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B,C, H, I and K of the 3rd VVI including serial
numbers 7299 and 7315. Presumably the remaining
five companies of the 3rd VVI whose rifle serial numbers
were not recorded were also issued Henry rifles in
the same range. It is very likely this rifle, No. 7306, was
one of the 627 late production Henry rifles purchased by the
Ordnance Department and issued to the 3rd VVI. The 3rd VVI was one of nine
infantry regiments recruited from discharged veteran soldiers in 1864-65. The
Veteran Volunteer regiments were intended to serve as an elite infantry corps armed with Henry, Sharps and Spencer
rifles. As an enlistment incentive, members of the Veteran Volunteer regiments were allowed to retain their rifles when
they mustered out of service. The 3rd VVI was apparently the only VVI regiment armed with Henry rifles. The 3rd VVI and 1st District of
Columbia Cavalry regiment were the only units in the federal army armed entirely with Henry rifles. Unlike the 800 Henry rifles issued to
the 1st D.C. Cavalry in early 1864, the 627 Henry rifles issued to the 3rd VVI were not marked with Ordnance Department inspection marks
and are identified only by serial number. The 3rd VVI was organized at Camp Stoneman, District of Columbia, in March 1865 and served in the
Washington D.C. defenses until it mustered out of service at Camp Butler, Illinois, in July 1866. Although experts believe that the majority of
Henry rifles manufactured by the New Haven Arms Company during the Civil War were purchased by individual federal soldiers who appreciated
the firepower offered by the Henry lever action rifle, only 1731 of the approximately 9800 Henry rifles manufactured between April 1862 and May
1865 were purchased by the Ordnance Department and issued to the army.
CONDITION: Fine. The brass receiver and buttplate are very fine with a handsome aged patina. The receiver and buttplate show slight handling marks. The side
plate joints are nearly perfect. The hammer retains 30% of the muted case colors. The case colors on the trigger and lever have aged to a gray-brown patina. There is some shallow
pitting on the left side and bottom of the loading lever bow. The barrel/magazine has aged to an attractive brown patina. The surfaces of the barrel/magazine are smooth. The edges of the
barrel are sharp. The New Haven Arms Co., legend and serial number are crisp. The stock is very fine and retains 85% of the original varnish. Wear is limited to a few scattered, insignificant
handling marks. This is a fine example of 1865 production Henry rifle that is almost
certainly a U.S. contract rifle issued to the 3rd VVI.
Estimate: 22,500 - 35,000
LOT 3017
Civil War New Haven Arms Co. Henry Lever Action Rifle - Serial no. 7306, 44 Henry RF cal., 24 1/4 inch bbl., blue/brass
finish, varnished walnut stock. This Henry lever action rifle was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Company in November 1864. The rifle
has the distinctive Henry brass receiver and buttplate with blued barrel and integral 15-shot magazine with casehardened hammer and loading
lever and varnished walnut stock. The rifle has the late production features which include: (1) Type II receiver without rear sight dove-tail, (2)
Type II buttplate with sharply pointed heel, (3) larger Type II barrel legend with all serif letters, (4) sling swivel and screw-mounted loop for sling hook on the
left side of the stock and barrel, (5) large diameter brass magazine follower with beveled follower cut on the bottom of the receiver, (6) nickel-silver, square back,
front sight and (7) folding leaf rear sight with 900 yard center notch and elevator bar stop screw at the top of the leaf. The top barrel flat barrel is roll-stamped with the
two-line factory legend: “HENRY’S PATENT.OCT.16.1860/MANUFACT’D BY THE NEWHAVEN ARMS CO. NEWHAVEN.CT.” ahead of the rear sight. The serial number is stamped: (1) on the top barrel flat
between the rear sight and the receiver, (2) on the left side of the lower receiver tang, (3) in the upper tang inlet of the stock and (4) on the inside of the buttplate. All of the serial numbers match.
The late style cap-head screws on the buttplate and receiver tang are, correctly, not stamped with the rifle serial number. The serial number of this rifle falls within the serial number range (7000-
8000) of the 500 Henry rifles purchased by the Ordnance Department
from the New Haven Arms Company on April 7, 1865, and subsequently
issued to the 3rd Regiment U.S. Veteran Volunteer Infantry (3rd VVI).
On page 75 of “THE HISTORIC HENRY RIFLE” author Wiley Sword
lists the serial numbers of 146 Henry rifles,
serial number 7074-7967, issued
to Companies
19