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He did not forget his friends in Texas, and memorialized them
on the roll-scenes on his revolvers, including a scene of the
Texas Rangers fighting the Comanche in a running battle on
the Walker and Dragoon revolvers. Aside from a few special
pairs sent earlier, this revolver would have been part of the first batch of 220 revolvers with the C Company markings (Walker’s company in the Regiment of Mounted Riflemen) shipped to
the Vera Cruz Ordnance Depot. Colonel John Coffee Hays of the First Regiment, Texas Mounted Volunteers, signed for 214 of
the C Company Walkers on October 19, 1847, and the other six
C Company Walkers were listed as stolen. During the fighting, the Walker was reported to be as effective as a rifle at 100 yards and more effective than a musket at 200 yards. While Walker
put his revolvers to good use, a Mexican marksman succeeded where the Comanche had long failed and sent Walker to his grave at the Battle of Huamantla. The American and Texan cause, however, prevailed in the end, securing additional territory in the Southwest for both the United States and the State of Texas.
After the Mexican-American War ended, most of the surviving Colt Walker revolvers were returned to government arsenals in Texas. Of the 191 turned in by Hays’s men, only 82 are recorded as remaining serviceable, but the revolvers continued to be issued in Texas during in the late 1840s. Many of the Walkers used during the Mexican-American War and in fights with Native Americans in the late 1840s were shipped to the San Antonio Ordnance Depot and were captured by the Confederacy at
the beginning of the Civil War and then issued to Confederate cavalry units. That any survive in the condition of this example is surprising.
The revolver is accompanied by a detailed letter from Colt
expert Herb Glass stating: “...I have examined U.S. Model 1847 Colt Walker Revolver C Company No. 12. This examination consisted of complete disassembly and careful examination of all parts. As a result I find this gun to be a genuine Colt Walker
in very fine condition. It is completely original throughout; the only exception being a well made replacement loading lever assembly. Original Walker loading levers are commonly found repaired or replaced; this is due to forging problems during
their manufacture.” He closes noting: “As the earliest example this writer has had the pleasure of examining (just the twelfth gun produced), we can be certain that it arrived in Vera Cruz in the first shipment and saw service.”The revolver has a German silver blade front sight, “ADDRESS SAML. COLT. NEW YORK CITY” marked on top of the barrel reading from the breech towards the muzzle, “US/1847” over the wedge screw on the right, “C COMPANY No 12” on the left side over the wedge, “12” on the breech face of the barrel below the arbor slot, “12” at the front
of the frame between the pins, “12” on top of the wedge, “12” on the bottom of the arbor pin (“2” faint), “C COMPANY No 12” on the left side of the frame, “C COM-Y No 12” on the cylinder along with the Texas Ranger and Comanche fight scene and “MODEL U.S.M.R./COLT’S PATENT” markings, “C COM-YNo 12” (restamped over the first strike which appears to have been upside down) on the front of the trigger guard, “C COMPANY No 12” on the butt, “12” on the left side of the front strap towards the top, “12” on the mortise in the butt of the grip, and “JH” (left side horizontally for John Hawkins) and “WAT” (right side vertically for Captain William Anderson Thornton) cartouches along with a “2” near the butt on the left.
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