October 22-23, 2019 Extraordinary, Sporting & Collector Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/22/2019
Capt Thomas Drummond was born on May 9, 1832, the son of Rev. Dr. James Drummond and his first wife. His father was born in England, came to the U.S. at age six years, and the family settled in Jefferson County, Ohio. Thomas's father was a medical doctor and a minister who practiced medicine for ten years and was a minister for 52 years. His first wife, mother of his three children, died at a very young age, and is buried at Methodist Cemetery at St. Clairsville. Thomas was raised by his father's second wife, Catherine, who James married in 1840. The presentation plaque on top of the original double gun walnut display case reads "Cleveland City Union Club to Capt. Thomas Drummond 5th US Cavalry Jan. 4, 1865."
Captain Drummond joined the 5th US Cavalry at their formation. The 5th Cavalry Regiment, known as the "Black Knights", was a historical unit of the United States Army that began its service on August 3, 1861, when an act of Congress enacted "that the two regiments of dragoons, the regiment of mounted riflemen, and the two regiments of cavalry shall hereafter be known and recognized, as the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth regiments of cavalry respectively of the U.S. Army. During the Civil War, the Regiment fought valiantly at the 1st Battle at Bull Run, the Battle of Gaines's Mill, the Battle of Fairfax Courthouse, the Battle of Falling Waters, the Battle of Martinsburg, the Battle of Gettysburg, the Battle of Wilderness, and the Shenandoah Valley Campaign, among many others. The 5th Cavalry's most notable action came at Gaines Mills, when the regiment charged a Confederate division under command of a former comrade, General John Bell Hood. The regiment suffered heavy casualties in the battle, but their attack saved the Union artillery from annihilation. Drummond was given this set of pistols in Jan. of 1865 and had survived so many of the wars most noted and infamous battles but died on April 2, 1865 from injuries suffered in the Battle of Five Forks in Virginia fought on April 1, 1865, only one month and eight days before the war ended on May 9, 1865. Both guns are an identical pair of Smith & Wesson Model No. 2 Old Model Revolvers with 6" octagon barrels, spur triggers, with high polish factory blue finish and walnut grips. CONDITION: Both guns retain approximately 85% of their original factory high polish blue finish blending with soft even patina. Both have razor sharp legends. Both have sharp bores. The guns are less than 200 numbers apart. There is no attribution on the guns themselves but given closeness of numbers and almost identical condition makes sense having been presented in the original case. Set comes with a rare Black & Gold S&W ammunition box that is faded and has 14 rounds of ammunition. DB
Caliber/Bore
(BOTH) .32 Rim Fire
Serial Number
(A) 31917 (B) 32112