Higgens Adjustable Magazines

[Cpl DeFarb]

Gentlemen

Recently I was reading a book called "Civil War Small Arms of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps". At the top of page 128 the author is talking about U. S. M. Corps accouterment contracts for the year 1864.

On march 26 and 27 the Corps contracted with C. S. Storms of New York for a number of items. Of particular interest to me is the first item on the contract list which is "1,200 cartridge boxes with Higgens adjustable magazines". This is the only reference (in the book) of the Corps ever purchasing this type of cartridge box tin.

I've been all over the place trying to find ANY evidence of these "adjustable magazines". I can't even find a patent for it (although I did find some other interesting designs).

If anyone has seen one of these before or has photos, info, &c. or has other interesting "magazine" designs they would like to share I would greatly appreciate it.

Regards

Karl Jacob

[1stMaine]

Re: Higgens Adjustable Magazines

FWIW, I would check and see what surviving patents of CS Storms still exist in the NY State archives, as well as the federal archives. An email outlining what you know sent to the LOC, as well as the USMC History Center might prove of some valye. Brian Hicks might be able to offersome leads with thhe Marinesas well.

I suspect when is being referred to as magazines are tin inserts, similar to the Mann's inserts which were adjustable, inthat you used up the top row of paper cartridges, lifted up a ring, and a new row slid up on a tin shelf to fill the top and make for easier drawing of a new round.

I may be completely wrong, but you never know what references you might find when researching such obscure items.

[Cpl DeFarb]

Re: Higgens Adjustable Magazines

Thank you very sir. I never thought to look for the patent under Storm's name or in the New York State archives.

I believe that your assumption that "magazine" is the same thing as tins is correct. I have found a few on Google patents unfortunately not under Higgen or Storms names.

Here is one that I found interesting.

https://patents.google.com/patent/US37216A/en

https://patents.google.com/patent/US37607A/en?oq=US37607

This box was first patented in late 62 and redesigned and patented again in early 63.

I have found another small bit of info on the Higgen box this time from Marines of the Civil War The Officers, Honors, Records, and Regulations By David M. Sullivan.

Toward the back of the book he talks about the uniform regulation and subsequent changes during the war.

"As 1863 drew to a close, a board of Marine officers met to determine the merits of a cartridge box submitted by one Peter Higgens.[…] He goes on to describe the regular cartridge box tins. […]The Higgens box was manufactured with room for a full forty rounds of ammunition in one “level.” The board recommended that the innovative cartridge box be adopted by the Corps and, after the Commandant forwarded the board’s report to the Navy Department, 1,200 of the boxes were ordered from C. Storms of New York."

Not much help but another clue

Regards,

Karl Jacob

[1stMaine]

Re: Higgens Adjustable Magazines

Interesting. I have always loved searches like this, as they are always great game. It's lie a jigsaw puzzle with one grand black and white image. You just have to persevere and see how each piece you find relates to the other.