December 14-17, 2021 Collectible Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/14/2021
Massachusetts Arms Company manufactured Smith breechloading carbine with 21 - 5/8" round .50 caliber barrel with folding ladder carbine rear sight and German silver blade insert front sight. 2 piece walnut stock and forearm complete with single barrel band, staple with saddle ring, and military buttplate. Faint "JM" cartouche in an oval with "WXM" hand carved in to the stock on left side. According to the Springfield Research records as well as further research, this gun is listed by serial number as being issued to Company I, 3rd Maryland Volunteer Cavalry and was issued specifically to Private William Mort. The 3rd Maryland Volunteer Cavalry was otherwise known as the "Bradford Dragoons", and served in Louisiana as well as around Mobile Alabama in The Army of the Gulf under General Banks. This unit had no officers killed or mortally wounded, 4 officers die of disease, accidents, etc., 11 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, and 80 enlisted men who died due to disease, accidents, etc. Private William Mort is listed as mustering in to I Company 09/01/1863 and being discharged for disability on 06/05/1865. CONDITION: Good, with virtually all of the original finishes turned a brown-gray patina with handling marks throughout. Stock and forearm are good and have heavy handling marks throughout, especially on forearm. Mechanically fine. Bore is dark from use with corrosive black powder with well-defined rifling. An exciting opportunity to own a documented identified Civil War Carbine with wear consistent with use. TON
Manufacturer
Massachusetts Arms Co.