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THIS RARE SPENCER CARBINE IS IDENTIFIED AS A WAR DEPARTMENT
PATTERN GUN BY THE FLAMING BOMB STAMP ABOVE "W.D." WITHIN AN OVAL.
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Rare Historic Documented War Department Pattern Gun U.S. Civil War Spencer Model 1860 Repeating Saddle Ring Carbine - Serial no. 29752, 52 Spencer cal., 22 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut stock. This rare Spencer Model 1860 carbine is identified as a War Department pattern gun, and the top of the breech end of the barrel is bearing a flaming bomb stamp above “W.D” (War Department) surrounded by an oval and “1864” in three lines. An accompanying copy of an official government letter by noted U.S. Ordnance inspector William A. Thornton, dated June 9th, 1864, identifies this exact carbine by serial number in which he states, “I have the honor to inform you I have inspected two Spencer carbines presented by the Spencer Repeating Rifle Company of Boston, Mass.; pursuant to their contract of the 24th of May 1864, and respecting which I have the honor to report: Barrel #29,752...” and proceeds to give a detailed report in which he is critical of some of the small details in terms of fit and finish and finishes the letter by stating, “The remaining components of the arms are of first class materials and workmanship. In fact, the workmanship and finish of the samples is the best that has come under my inspection in the examination of samples. I recommend the acceptance of the models as guides for future work, with the understanding that the defects herein specified shall not be allowed to enter into the future manufacture of Spencer carbines.” The other Spencer pattern carbine referenced in William A. Thornton’s report currently resides in the Springfield Armory Museum collection (serial number 29792, SPAR 4862) and has the same War Department marking on top of its barrel. Approximately 50,000 Spencer carbines were manufactured between 1863 and 1865 for the Union Army.
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