GUN SPRING 2016
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/14/2016
MARTIALLY MARKED HENRY MODEL 1860 LEVER ACTION RIFLE IDENTIFIED TO MAJOR JOEL W. CLOUDMAN 1ST D.C. CAVALRY & 1ST MAINE CAVALRY. HENRY 1860 3889 44 RIMFIRE Cal. 44 RF Henry. Standard rifle with 24-1/4" oct bbl that has integral magazine, German silver front sight and and 900 yard Henry Ladder rear sight without slide-stop screw. Right side of bbl, at the receiver is marked with the inspector initials "CGC" over an "H" with a corresponding "H" adjacent on the frame. Right side of buttstock at the heel has a tiny "C" inspector mark with a corresponding "C" on the buttplate. Right side of wrist has a partially legible "CGC" cartouche. Mounted with uncheckered, straight grain American walnut buttstock, with straight grip and early style brass crescent buttplate with round heel and large trap which contains an orig 4-pc steel & hickory cleaning rod. Left side of buttstock has a pronounced "Henry Bump". Top flat of bbl is marked with the large, 2-line Henry address. SN is found on the top flat of bbl just forward of the receiver, on left side of lower tang under the wood, inside top tang channel of buttstock and inside toe of buttplate. Loading sleeve was not removed to check for matching numbers. The 2 buttplate screws are matching numbered to the rifle. The wrist screws are properly unnumbered but are orig Henry equipment. Receiver is spectacularly post-Civil War engraved with an elaborate American shield with trophy of arms & flags on left side plate all surrounded by nearly full coverage foliate and floral arabesque patterns with a fine shaded background in the center portion and a pearled background on each end. Right side is engraved with the vignette containing the initials "JWC" surrounded by intertwined foliate and floral patterns which extend to the front side flat. Top of the receiver, top tang and top flat of the bbl between receiver and rear sight are engraved to match. Accompanied by a 3-ring binder of provenance regarding Major Cloudman. Included is a typewritten page apparently from a previous owner which supports some of the above information and adds that "this rifle was discovered behind a wall in an old cabin that was being razed to make way for a summer home at Mayo Beach, Maryland (just south of Annapolis) in 1963. I acquired it shortly thereafter from the gentleman on whose property it was found. -----". Also accompanying is a 2-pg typewritten letter on the letterhead of Ronald Rothschild dated November 2, 1975 and addressed to Mr. Paul Elam of Louisburg, N.C. Mr. Rothschild states that he had just completed, the week before, a very careful check of the roster of the 1st D.C. and 1st Maine Cavalry Units and there was never an officer or enlisted man in either unit with the initials JWG or anything close. He also states that he checked a book in the possession of his friend Everett (Birdie) Partridge which lists the rosters of Civil War Units, including the 1st D.C. and 1st Maine among them and there was nothing close to anyone with initials "JWG". Mr. Rothschild addresses the possible confusion of the letter "C" in the inscription on the right sideplate. He states that a Mr. Albert Sullivan of Baltimore, who is apparently a well known Kentucky rifle person, owns a powder horn which bears a "C" which is identical and is undeniably a "C". He also references a letter from Mr. P. William Filby, Director of the Maryland Historical Society was also "A world renowned expert in the field of calligraphy". Additionally accompanying is the referenced letter from Mr. Filby dated 23 June 1974 wherein he states "--a careful study of the last letter (which is the "C" in question) convinced me that without doubt it is a C. He goes on to detail the characteristics on which he based that statement. Mr. Filby is the author of Calligraphy and Handwriting in America, 1710-1962 (published in 1963) and he was the co-author of 2,000 Years of Calligraphy (published in 1965). Also accompanying are many muster rolls for Maj. Cloudman as well as his application for pension.
Joel W. Cloudman who at age of 40 enlisted as a Private in the 1st D.C. Calvary, Aug. 1863, serving under Col. Lafayette C. Baker. The unit became known as "Baker''s Mounted Rangers" and reportedly only took orders from the War Department. Cloudman enlisted as a private, but became a favorite of Col. Baker and in less than three months was promoted to Captain with his commission signed by Pres. Lincoln. Capt. Cloudman returned to Maine and raised a Company of 140 men and returned to Washington in October 1863. In the Spring of 1864, the unit joined Gen. Benjamin Butler''s army and at that time were the only regiment in the Army of the Potomac armed with Henry rifles. The 1st D.C. Cavalry engaged in several major battles during which time Capt. Cloudman was promoted to Major. In Sept. 1864 he was captured at Sycamore Church, but was held for only a short time. In August 1864, the unit was transferred to the 1st Maine Cavalry where they saw additional battles and in Feb. 1865 Maj. Cloudman was discharged for disability and died in 1877 in Stetson, Maine.
As reported in an article titled Trials and Tribulations of the Henry Rifle, Eric Ortner, as orig published in the Civil War Courier, Maj. Cloudman is quoted as having written a letter to Oliver Winchester singing the praises of the Henry rifle. He related one of his experiences with a captured Southerner who exclaimed "Give us anything but your damned Yankee rifle that can be loaded Sunday and fired all week". Accompanied by a copy of an original letter to "Mr. O.F. Winchester, Pres''t N.H. Arms Co." over the signature of Joel W. Cloudman, late Maj. 1st D.C. Cavalry, wherein he states in the very last sentence the most famous and oft quoted statement regarding the "Damned Yankee Rifle". The Union army purchased 1,103 Henry rifles between April 1863 and June 1864. These are considered to be Type 1 Henry rifles and are marked as noted above. Additionally accompanied by a reproduction 1865 Henry Rifle Catalog. CONDITION: Fine to very fine, all matching including bbl, receiver, buttstock & buttplate, loading sleeve was not checked. Bbl and magazine retain a wonderful dark plummy patina with some scattered fine pitting. Inspector initials on the bbl are crisp and clean. Receiver shows light edge wear with some hammer marks on top and bottom of sideplates. Lever & hammer are also a dark patina. Stock is sound with a chipped toe and nicks & dings and retains 60-65% orig varnish. Buttplate is matching patina to the receiver. Mechanics are fine. Strong bright bore with light pitting and a ring about 3" from the muzzle. Hickory & iron cleaning rod is fine. 50093-1 JR50 (30,000-50,000)