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LOT 276
Historic Documented Confederate Texas Issued Fluted Cylinder Colt Model 1860 Army Percussion Revolver with Factory Letter, Charles Pate Letter and Holster - Serial no. 4412, 44 cal., 8 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut grips. This desirable revolver is among the desirable early production Colt Model 1860 Fluted Army revolvers shipped to the South. Reportedly, around 2,300 revolvers were shipped to southern states and dealers just before the Civil War. Among those identified, perhaps the most significant were those purchased by William T. Martin of Natchez, Mississippi. The accompanying factory letter states that this revolver was originally included as
part of a shipment of 750 to Kittredge & Folsom of New Orleans, Louisiana on April 9th, 1861 and further indicates there was a prior shipment of 250 on March 28th, 1861 to the same. This lot is
also accompanied by a letter from noted historian Charles W. Pate which indicates this grouping
of 1,000 revolvers was purchased and delivered to said location under direction by Texas Ranger
and Civil War Brigadier General Benjamin McCulloch for the State of Texas. The included letter
from Charles W. Pate states, “Colt shipped the first 250 of the revolvers to Kittredge & Folsom by steamer on 28 March 1861. The remaining 750 pistols were not ready for shipment until 9 April, by which date McCulloch was in New Orleans, having returned from the East.”The letter further states, “The second shipment, 750 revolvers, arrived in New Orleans on 16 April and were supplied to the 2nd Texas Mounted Rifles, commanded by the famous former Texas Ranger John S. (“Rip”) Ford. A soldier in Ford’s regiment recorded in his diary on 1 June 1861, ‘A train of wagons arrive from San Antonio loaded with arms, cooking utensils & etc., they are immediately issued to the company; each man has a Mississippi rifle and a Colt’s six.’ The presence of these Model 1860 revolvers in the 2nd Texas is confirmed in the service records of some of the regiment’s members.” Pate further indicates that Colt company never received the $25,000 due for all of these Texas supplied revolvers.
238 The Confederate attack on Fort Sumter occurred on April 12th, 1861, which was right around the
time of the shipment of this revolver, causing the outbreak of the American Civil War. Colt’s company is known to have shipped a considerable quantity of arms to the South. In fact, his company even shipped some arms in the days immediately following the Confederate attack
on Fort Sumter. With the actual outbreak of war, however, Colt threw his weight and his armory behind the Union cause and produced hundreds of thousands of revolvers and rifle-muskets
along with large quantities of ammunition. This exact revolver with the included holster is photographed on page 97 of Charles Pate’s book “The Colt Model 1860 Army Revolver” (copy
of book included with the lot) above the caption, “The old civilian holster has been with SN 4412 for many years.” The book indicates that these Texas used revolvers have been found in the serial range 200-4700. German silver blade front sight, “COLTS/PATENT” on the left of the frame, matching serial number “4412” marked on the barrel, frame, trigger guard and butt, with no number visible on the wedge or cylinder, and a faint non-matching number on the cylinder pin that appears to
be “75x”. This revolver is also photographed with its holster on page 264 of Military Collector & Historian journal in the article titled “Ben McCulloch Colts: Model 1860 Colt Revolvers for the State of Texas” by Charles Pate.
CONDITION: Good and showing strong characteristic signs of Southern Civil War use, exhibiting a darkened brown patina overall with mild wear and pitting. Broken/partially absent spring piece
in the wedge. Grip is also good with general mild wear, some cracked/absent sections at the edges, and some scattered chips. Mechanically fair, occasionally hangs up when cocking the hammer. The holster is good with mild aging and wear, and a few tears and absent sections. This documented Texas issued Colt Model 1860 Fluted Army revolver would make a great addition to any Civil War firearms collection!
Provenance: The Charles W. Pate Collection.
Estimate: 14,000 - 22,500
AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK THE COLT MODEL 1860 ARMY REVOLVER BY PATE AND FEATURD IN "MILITARY COLLECTOR & HISTORIAN JOURNAL" FROM FALL 2017