October 30 - November 2, 2018 Firearms, Militaria, & Sporting
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/30/2018
Nickel finish with round barrel, pin front sight and one line New York address. It has five shot fluted cylinder and “COLT PATENT” on left side of frame. Trigger guard and backstrap are brass containing a one piece walnut grip that has the serial number in backstrap channel. Backstrap is inscribed in period script “God Save The Union” and the buttstrap is inscribed also in period script “H.D. Eaton / Hartford Conn”. H.D. Eaton was Horatio D. Eaton of Hartford who enlisted as a Private on April 16th, 1861 and was mustered into Company A 1st Connecticut Infantry and was mustered out on July 31st, 1861. On September 12th, 1861 he was commissioned Lieutenant into B Company 6th Connecticut Infantry. His promotion was effective as 1st Lieutenant on August 23rd, 1861. On April 8th, 1864 he was promoted to Captain and transferred to Company E 6th Connecticut Infantry and was killed in combat May 16th, 1864 at Drewry’s Bluff, Virginia. The 6th Connecticut participated in numerous battles and skirmishes throughout the Civil War and accompanied Sherman’s Expedition to Port Royal, South Carolina where they participated in several battles and skirmishes and moved all the way to Jacksonville, Florida. They returned to South Carolina and participated in the attack on Fort Wagner on Morris Island. In April and May they were in the battle at Petersburg and Richmond with several smaller battles including Chester Station, Fort Darling, Proctor’s Creek and Drewry’s Bluff where Captain Eaton was killed. The unit remained active through the rest of the war and was mustered out August 21st, 1865. This revolver is accompanied by a packet of research material, primarily Captain Eaton’s muster rolls and a reprint of information from the Connecticut Regimental Histories. It also includes an inventory of Captain Eaton’s possessions the day after he was killed, which included a revolver and revolver holster along with personal items. It additionally includes his mother’s application for pension. CONDITION: Fine to very fine, all matching except wedge which is numbered “9692”. Overall retains about all of its original nickel finish with some slight losses on hammer nose and some pimpling on left side of barrel lug. Screws retain strong blue with the hammer screw nickeled. Cylinder retains 95-96% milky nickel. Wedge screw is missing. Grip is sound with oil stain near frame with light handling and use marks and retains about 95% original varnish. Hand is missing otherwise mechanics are fine. Strong, bright bore with light pitting.
Caliber/Bore
.36 Percussion