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LOT 1033
Exceptional and Historic Identified 3rd U.S. Veteran Volunteer Infantry Issued,
Martially Inspected New Haven Arms Company Henry Lever Action Rifle with Rare
Sling - Serial no. 8816, 44 Henry RF cal., 24 inch octagon bbl., blue/brass finish, varnished
walnut stock. This Henry lever action rifle was manufactured by the New Haven Arms
Company c. April 1865 and issued to Corporal Isaac Marshall, Company I, 3rd Veteran
Volunteer Infantry Regiment (3rd VVI). This rifle is accompanied by a letter from the
Springfield Research Service, copies of Corporal Marshall’s Civil War service records and a
history of the 3rd VVI. The three VVI regiments were organized late in the Civil War to act
as elite units composed of veteran soldiers. The VVI regiments were armed with Henry,
Sharps and Spencer rifles. As an enlistment bonus, VVI soldiers were authorized to keep their
individual weapons when they were discharged from service. The Civil War ended before
the VVI regiments saw any action. The records provided with this rifle indicate that Corporal
Marshall was mustered out of Federal service on July 20, 1866 at Camp Butler, Illinois. The
Ordnance Department purchased 627 Henry rifles in April and May 1865. These rifles, along
with a few of the approximately 1,100 Henry rifles purchased by the Ordnance Department
in 1863-64 to arm the 1st D.C. Cavalry regiment, were issued to the 3rd VVI and are listed by
serial number in the regimental records. Unlike the rifles purchased for the 1st D.C. Cavalry,
the only Ordnance mark on the 1865 rifles is a tiny “J.T.” inspection mark stamped in block
letters on the left side of the stock wrist. Due to the size and location of the marking it is
rarely visible on rifles with any significant handling wear. Aside from the inspection mark,
this rifle has all of the usual features of a late Civil War production Henry rifle. The octagon
barrel and integral 16-shot magazine have a military blue finish. The barrel has the late style,
square-back, nickel silver front sight and the final style folding leaf rear sight with rounded
elevator bar ends, 900 yard center notch and elevator bar stop screw.
The magazine has the late, large-diameter follower head,
and the lower receiver has a beveled follower slot. The left side of the stock and barrel
have the sling swivel and screw-mounted loop for a sling hook which were standard on late
production Henry rifles. The buttplate is the late style adopted after serial number 5000 with
sharply pointed heel. The buttplate and tang screws are the late style cap screws which lack
the serial numbers found on the shanks of the hand-fitted screws on early Henry rifles. The
bolt has a fire blue finish. The hammer, lever and trigger are casehardened, and the straight
grain American walnut stock is varnished. The receiver, buttplate and cartridge elevator are
brass with a natural finish. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped ahead of the rear sight with
the second style legend: “HENRY’S PATENT OCT. 16. 1860/MANUFACT’D BY THE NEWHAVEN
ARMS. CO. NEWHAVEN. CT.” using all serif letters. The serial number is stamped: (1) on the top
barrel flat behind the rear sight, (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 visible serial numbers
match. The “H” inspection mark of B. Tyler Henry is stamped on the lower tang behind the
lever latch. This rifle is complete with the very rare black bridle leather Henry sling and a four-
piece, jointed steel cleaning rod supplied with later production Henry rifles.