A Government Arsenal Fills a Foreign Order!

The Navy Department had ordered 10,000 rifles to be built at Springfield Armory on the Remington Rolling Block breech-loading system, .50 caliber. These arms were finished with casehardened frames, and blued 32%-inch round barrels, of Springfield Model 1868 type, rifled with three broad grooves, and fitted under the muzzle with a stud for attaching the fishscale brass hilted sword bayonet. The fore stock is held by two spring-bands.
As first issued, this rifle had the rear sight mounted quite close to the receiver, over the chamber. The Secretary of the Navy condemned these rifles and Thomas Poultney made an offer to buy them from Springfield Armory, paying the Navy a sum equal to the fabrication cost of 12,000 more rifles with the rear sights properly located.

It is entirely possible the relocation of the rear sight was an important technical objection. The drilling for screws to attach it may have been thought by Navy ordnance men to have weakened the barrel at the chamber. With the offer of Poultney in hand, it was a better deal for the Navy to give Springfield Armory an additional order for 12,000 rifles, than have them called in and new barrels fitted.
A mysterious Mr. Markley of New Jersey was fingered by General Franklin as having received $10,-
000 from Poultney to arrange the matter. While the United States did not suffer economically, the international prestige of the country, in its relations with Germany, was jarred a little. For not all the rifles of the Navy’s first 10,000 had been fully completed at the time the sale was made. Additional rifles were fabricated at Springfield Armory on the first Navy order, to be tested, marked with the United States inspectors’ stamps, packed and shipped, directly out to New York harbor, to go aboard a freighter destined for France! While this was not the only time that the United States Armory at Springfield was to manufacture for a private purchaser, it was the first on record.
That Poultney suspected things were not entirely on the up and up was revealed by his partner, Trimble, several days later. He knew that $10,000 had been paid by Poultney to Markley, but he disclaimed knowledge of what it was for; said this was not “his branch of the business.” He claimed that while he knew of the payment, his own side of the affair was to attend to the fancy goods and hardware line, while Poultney attended to the guns. To Senator Schurz’ cogent question, “Do your books show anything about this transaction with Mr. Markley?” Trimble answered damningly, “No, sir.”
Poultney received the 10,000 Remington-Springfields in bright condition though they were originally put into production casehardened and blued. The French wanted bright muskets; and some 900 which had been issued to the Marines at scattered fortresses and depots when called in were sent back to the Springfield shops to be burnished clean of their bluing.