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LOT 83
Desirable and
Rare Civil War Confederate Morse
Third Type Breech Loading Center-Fire Carbine - Serial no. 485, 50 CF cal., 20 inch round bbl., bright finish, butternut walnut stock. The State Military Works in Greenville, South Carolina, manufactured approximately 1,000 of these brass frame,
breech loading carbines during the Civil War. George W. Morse invented and patented this breech loading system as well as the cased center-fire cartridge it uses; considered to be one of the earliest of its kind in using what is the precursor to the
Confederate or Civil War collection! Estimate: 14,000 - 22,500
Very Scarce Civil War Confederate Richmond Percussion Carbine Dated 1863 - NSN, 58 cal., 25 inch round bbl., bright/casehardened finish, walnut stock. These arms were manufactured between 1861- 1865 using machinery captured from the Harpers Ferry Armory in April of 1861
LOT 85
Large Unmarked Confederate
LOT 84
modern day firearms cartridge. These carbines were manufactured on machinery which had been captured
by the Confederates from the Harpers Ferry Armory. Interestingly, Morse had started work on overseeing
the alteration of muskets to his breech loading system at the government owned Harpers Ferry Armory
just prior to the outbreak of the Civil War, and continued his work during the war, now in support of the
Confederacy, using some of the same captured machinery. The majority of the Morse carbines were issued
to the South Carolina Militia with limited numbers issued to other Confederate forces. It is chambered in
.50 caliber centerfire and is loaded by raising the breechblock upward. It correctly lacks maker markings; with
only the last few production examples found with maker markings other than the serial number. The serial number “485” is marked on the underside of the frame and breech cover. The breech cover has an iron latch with finger serrations. The barrel is fitted with fixed blade front and notch rear sights. Mounted in a smooth butternut forearm and straight grip stock. Brass tipped iron ramrod.
CONDITION: Very good, exhibiting extensive wear associated with a Confederate issued arm. The barrel displays a gray and brown patina with scattered light to moderate pitting.
The brass retains a highly attractive dark golden aged patina, with some scattered dings from period use. The re-oiled wood is also very good, with some scattered light dents and scratches,
a crack at the left bottom rear corner of the forearm, and a crack at the front tip of the comb. Mechanically fine. With surviving examples few and far between, this rare Morse carbine will make a great addition to any
and moved to Confederate ordnance facilities in Richmond, Virginia. This carbine has the distinctive “humpback” lock made from forgings and dies, taken from Harpers Ferry Armory, which were originally patterned for locks intended for use with the Maynard tape priming system on the U.S. Model 1855 rifled musket. Richmond Armory had no use for the priming device, so to speed up production they merely used the old dies. The lock is dated “1863” at the tail and marked “C.S./RICHMOND,VA.” towards the front. The left quarter barrel flat is correctly marked with the “V/P/eagle head” proofs (faint/partial). The carbine was originally finished armory bright with a casehardened lock. Pinched blade iron front sight and modern replacement folding leaf rear sight. The carbine is mounted in a full length straight grip stock with a modern replacement tulip head iron ramrod, modern replacement iron forend cap, and “US” marked iron buttplate. Absent rear sling swivel with an empty hole in the bottom of the buttstock. A design is carved on the left of the buttstock. CONDITION: Fair with general overall wear consistent of Confederate use, scattered brown patina and light pitting, and mild flash pitting at the breech. Stock is also fair as lightly sanded and re-oiled with scattered scratches, dents, chips, replacement spliced forend sections starting ahead of the lock, a few small spliced repaired sections, and carving as mentioned above. Iron forend cap, ramrod, front barrel band and rear sight are modern replacements. Mechanically fine. Estimate: 4,500 - 7,000
Style D-Guard Bowie Knife with Ink Inscribed
Sheath - A wide variety
of large knives and
Bowie knives were employed
by Confederate troops during the Civil
War, with one of the most popular styles being a large “D-guard” like this example. Many of these
knives were made in small numbers by local blacksmiths, and rarely bear maker’s marks. This example is unmarked and measures
14 1/8 inches overall with a 10 inch, double edged, spearpoint blade. The iron guard has a large D-shaped knuckle guard, a ball
finial on top, and peened tang visible on the pommel. The grip appears to be smooth walnut with a poured pewter band at the top. The leather sheath is fairly plain with large sections of the front burnt and absent and a belt loop on the back along with a faint handwritten ink inscription. The first line of the inscription appears to be the name “John W. Wright” or “Wrigth”. The next line down
is mostly illegible but may end in “Inf”. Following that is what appears to be “Louisa co/va” and what appears to be “August [day illegible]/1861”. There are multiple John W. Wright listings in the National Parks Service database as Confederate soldiers, however, the writer believes the most likely candidate is a private in Company B of the 56th Virginia Infantry Regiment. The 56th was raised
in 1861 from Louisa, Mecklenburg, Buckingham, Nelson, and Charlotte counties in Virginia, and finished mustering in September.
The regiment was captured at the surrender of Fort Donelson in February 1862, before being reorganized and exchanged in the spring and summer of the same year, and then were transferred to Pickett’s Brigade of Longstreet’s Division in the Army of Northern Virginia. During the Seven Days Battles they suffered 100 casualties out of 466 men. They took part in the battles of Second Bull Run and South Mountain, and by the Battle of Antietam were only able to field 40 men, of which seven were wounded. They took part in the Battle of Fredericksburg and, after receiving replacements, arrived at the Battle of Gettysburg able to field 289 men. Being part
of Pickett’s Division, they took part in the fateful charge named after him on the final day of the battle where, of the 289 men in the regiment, 51 were killed, 72 wounded, and 76 were missing or captured. They took part in many more battles in the final years of
the war, including Drewry’s Bluff, North Anna, Cold Harbor, and the Siege of Petersburg. By the time of the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox in April of 1865, only three officers and 26 men still remained.
CONDITION: Very good, the blade mostly a bright grey patina with some scattered patches of mild pitting, evidence of sharpening, and some minor nicks in the edge. The iron and pewter show a slightly darker grey-brown patina and the wood grip shows moderate wear but minimal dings or scratches. The sheath is fair with extensive fire damage on the front and otherwise moderate wear. Estimate: 2,000 - 3,500
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