1855 Springfield Use

[lukegilly13]

Are there any surviving documents linking the 1855 musket to use in the eastern (ANV) confederate army? I know that the Virginia Militia stockpiled the '42 Springfield....however, I've also read that the harper's ferry armory converted to producing the 1855 before John Brown's Raid. Therefore, when the confederates took over the HF Arsenal and moved the production equipment to Richmond, was this the '55 gear or the '42 gear or both? Also, was there a stockpile of '55s at the Arsenal and were those mass issued to confederates after the capture of the arsenal? Particularly interested in confederates stationed at Fort Lee at the Richmond fairgrounds....but would be glad to read about any other confederates (even western).
By the way...i've researched.....but sometimes confederate weapon issue can be slim and when you do find it...it's often just a mention of "sprinfield rifles".

[ajroscoe]

Re: 1855 Springfield Use

Luke,
As far as I understand it, the Springfield Armory was in production of M1855 Rifle Muskets until May of 1861. However, Springfield being in Massachusetts, it would have been difficult for the rebels to have captured it. Harper's Ferry, on the other hand was captured by Col. Thomas Jackson in 1861. I know there was machinery for the M1855 Rifle (called the "Harper's Ferry", as opposed to the M1841 "Mississippi" Rifle), which went to North Carolina to become the Fayettville Rifle. I believe the M1855 Rifle Musket machinery was taken to Richmond where it became the basis of the Richmond Rifle Musket production. I do not know about actual stores of weapons themselves though.

[Andrew Kasmar]

Re: 1855 Springfield Use

Hi,

If I recall correctly, there have been M1855 lock plates (with tape primer) found at Petersburg Battlefield, which would link them to the Army of Northern Virginia.

[David Fox]

Re: 1855 Springfield Use

As not-yet Stonewall Jackson's Virginia troops approached Harper's Ferry in April, 1861, a Federal lieutenant took it upon himself to burn the arsenal buildings and contents. He was partly suscessful. The Virginians acquired M.1855 rifle-muskets, machinery to make them, parts, and stocks in various degrees of finish. Never extraordinarily efficient and tramuatized by the John Brown raid, the Ferry's M.1855 production had been sorely depressed up to April, 1861. The rebel Virginians, w/ the help of many of the Ferry's workers, resumed assembly. The exposed position of the Ferry was a reason the entire operation was moved to the State's dorment Armoury at Richmond, where assembly of M.1855s blended into the distinct Richmond rifle-musket, which the Confederates called the M.1855, too. In addition, several southern states had acquired numbers of M.1855 rifle-muskets before April, 1861 pursuant to their allotments under the 1808 militia act and thanks to U.S. Secretary of War (and Virginian) Floyd. Thus certainly the Confederate Army of the Potomac, which in the Spring of 1862 was renamed the Army of Northern Virginia, possessed numbers of M.1855 rifle-muskets, most from Harper's Ferry sources. Springfield production, generally superior, was usually set-aside for U.S. Army (as opposed to militia) needs. Such Springfield M.1855s as would be in Confederate hands in Virginia would have been gleaned from victorious battlefields, chiefly Bull Run.
Dave Fox

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: 1855 Springfield Use

Hallo!

In brief and to over-generalize...

There are differrent and differing views of Harpers' Ferry Armory M1855 rifle-muskets and rifles going into CS hands, as well as Springfield Armory
M1855 RM ones.

First, the 1859 survey of U.S. arsenals listed a total of 24,105 M1855 RM's and M1855 4,102 R's... of which 10,463 RM's and 4.073 were in Southern arsenals.

1st LT Roger Jones claimed in his report that on April 19, 1861, that he torched 15,000 stands of arms to prevent them form Confederate capture.
Some hisotrians put that at closer to 5,000 finished RM's 4,000 R's and that Jones was talking about not only finished weapons, but finished weapons awaiitng inspection, plus component parts like stocks (such as 17,000 rescued and sent to Fayetteville for rifle making).

Confederate pRoduction is tricky, as the state of Virginia started assembling unfinished M1855 RM's from Harpers Ferry parts, in the late spring and early summer, followed by the establishment of the Richmond Armory in October of 1861 (which kicked off with a assembling of parts and initial parts making at the rate of an estimated 700-800 guns a month.

And yes, they also assembled some few hundred M1842 muskets starting in June of 1862.

Springfield produced, between 1857 and 1861, 47,115 RM's with 12,158 produced at Harpers Ferry.

The M1855 Rifle was only made at Harpers Ferry, with 7,317 made with the final 420 being made between January and April when the armory was captured (3,545 being the first two brass variations in 1857-1858, and 3,772 being the last three iron mounted versions)

Curt

IMHO, it was not so much that production of the M1855 was traumatized in early 1861, it was rather that they were waiting to "retool" for the new M1861 coming down the road at any time.)

[Jimmayo]

Re: 1855 Springfield Use

Hi,

If I recall correctly, there have been M1855 lock plates (with tape primer) found at Petersburg Battlefield, which would link them to the Army of Northern Virginia.

I found one in a CS trench near Crater Road.

[lukegilly13]

Re: 1855 Springfield Use

Thanks for the info....still not sure how comfortable I would be with purchasing the '55 for an early war eastern confederate.....seems that it may prove to be a good early war Federal...and 62-5 confederate.
Have any of you diggers found or heard of '55 pieces/remnance being found at/near Manassas or at/near the prewar military camps such as the Richmond fairgrounds?

[Andrew Kasmar]

Re: 1855 Springfield Use

Hi,

Most likely you would be better served to get M1842 Springfield, Mississippi rifle, or converted flintlock; then to get a M1855 Springfield for a early war Confederate. But this is just my 2 cents.

[Daniel]

Re: 1855 Springfield Use

If memory serves me, in that famous photo of dead Confederates behind the stonewall at Fredericksburg in the 1863 battle, you can see a M1855 Rifle Musket. It lying across the trench in the forgound. It is the one with the long range sight on it.

Dan

Dan Stewart

[FloridaConscript]

Re: 1855 Springfield Use

Somewhat of a tangent here, but is there a reproduction '55 with a functional tape primer? I have seen the ones with the door, but there are no guts behind it.

Bryant Roberts

[Benedict]

Re: 1855 Springfield Use

Are there tapes that work?

[David Fox]

Re: 1855 Springfield Use

For what it's worth, an 1861 Virginia Reb carrying an M.1855 rifle-musket, esp. if marked Harper's Ferry, would seem kosher: as earlier stated, Virginians assembled an unknown number on site after capturing the Ferry in April, '61, Richmond continued the effort until supplies of the most identifiable componient (the lockplate) ran out, and likely hundreds were policed-up from the Bull Run battlefield. I've also seen Confederate-assembled '55s with lockplates milled-out for the Maynard cap roll but no cuts for the tape feeder arm and no door. Not pretty, but better than a flintlock smoothbore three times the age of the volunteer issued it. In an illustrated Civil War relics book I don't have at hand is illustrated a '55 rifle-musket a boy(?) found with the body of a dead Confederate in the area of the 1862 Seven Days battles. A suggestion: if you are contemplating a Confederate impression utilizing a replica M.1855 rifle-musket, do so: they were "first class" arms in Confederate service and would have been utilized until lost, broken, or worn out. This weapon would also serve, of course, for a Yankee role. Then buy a replica Richmond-style lock or at least lockplate. With a screw driver, one can change the character of the piece w/ just a lockplate change. Dave Fox

[lukegilly13]

Re: 1855 Springfield Use

Thanks David...I like that suggestion. I don't see too many '55's on the confederate side. As mentioned in the post above, I have seen that 55 in the Fredericksburg image. I portray my ancestor that was severely wounded there while staying behind to defending the heights during the chancellorsville campaign. My wonder if it were a rarity was my inspiration behind the research.

[AZReenactor]

Re: 1855 Springfield Use

Bryant,
I've seen Zimmerman defarbs where he also built a functioning Maynard Priming system. I know of no source for reproduction tape primers but being able to open the door and visibly demonstrate the priming system at interpretive events is quite useful.

BTW, the 1st California Infantry was issued 1855 Rifle Muskets that were on hand at Benecia Arsenal when the war began.

[FloridaConscript]

Re: 1855 Springfield Use

Troy,
Thanks. I remember reading an acct some years ago about Confederates using regular caps when the tape ran out. Sorry i can't remember where I read it. I also seem to remember maybe the 16th Mississippi having 55s around the Maryland campaign of 1862. Don't know if they were swapped out, but that makes sense with the Fredericksburg photo.

Bryant Roberts