1860 Letter to Samuel Colt from H. Richardson Regarding a Call for Arms

Lot 91

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American History, Featuring the Property of N. Flayderman & Co. by Cowan's Auctions

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American History, Featuring the Property of N...

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Lot Description

1p, approx. 9.25 x 10.75 in. Richmond, VA, January 26, 1860. Signed by Wm. H. Richardson, Adjutant General of Virginia. To Samuel Colt requesting an exchange of arms, and possible purchase of others. General Richardson requests of Colt:

In the extraordinary call for arms of all descriptions growing out of the occurrences at Harpers ferry in October last, the State is in want of some descriptions of arms for immediate use, that cannot be procured as speedily as necessary. The Legislature had made large appropriations both for pulling the Armoury into operation and for the purchase of arms - both which measures a gentleman who I understood was connected with your establishment, called on me not very long since, and in a brief conversation which was all I then had time for stated, that any portion of the arms which the Governor purchased of you could be exchanged for such others as the State has most immediate need of. In that case we desire to exchange the revolving rifle muskets for Cavalry sabres & probably pistols & that immediately. Can you do this & if so upon what terms?

General William H. Richardson formed the First Regiment of Virginia Volunteers in May 1851 from volunteer militias in Richmond and surrounding counties. The regiment consisted of ten companies by the middle of the decade before the war, and many were mustered into Confederate service once war erupted. The regiment was called out to defend Harpers Ferry, only to find Brown and his men had already been captured by a unit of US Marines under command of Colonel Robert E. Lee.

One wonders if General Richardson ever regretted trading those revolving rifles. Colt had produced an experimental revolving rifle some decades earlier, but the real production piece was rolled out in 1855, and was not widely distributed for a couple years while design adjustments were made. The early revolvers (both pistol and rifle) used paper cartridges, and ran the risk of "chain fire" if gunpowder leaked into crevices around the firing cylinder. This loose powder could then ignite and ignite any other unfired cartridges in the cylinder, which then drove metal and hot gases into the arm and wrist of the user. (Pistols weren't quite as much of a problem since they were held behind the trigger and cylinder.) As a result, commanders distrusted the weapon, and eventually Colt stopped producing them, even though the development of metal cartridges would solve the problem, and revolving pistols remained popular. This may have been a contributing reason for Richardson wanting to exchange these weapons.

If maintained properly, however, they could be effective. Colt did sell between four and five thousand to the US Military during the Civil War. Reportedly Confederate forces at Snodgrass Hill in the Battle of Chickamauga thought they were facing an entire division, when in fact it was only the 21st Ohio armed with Colt 1855 revolving rifles.

Condition

One vertical fold with light toning along that and the edges. Edges also have short tears and some chips of paper missing, but none interfere with text.
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