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Eli Whitney

Kicking off the parade south seems to have been Eli Whitney who, under a contract with the state of Mississippi June 6, , agreed to deliver 1,500 Mississippi Rifles with sword bayonets. By October 15, he expressed some fear at having the arms inspected. He sent 60 to Adjutant General W. L. Sykes of that state who reported to Governor John J. Pettus on January 18, , in explaining why the state was short of arms, that “The arms were received and examined and proved to be old guns fixed up.” None of the arms were received under the contract and “The affair is now being adjusted between a U. S. senator and said Whitney, but owing to the bad faith of Whitney the arms will probably never be received and the (volunteer) companies will have to resort to whatever can be furnished.”
No specimen of these Mississippi State 60 Whitney rifles, unquestionably conforming to the pattern of the U. S. Rifle Model , with sword bayonets attached, has so far been identified. The short and long “Enfield” rifle miscalled “Confederate Whitney” is described under “Enfields” (Chap. 21). Among Pennsylvania makers there seems to have been some contract current which we strongly suspect was a Southern order, from the style of the arms. Governor Curtin of Pennsylvania
“Average” militia rifle of the late 1850’s or 1860 is this J. Henry & Son short rifle cal. .58 with muzzle of barrel turned round for socket bayonet. Same bayonet adaptation is noted on S. Carolina marked Kentucky rifle though coincidence is not enough to justify claiming the Henry was intended for that Southern state. Similar arm was made by J. H. Krider with Sharps-type patchbox, but using Enfield-style lock.
“Average” militia rifle of the late ’s or  is this J. Henry & Son short rifle cal. .58 with muzzle of barrel turned round for socket bayonet. Same bayonet adaptation is noted on S. Carolina marked Kentucky rifle though coincidence is not enough to justify claiming the Henry was intended for that Southern state. Similar arm was made by J. H. Krider with Sharps-type patchbox, but using Enfield-style lock.
stated definitely November 26, , that his state had no contracts for arms. Guns of P. S. Justice, J. Henry & Sons, and J. H. Krider, all Philadelphia makers, have a basic resemblance one to the other. All use a Sharps-form brass patchbox which is not Robbins & Lawrence or Sharps make, although it is remotely possible some of the Sharps British Model Carbine tools might have gone into shaping the patchboxes. All resemble the rifle titled “Harpers Ferry Rifle.”
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