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CHAPTER 22 Continental Arms

In records of arms purchased by the Union, the reference to “Springfield pattern German rifled muskets” is an enigma to arms students. Listed as No. 181 in the collection of the U.S. Cartridge Company is a “United States Model of , Rifled Percussion Musket, caliber .58. Stamped on the lock , U.S. and an eagle (the USCC catalog illustrates an eagle facing to the eagle’s right, whereas the German guns known show eagles facing to their left); curly-maple stock. Made for the United States Government during the first year of the Civil War, in Germany. Note—A very rare arm.”

The description is complete, defining the typical spring-band rifle musket, three bands, hammer curved originally to follow the Maynard primer fid, but the primer mechanism omitted during manufacture. Three examples of this gun are presently known. One is in the West Point Military Academy Museum, numbered “8” on all parts, including screw heads; and the barrel where it is let into the wood is marked SUHL. The manufacturer as marked on one specimen’s barrel is Chr. Funk, of Suhl. The arm was one of two lots imported by William Hahn, contractor or merchant of New York, who delivered to Major Hagner by purchase 179 “German muskets, Springfield pattern, cali- ber .58 inch, in bond,” at $16.50 for a total payment of $2,953.50.
The arms were received and Hahn paid March 26, . A further lot of 302 “German rifled muskets, Springfield pattern, caliber .58 inch” were signed over to Major Hagner in bond on July 15, , for $14.60. Payment of $4,409.20 for these arms was made July 19. During this time Hahn also supplied 335 cavalry sabers in various stages of finish. Information is lacking of the issue of these weapons. They were retained by the Government and carried on the books as arms for issue, judging from the “Instructions for making Quarterly Returns of Ordnance & Ordnance Stores.”
Under “Small Arms, Muskets & Rifles, Foreign Manufacture” is the item: “Rifled Muskets, Springfield model, German, calibre .58.” The shape of the hammer, having been made some by hand is not a perfect copy of the machine-made Springfield gun hammer. Metal finish, while good, shows hand work. Yet, according to Milt Perry (former West Point arms curator), the parts of the gun interchange with the standard Springfield rifle musket. West Point’s sample, though the records are not clear, probably was one of the pattern or sample arms used by Hagner in inspection, if the number “8” is a serial as well as individual assembly number. Another German Springfield, No. 22, is in the collection of C. N. Wynkoop of Tulsa, Oklahoma. A third example was in the collection of Floyd Garrett, North Quincy, Massachusetts.

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