The Butterfield

One of the battle-worn limited issue revolvers ignored by Ordnance buyers is that of Josiah B. Butterfield. A brass-framed percussion six-shooter using the patented Butterfield pellet primer device, this gun originated during the time when Jefferson Davis wanted guns to be self priming. Perhaps it is this erstwhile

Pellet primer revolver of Josiah Butterfield was bought on authorization of Dr. Rowand who wanted to help out. Fifth New York Cavalry carried some, and Confederate use is also alleged. Firm Beauregard & Slidell are said to have sold a few in the Carolinas presumably during “cold War” period.

Confederate association which has caused the Butterfield to be listed as “Confederate,” for there is no record of its having been used by Confederate forces. But as a Yankee revolver specially ordered for the Ira Harris Guard Regiment of the 5th New York Cavalry, it certainly deserves recognition.
The Ira Harris Guard, under command of Colonel O. De Forest, was raised as a volunteer force during the fall of 1861. Colonel De Forest received authorizations during the months of September, October, and November from General Ripley, to buy horse equipments and revolver pistols aggregating 2,280 arms. Assisting Colonel De Forest in the organization of the regiment was Dr. Charles L. Rowand who, thinking himself authorized to do so, and seeking to relieve De Forest of unnecessary details, placed the pistol order with Josiah B. Butterfield & Company of Philadelphia.
When the Commission on Ordnance Stores stood ready to receive copies of contracts and adjust claims, a letter over De Forest’s signature was sent to the Secretary of War, Stanton, dated Camp Harris, Annapolis, Maryland, the camp of instruction of the “Guards,” which stated categorically that De Forest “contracted with J. B. Butterfield & Company for the delivery of 2,280 pistols.” This letter was sent on to Major Hagner by General Ripley, “to be read in connection with the De Forest case.”
Though De Forest failed to answer a summons of the Commission to give evidence, he sent word over from Major Maynadier’s office on May 31 that he was there and would like to see the papers on his case. As Major Hagner declared in the finding statement of the Commission, on June 24, 1862, Colonel De Forest read the letter saying he had contracted with Butterfield, and repudiated it as not having been written by him. Thereafter, De Forest learned that Dr. Rowand had made the Butterfield contract in his name, and so again contacted the Commission saying that the Butterfields were “an article of superior value and which should be adopted by our government. He informs me that they have never been received by you, but are ready (June 18, 1862) for delivery. Will you do me the favor to have them inspected and paid for?”
Hagner and Judge Holt could not find it in their power to do De Forest any such large favor, which would have amounted to say $45,000, and their negative decision was binding:
No obligation rests upon the government, however, to carry out an agreement not made by its orders, but under an error by an unauthorized agent. The commission therefore direct that nothing be received under such contract or agreement, but that should it be deemed advisable to purchase the pistols stated to have been made, it shall be done, after proper trial and in open market, at such price, compared with the present prices of revolvers, as may be fair and just.
Water, water, all around, and not a drop to drink, was the situation Butterfield faced. A small businessman, he had sunk $10,000 in tools and materials to make the few thousand pistols for De Forest. Refused by Government, though he had contracted in good faith, Butterfield fades from the scene. Behind, he left about 2,000 .44 revolvers having one unusual feature: a spring-loaded column of priming pellets in front of the trigger guard, which fed flat detonating discs into the path of the hammer on the down stroke. The percussion nipples are at right angles to the axis of the cylinder, like a pepperbox, and are not well adapted to carrying percussion caps since the shock of discharge would cause loose caps to fall off. It was the Butterfield’s fate, like that of the Walch that follows, not to be in the path of the development of modern arms.