carry out the instructions of the Secretary.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J.C. PEMBERTON, Major-General Commanding.
-----
Richmond, Va., March 28, 1862.
Governor Brown,
Milledgeville, Ga.:
Your arms were taken by mistake and distributed to various points. They cannot be recovered, but I have ordered General Pemberton to replace them from others expected from Florida.
GEO W RANDOLPH, Secretary of War
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MILLEDGEVILLE, April 3, 1862.
Hon. G.W. RANDOLPH, Secretary of War:
My agent sent to Florida to look after the guns imported for this State has returned. He reports that the State arms, as well as those for the Confederacy, have been sent to Richmond. Your officers have now seized 3,400 Enfield rifles imported for this State by three different arrivals--two at New Smyrna, and one at Charleston. Can this all be a mistake? Please order the number of same quality replaced immediately. It cost me great risk and heavy expense to import these guns. I cannot submit to these illegal seizures. I appeal to your justice for immediate redress, as I wish to avoid all harsh measures. Answer at Savannah, where I go to-night.
JOS. E. BROWN
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RICHMOND, April 8, 1862.
General J.C. PEMBERTON,
Pocotaligo, S.C.:
GENERAL: Your communication of the 27th of March has been submitted to the Secretary of War, who directs that you will apply Governor J.E. Brown for invoices of the arms seized, and such description of them as the Governor can give, and will replace them arms of the same character as nearly as possible. He says you have been directed to impress the lead, and may exercise the right in cases of great extortion and emergency, but as a general rule will avoid impressments. I am, sir, very respectfully your obedient servant,
R.H. CHILTON, Assistant Adjutant-General
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HDQRS. DEPT. OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA
Pocotaligo, April 21, 1862.
His Excellency JOSEPH E. BROWN, Governor of Georgia, Milledgeville, Ga.:
SIR: In accordance with instructions received from the War Department, I have the honor to request that you will furnish these headquarters with invoices of the arms belonging to the State of Georgia seized and appropriated to the use of the Confederate States in order that they may be replaced by arms of a similar character as nearly as possible.
I am, &c.,
J.C. PEMBERTON, Major-General Commanding.
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EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Milledgeville, Ga.
May 7, 1862.
Hon. G.W. RANDOLPH:
DEAR SIR: Inclosed I send you a copy of your dispatch to me of April 5, 1862, in which you promise to punish any Confederate officer who again knowingly interferes with the State's arms imported by me. By a letter from Colonel Gorgas dated May 1, 1862, I am informed that twelve boxes of my Enfleld rifles were received by the Nashville and that they have been ordered by General Lee to General E.K. Smith, of East Tennessee. Mr. Gorgas adds that he did not deem it worth while to send them to me. I simply state the case and remind you of your promise, not doubting that you will act properly in the premises. When may I expect all that have been seized to be returned? I shall regret to be compelled to resort to counter-seizures as the only mode of redress against these arbitrary wrongs of your officers.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOSEPH E. BROWN
[First indorsement.]
Chief of Ordnance for report.
[GEO. W. RANDOLPH]
[Second indorsement.]
The twelve boxes of arms referred to were received here from the cargo of the Nashville and were, by General Lee, directed to be forwarded to General Kirby Smith, Knoxville, to be by him placed in the hands of the Fifty-second Georgia Regiment at Chattanooga without arms. General Smith was informed of the destination of the arms, and Governor Brown requested to communicate with General Smith if he desired any other disposition made of the arms.
[J. GORGAS]
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HEADQUARTERS
Richmond, Va., May 13, 1862.
His Excellency JOSEPH E. BROWN, Governor of Georgia, Milledgeville:
GOVERNOR: I regret to perceive by Your Excellency's letter of the 7th instant to Colonel Gorgas that you suppose it was intended by me to take possession of certain Enfield rifles received by the Nashville. The cargo of the Nashville was saved with much difficulty and brought to Wilmington at a time when it was believed from the movements of General Burnside, then in possession of New Berne and other points on that coast, that he was preparing to attack that city. The whole cargo was reported as belonging to the Confederate States and was forwarded here with all possible dispatch, except certain arms issued to the troops at Goldsborough. Before the arrival of the arms in this city, orders were given for a certain number to be forwarded to General Kirby Smith, Knoxville, for the armament of the Georgia regiments sent by Your Excellency to that place. In the act of forwarding the arms to Knoxville, Colonel Gorgas reported that twelve of the boxes were marked with your initials, "J.E.B.," and that he was confident, though he had no other evidence, that they were intended for the State of Georgia. I told him to report the facts to you and ascertain your wishes. I was unwilling to retain the arms in this city, and thought it hazardous to send them back over the road and through Wilmington, which at that time was entirely engrossed with the transportation of troops, stores, &c., and therefore authorized them to be forwarded with the other arms to Knoxville, with the express understanding that they were not to be issued until you signified your assent, and then only to the Georgia troops. As you had been obliged to send these troops from the State unarmed, from your previous willingness to furnish all the arms in your power, I believed that would be the destination you would give them. I acknowledge your right as to their distribution, and but for the circumstances which I have related, I should have forbidden their leaving the city until you had been heard from. I will now direct that they be sent through Chattanooga to Milledgeville, and request General Smith to telegraph to you the time of their departure. I exceedingly regret my misapprehension of Your Excellency's intentions, especially as I have no other arms to issue to the Georgia regiments in their stead.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R.E. LEE, General.
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A rifle previously listed for sale at College Hill Arsenal gives us an idea of what these Georgia Enfields looked like.
They, by and large, came from London makers, like Barnett and E.P. Bond. They all had a distinctive "G" stamped into the obverse of the stock near the buttplate. They further had engraved inventory numbers either on the tang of the buttplate, or stamped into the toe of the buttplate. Guns purchased by South Carolina and North Carolina have also been found--marked SC and NC, respectively.
The information on the College Hill Arsenal website reads:
While Confederate marked and imported P-1853 Enfield rifle muskets are very scarce and always desirable collectibles, the rarest and most desirable of these guns are the ones purchased by individual southern states and marked with their state ownership marks. It is well known that early in the war the states of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Louisiana all acquired arms directly from England, functioning proactively to supply their troops that were rallying to the protect their states from Northern invasion. These guns had state ownership marks applied to them prior to their shipment to the Confederacy, in an attempt to keep the guns segregated from Confederate central government purchases, and to insure that the guns reached the troops of that specific state. The guns purchased by the state of Georgia are rarely encountered for sale, but they are some of the best documented of the Confederate state purchased arms.
In 1861, Major Edward C Anderson was sent to England to act as a Confederate central government purchasing agent of small arms and munitions. As Anderson was a Georgian, Georgia Governor Joseph E Brown relied upon Anderson to work as a purchasing agent for that state as well. During September of 1861 Anderson arranged the purchase of 5,500 “Enfield” pattern small arms through the firm of Sinclair, Hamilton & Company. Of these guns, 4,700 were P-1853 “long” Enfields, and 800 were P-1856 “short” Enfields, which were apparently Sergeant’s Fusils for India Service rifles. Anderson returned to the Confederacy aboard the Confederate Blockade Runner Fingal on October 8, 1861. In addition to Anderson, the Fingal brought the first 1,100 guns of his purchase for the state of Georgia, as well as 1,000 that had been purchased by Louisiana and 7,520 that had been purchased by the Confederate central government. Among these guns that were on Fingal were the Georgia purchased “long” Enfield’s with the engraved numbers 1-1000. These guns were shipped in crates of 20, complete with socket bayonets for each gun, a bullet mold and two nipple keys (cone wrenches). Based upon an analysis of the Gladiator cargo manifest it is probable that Fingal also carried the Georgia purchased “long” Enfield’s numbered 1121-1220. The crates that contained these Georgia purchased arms were marked with the initials (for Governor Joseph E Brown) in a rhomboid over the letter G and were numbered. To date only 6 of the Fingal delivered “Georgia G” marked guns are known to have survived. The Fingal arrived in Savannah, GA on November 13, 1861, after a brief stop in Bermuda. The next shipment of Georgia purchased arms left England on the Blockade Runner Gladiator on November 6, 1861. The bill of lading for the Gladiator is in the archives of the Museum of the Confederacy, and it lists 900 “long” and 580 “short” Enfields. The long Enfields were numbers 1001-1120 (cases 51-56), 1221-1300 (cases 62-65), 1301-1960 (cases 78-110), 1961-1980 (case 123) and 1981-2000 (case129). The other cases (66-77, 111-122, and 124-128) contained the “short” Enfield Sergeant’s Fusils for India Service, numbers 1-580. These guns were all marked with the JS / (ANCHOR) inspection mark in the wood behind the triggerguard tang, in the belly of the stock, and have engraved Confederate inventory numbers on the tang of their brass buttplates. The guns are additionally marked with a 5/8” tall capital letter G on the obverse buttstock. The Gladiator arrived in Nassau, Bahamas on December 9, 1861. There she was unloaded and her cargo was transshipped to the Confederacy via the smaller, faster Blockade Runners Cecile, Kate and Florida. The Kate delivered her cargo to Smyrna in early February of 1862, Florida made her delivery to the same destination in mid March, and Cecile delivered her cargo into Charleston in mid February, 1862. To date, only 16 of the 900 Georgia marked “Gladiator Enfields” are known to have survived. The balance of the Georgia purchased arms were shipped aboard the Blockade Runner Economist, which made its delivery into Charleston Harbor in mid March 1862.
Based upon examination of the limited number of Georgia “G” marked P-1853 Enfield rifle muskets known to exist, it has been determined that #1-2000 and #3700-4700 were guns marked in the above manner. However, it appears that approximately 1700 guns (likely the guns numbered between 2000-3700) were delivered by the London gunmaker Barnett, and these guns have their numbers stamped on the toe of the buttplate, rather than being engraved on the top. These guns also bear a G mark on the obverse buttstock (but of a slightly larger size), and are marked with the CH / 1 inspection stamp in the wood, in front of the buttplate tang, instead of a JS/(ANCHOR). To date less than 50 “G” marked P-1853 Enfields of all types are known to have survived, with less than 30 of the engraved number guns being known and less than 20 of the Barnett guns with stamped numbers being known. This observation is based upon some 20 years of surveying extant examples by several noted arms historians, and maintaining a very extensive database.
This Gladiator delivered Georgia “G” P-1853 Enfield Rifle Musket is number 1508, and traveled to Nassau in case number 88 in the cargo hold of the Gladiator. Case 88 contained the guns numbered 1501-1520. This gun was delivered to Sinclair, Hamilton & Company by the famous London gunmaker E.P. BOND. The firm of Edward Philip Bond was one of the larger London gunmaking companies, which could trace their roots in the business to the early 1700’s, when the first Bond of the family was “Freed of the Gunmakers Company” (released from apprenticeship as a “master”) in 1730. Over the next hundred years the family flourished in the gun trade, and in 1835 Edward Philip Bond was apprenticed to his uncle William Thomas Bond. In 1836, Edward was turned over to John Edward Barnett to continue his apprenticeship and was free of the Gunmakers Company in 1842. The time Bond spent apprenticed to Barnett no doubt established the long time relationship between the two companies that continued well into the American Civil War era, as both firms became major suppliers of arms to the Confederacy. According to the Gladiator manifest, crates number 84-88 were “furnished” by Bond. Three guns are known to have survived from the Bond furnished crate #88, two of which are Bond marked on the lock and the third of which has TOWER / 1861 lock. Both of the Bond marked guns have the initials R.T.P. stamped in the wood at the tail of the stock flat opposite the lock. All three surviving guns from this crate indicate that Bond was sub-contracting at least some of the guns that he delivered on this contract. The “Tower” marked gun clearly being manufactured in Birmingham and both of the “RTP” marked guns being manufactured by R.T. Pritchett. This rifle musket bears Pritchett marks throughout, with the only “Bond” marking being found on the lock. The gun is not marked with a “B” for Bond furnishers mark on the top of the stock, forward of the buttplate tang. This is typical of early Bond deliveries to the Confederacy, which tend not to be furnisher marked if they are under inventory number 2000. The gun is clearly marked on the lock in two lines, forward of the hammer: E.P. BOND / LONODN. There is no “crown” to the rear of the hammer. The interior of the lock marked with the mating number 18, the initials PM, the name PRITCHETT, and with a single large P. The inside neck of the hammer is marked R.T.. The breech of the barrel is marked with the usual London commercial Provisional Proof, View, and Definitive Proof marks. The breech is also marked with a single P, which apparently stands for Pritchett. This “P” is identical to the one found inside the lock. The bottom of the barrel is marked by the famous English barrel making firm of BEASLEY BROS, and is additionally marked PRITCHETT, with the gauge number 25 for .577 caliber, 347P and with the mating number 18, matching the number inside the lock. The gun has a crisp and clear 5/8” tall Georgia G on the obverse buttstock, a legible JS / (ANCHOR) in the belly of the stock, behind the triggerguard and the inventory number 1508 engraved on the buttplate tang. The number is engraved in a small neat hand, and is typical of low numbered Bond furnished guns. The initial R.T.P. are barely legible at the tail of the stock flat, opposite the lock.
The gun is in about VERY GOOD+ condition overall. The metal of the gun has been very lightly cleaned a long time ago, and is almost entirely smooth throughout. There is only some light scattered peppering and pinpricking present on the barrel and bands. The metal has a medium gray patina and has no original finish present. The metal also shows scattered areas of lightly oxidized age discoloration and areas of brownish coloration. The lock functions crisply and is mechanically excellent, working perfectly on all positions. The bore of the gun rates about VERY GOOD as well. The bore is mostly bright, with strong rifling and only some light scattered pitting along its length. The gun retains the original long-range rear sight, which is marked W&S for Philip Webley & Son. The barrel bands all retain their original screw keepers at the ends, small items that are almost always missing. The gun also retains both of its original sling swivels, and sports an original English pattern leather sling, which ties onto the triggerguard and has one standing and one sliding loop for adjustment. An original, period P-1853 ramrod is in place in the channel under the barrel. It is full length and retains good threads at the end. The original ramrod, which was numbered to the gun, is lost to the ages. The original, matching numbered ramrods are practically never found with numbered Enfields. During the war, the Confederacy imported thousands of replacement ramrods due to the proclivity of the soldiers to loose them or break them. The brass furniture is very attractive and has a lovely, mustard patina. The stock of the gun rates about VERY GOOD+ as well. It was lightly cleaned long ago, but does not appear to have been sanded. All of the stock markings remain crisp, without any smearing or blurring. The edges remain strong, and any rounding appears to be from actual use, wear and tear. The stock is solid and full-length, with no breaks, cracks or repairs. The wood to metal fit is wonderful, and very tight throughout. The stock does show light to moderate handling marks, bumps and dings, but clearly was never abused or treated severely.
Overall, this is a really great example of an incredibly scarce Georgia “G” marked P-1853 Enfield Rifle Musket, which we know was shipped from England on board the Gladiator. These early Georgia marked guns were some of the first Enfields to arrive in the south, and their early delivery insured that they saw significant service during the course of the war. High quality Confederate Enfields are difficult to find for sale, but state marked guns are particularly difficult to locate. This is a wonderful and well marked Georgia gun that is 100% original and correct (with the exception of the missing original numbered rod) and would certainly make a fantastic centerpiece to any advanced collection of Confederate long arms, especially a collection that emphasizes Confederate imports. A high resolution copy of the Gladiator manifest page (suitable for framing), showing the Georgia guns on that ship will be include with this gun, and will significantly enhance the display.
In 1861, Major Edward C Anderson was sent to England to act as a Confederate central government purchasing agent of small arms and munitions. As Anderson was a Georgian, Georgia Governor Joseph E Brown relied upon Anderson to work as a purchasing agent for that state as well. During September of 1861 Anderson arranged the purchase of 5,500 “Enfield” pattern small arms through the firm of Sinclair, Hamilton & Company. Of these guns, 4,700 were P-1853 “long” Enfields, and 800 were P-1856 “short” Enfields, which were apparently Sergeant’s Fusils for India Service rifles. Anderson returned to the Confederacy aboard the Confederate Blockade Runner Fingal on October 8, 1861. In addition to Anderson, the Fingal brought the first 1,100 guns of his purchase for the state of Georgia, as well as 1,000 that had been purchased by Louisiana and 7,520 that had been purchased by the Confederate central government. Among these guns that were on Fingal were the Georgia purchased “long” Enfield’s with the engraved numbers 1-1000. These guns were shipped in crates of 20, complete with socket bayonets for each gun, a bullet mold and two nipple keys (cone wrenches). Based upon an analysis of the Gladiator cargo manifest it is probable that Fingal also carried the Georgia purchased “long” Enfield’s numbered 1121-1220. The crates that contained these Georgia purchased arms were marked with the initials (for Governor Joseph E Brown) in a rhomboid over the letter G and were numbered. To date only 6 of the Fingal delivered “Georgia G” marked guns are known to have survived. The Fingal arrived in Savannah, GA on November 13, 1861, after a brief stop in Bermuda. The next shipment of Georgia purchased arms left England on the Blockade Runner Gladiator on November 6, 1861. The bill of lading for the Gladiator is in the archives of the Museum of the Confederacy, and it lists 900 “long” and 580 “short” Enfields. The long Enfields were numbers 1001-1120 (cases 51-56), 1221-1300 (cases 62-65), 1301-1960 (cases 78-110), 1961-1980 (case 123) and 1981-2000 (case129). The other cases (66-77, 111-122, and 124-128) contained the “short” Enfield Sergeant’s Fusils for India Service, numbers 1-580. These guns were all marked with the JS / (ANCHOR) inspection mark in the wood behind the triggerguard tang, in the belly of the stock, and have engraved Confederate inventory numbers on the tang of their brass buttplates. The guns are additionally marked with a 5/8” tall capital letter G on the obverse buttstock. The Gladiator arrived in Nassau, Bahamas on December 9, 1861. There she was unloaded and her cargo was transshipped to the Confederacy via the smaller, faster Blockade Runners Cecile, Kate and Florida. The Kate delivered her cargo to Smyrna in early February of 1862, Florida made her delivery to the same destination in mid March, and Cecile delivered her cargo into Charleston in mid February, 1862. To date, only 16 of the 900 Georgia marked “Gladiator Enfields” are known to have survived. The balance of the Georgia purchased arms were shipped aboard the Blockade Runner Economist, which made its delivery into Charleston Harbor in mid March 1862.
Based upon examination of the limited number of Georgia “G” marked P-1853 Enfield rifle muskets known to exist, it has been determined that #1-2000 and #3700-4700 were guns marked in the above manner. However, it appears that approximately 1700 guns (likely the guns numbered between 2000-3700) were delivered by the London gunmaker Barnett, and these guns have their numbers stamped on the toe of the buttplate, rather than being engraved on the top. These guns also bear a G mark on the obverse buttstock (but of a slightly larger size), and are marked with the CH / 1 inspection stamp in the wood, in front of the buttplate tang, instead of a JS/(ANCHOR). To date less than 50 “G” marked P-1853 Enfields of all types are known to have survived, with less than 30 of the engraved number guns being known and less than 20 of the Barnett guns with stamped numbers being known. This observation is based upon some 20 years of surveying extant examples by several noted arms historians, and maintaining a very extensive database.
This Gladiator delivered Georgia “G” P-1853 Enfield Rifle Musket is number 1508, and traveled to Nassau in case number 88 in the cargo hold of the Gladiator. Case 88 contained the guns numbered 1501-1520. This gun was delivered to Sinclair, Hamilton & Company by the famous London gunmaker E.P. BOND. The firm of Edward Philip Bond was one of the larger London gunmaking companies, which could trace their roots in the business to the early 1700’s, when the first Bond of the family was “Freed of the Gunmakers Company” (released from apprenticeship as a “master”) in 1730. Over the next hundred years the family flourished in the gun trade, and in 1835 Edward Philip Bond was apprenticed to his uncle William Thomas Bond. In 1836, Edward was turned over to John Edward Barnett to continue his apprenticeship and was free of the Gunmakers Company in 1842. The time Bond spent apprenticed to Barnett no doubt established the long time relationship between the two companies that continued well into the American Civil War era, as both firms became major suppliers of arms to the Confederacy. According to the Gladiator manifest, crates number 84-88 were “furnished” by Bond. Three guns are known to have survived from the Bond furnished crate #88, two of which are Bond marked on the lock and the third of which has TOWER / 1861 lock. Both of the Bond marked guns have the initials R.T.P. stamped in the wood at the tail of the stock flat opposite the lock. All three surviving guns from this crate indicate that Bond was sub-contracting at least some of the guns that he delivered on this contract. The “Tower” marked gun clearly being manufactured in Birmingham and both of the “RTP” marked guns being manufactured by R.T. Pritchett. This rifle musket bears Pritchett marks throughout, with the only “Bond” marking being found on the lock. The gun is not marked with a “B” for Bond furnishers mark on the top of the stock, forward of the buttplate tang. This is typical of early Bond deliveries to the Confederacy, which tend not to be furnisher marked if they are under inventory number 2000. The gun is clearly marked on the lock in two lines, forward of the hammer: E.P. BOND / LONODN. There is no “crown” to the rear of the hammer. The interior of the lock marked with the mating number 18, the initials PM, the name PRITCHETT, and with a single large P. The inside neck of the hammer is marked R.T.. The breech of the barrel is marked with the usual London commercial Provisional Proof, View, and Definitive Proof marks. The breech is also marked with a single P, which apparently stands for Pritchett. This “P” is identical to the one found inside the lock. The bottom of the barrel is marked by the famous English barrel making firm of BEASLEY BROS, and is additionally marked PRITCHETT, with the gauge number 25 for .577 caliber, 347P and with the mating number 18, matching the number inside the lock. The gun has a crisp and clear 5/8” tall Georgia G on the obverse buttstock, a legible JS / (ANCHOR) in the belly of the stock, behind the triggerguard and the inventory number 1508 engraved on the buttplate tang. The number is engraved in a small neat hand, and is typical of low numbered Bond furnished guns. The initial R.T.P. are barely legible at the tail of the stock flat, opposite the lock.
The gun is in about VERY GOOD+ condition overall. The metal of the gun has been very lightly cleaned a long time ago, and is almost entirely smooth throughout. There is only some light scattered peppering and pinpricking present on the barrel and bands. The metal has a medium gray patina and has no original finish present. The metal also shows scattered areas of lightly oxidized age discoloration and areas of brownish coloration. The lock functions crisply and is mechanically excellent, working perfectly on all positions. The bore of the gun rates about VERY GOOD as well. The bore is mostly bright, with strong rifling and only some light scattered pitting along its length. The gun retains the original long-range rear sight, which is marked W&S for Philip Webley & Son. The barrel bands all retain their original screw keepers at the ends, small items that are almost always missing. The gun also retains both of its original sling swivels, and sports an original English pattern leather sling, which ties onto the triggerguard and has one standing and one sliding loop for adjustment. An original, period P-1853 ramrod is in place in the channel under the barrel. It is full length and retains good threads at the end. The original ramrod, which was numbered to the gun, is lost to the ages. The original, matching numbered ramrods are practically never found with numbered Enfields. During the war, the Confederacy imported thousands of replacement ramrods due to the proclivity of the soldiers to loose them or break them. The brass furniture is very attractive and has a lovely, mustard patina. The stock of the gun rates about VERY GOOD+ as well. It was lightly cleaned long ago, but does not appear to have been sanded. All of the stock markings remain crisp, without any smearing or blurring. The edges remain strong, and any rounding appears to be from actual use, wear and tear. The stock is solid and full-length, with no breaks, cracks or repairs. The wood to metal fit is wonderful, and very tight throughout. The stock does show light to moderate handling marks, bumps and dings, but clearly was never abused or treated severely.
Overall, this is a really great example of an incredibly scarce Georgia “G” marked P-1853 Enfield Rifle Musket, which we know was shipped from England on board the Gladiator. These early Georgia marked guns were some of the first Enfields to arrive in the south, and their early delivery insured that they saw significant service during the course of the war. High quality Confederate Enfields are difficult to find for sale, but state marked guns are particularly difficult to locate. This is a wonderful and well marked Georgia gun that is 100% original and correct (with the exception of the missing original numbered rod) and would certainly make a fantastic centerpiece to any advanced collection of Confederate long arms, especially a collection that emphasizes Confederate imports. A high resolution copy of the Gladiator manifest page (suitable for framing), showing the Georgia guns on that ship will be include with this gun, and will significantly enhance the display.
Joseph Knight
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