Arming the Union: Federal Contract Model 1861 Springfield Rifle Muskets

At the outset of the Civil War, the Federal government ran into a serious issue when the Confederacy occupied Harper’s Ferry, Virginia, the home of one of the nation’s two armories, and carted the gun making equipment off to Richmond, Virginia. This left just the Springfield Armory in Springfield, Massachusetts as the sole government-operated entity to produce longarms for the Union army.

          But it quickly became apparent that production at Springfield would have to be supplemented, so the War Department pursued two tracks to increase the weapons supply. Agents were dispatched to Europe to purchase suitable weapons from England, France, Austria, Belgium, and Prussia. Over time, these agents acquired hundreds of thousands of European arms of different designs and origins that equipped Federal regiments in the first years of the war.

          In the meantime, operations at the Springfield Armory were sped up to produce the army’s new Model 1861 Springfield rifle musket. By the end of the war, the armory would produce over 800,000 rifle muskets. But it took time for Springfield to ramp up so in 1861 the War Department also turned to domestic manufacturers, signing contracts with over 20 manufacturers in the northeast who were tasked with producing copies of the Model 1861 Springfields. These contractors eventually produced more than 630,000 rifle muskets as shown below.

          The list contains the names and addresses of these manufacturers along with some details about their Federal contracts, number of arms produced, etc. The contractors are organized by state in alphabetical order. William B. Edwards’ Civil War Guns and Claud Fuller's The Rifled Musket have been consulted extensively to create this list with supplementary information provided by antique firearms dealers and experts throughout the country. Special thanks also to Phil Spaugy, Dean Nelson, and Mike Santarelli for their assistance with getting this article together. 

Foreign Import

William Hahn (German-made Springfield copies)

Lockplate: Plain

          A total of 487 of the Suhl-produced Springfield copies were imported into the U.S. in early 1862.


Connecticut Manufacturers

Colt Patent Firearms Co.

Hartford, Connecticut

Lockplate: Colt Pt. F.A. MFG Co. Hartford CT

          Colt was the first domestic manufacturer to receive a War Department contract, an order for 25,000 Model 1855 rifle muskets being placed on July 5, 1861, to be sold to the government for $20 each. Colt signed an additional contract for 25,000 more muskets on December 26, 1861 (none of these were delivered). It took quite some time for Colt to obtain the necessary equipment to make rifles and it wasn’t until September 1862 that the Colt Special Model 1861s began to be supplied to the army. A third contract for 50,000 rifles was signed on June 5, 1863, of which only 12,500 were delivered. A fourth contract was signed March 19, 1864, for 37,500 rifles all of which were delivered before the end of the war. That said, Colt eventually produced 75,000 Model 1861s for the Union army and assisted other manufacturers with producing thousands more.

 


Eagle Manufacturing Co.

Mansfield, Connecticut

Lockplate: U.S. Eagleville

          Eagle Manufacturing Co. received a contract to produce 25,000 Model 1861s in late 1861, but the commission reduced the total to 20,000 in 1862. The first muskets were not delivered until April 14, 1863, and then only 5,480 of the 20,000 contracted were actually delivered. Final delivery occurred on September 11, 1863. Eagle Mfg. Co. worked closely with both James D. Mowry listed below and the Norwich Arms Co. in the production of their weapons.

 


James D. Mowry

Norwich, Connecticut

Lockplate: Jas. D. Mowry, Norwich, CT

          Mowry, a paper manufacturer located in Norwich, Connecticut, secured a contract on December 26, 1861, to produce 30,000 Model 1861s at $20 each. Mowry subcontracted the parts and assembly; assembly occurred at both Eagle Manufacturing Co. in Mansfield with the lockplates marked as U.S. Eagleville and guns assembled at the Norwich Armories as marked Jas D. Mowry Norwich. The Holt & Owen commission eventually reduced Mowry’s contract to 20,000 guns and the first delivery occurred on June 1, 1863, eventually delivering 12,000 by the time his contract expired in January 1864. He was permitted to deliver another 10,000 weapons in 1864, raising his overall production to 22,000 Model 1861s.



Norwich Arms Co.

Norwich, Connecticut

Lockplate: U.S. Norwich

    The Norwich Arms Co. received two contracts: one signed April 1, 1864 for 10,000 Model 1861s at $18 each and a second contract signed October 18, 1864 for 15,000 muskets at $19 each. All 25,000 Model 1861s were delivered. 

 


James Mulholland/ Parker, Snow, Brooks, and Co.

Meriden, Connecticut

Lockplate: Parkers’ Snow & Co., Meriden, CT

          James Mulholland was the superintendent of the Reading Railroad, and using his significant political connections secured a contract to produce 50,000 Model 1861s on January 7, 1862. Mulholland subcontracted the entirety of his contract to Parker, Snow, Brooks & Co. of Meriden, Connecticut. A reduced contract for 25,000 arms was signed on June 11, 1862, of which only 5,502 were ultimately delivered before the contract was closed October 31, 1863. Parker, Snow, Brooks and Co. delivered 15,000 muskets under their own contract. 

 


Savage Revolving Firearms Co.

Middletown, Connecticut

Lockplate: Savage R.F.A. Co., Middletown, CT

          After much maneuvering including being willing to fulfill the Parker, Snow, Brooks & Co. contract, this firm received a contract for 25,000 Model 1861s on September 9, 1862, at $16 each of which 13,500 were delivered by February 1864. Shortly thereafter, a second contract for 12,000 muskets at $18 each was signed February 25, 1864, and all were delivered by November 7, 1864. Overall, Savage produced 25,500 Model 1861s.

 


William W. Welch

Norfolk, Connecticut

Lockplate: U.S. Norfolk

          Welch’s first contract was for a modest 18,000 arms at $20 each, the contract being signed November 6, 1861with the first deliveries taking place on September 23, 1862. The commission reduced the contract to 16,000 arms by that time, all of which were delivered by December 1863. A supplemental contract for 2,500 muskets was signed on January 12, 1864, but only 1,000 were delivered in May 1864 before the contract was prematurely exhausted. Welch lobbied the Federal government to be allowed to deliver the balance of the 1,500 muskets that had been ordered and was allowed to do so in April and May 1865, the government only paying $15 per gun for this final batch. Total production of Model 1861s amounted to 18,500 muskets.

 


Whitney Firearms Co.

Whitneyville, Connecticut

Lockplate: Whitneyville or E. Whitney

          Whitney Firearms Co. started producing firearms in 1847 so it natural that it would play an important role in filling the government’s need for rifle muskets when the need arose in 1861. The works were actually located in New Haven, Connecticut but was popularly known as Whitneyville. Eli Whitney, Jr. signed a contract with the state of Connecticut to supply 5,600 modified Model 1861s featuring a Remington style rear sight, all 5,600 being delivered by April 1862. Whitney also signed a contract with the Federal government to make 40,000 muskets on December 24, 1861, but the Holt-Owen commission reduced the total to 25,000. After much finagling, Whitney cancelled the old contract and eventually signed a new one on October 17, 1863, to produce 15,000 muskets at $19 each, the first deliveries of which commenced three days after signing the contract. A total of 15,001 of the muskets under this final contract were delivered by January 30, 1865.

 


William Muir & Co.

Windsor Locks, Connecticut

Lockplate: Wm. Muir & Co., Windsor Locks, CT or Windsor Locks

          On December 7, 1861, William Muir secured a contract to deliver 30,000 Model 1861s at $20 each and unusually of all these makers, his contract was not reduced and Muir delivered every gun of the contract. He subcontracted with several other makers including Dinslow & Chase and eventually formed a partnership with O.T. Burt to form William Muir & Co. An altered contract was signed July 9, 1862, where Muir would deliver the first 20,000 muskets at the full price of $20 each and the last 5,000 at $16 each. Deliveries commenced on January 11, 1863, and by November 3, 1864, all 30,000 muskets had been delivered.

 

Massachusetts Manufacturers

 


William Mason

Taunton, Massachusetts

Lockplate: U.S. Wm. Mason, Taunton (a few early ones are marked U.S. Taunton)

          William Mason, a well-known manufacturer of machinery for cotton mills, secured a contract for up to 100,000 Models 1861s on January 7, 1862, but the contract, after much wrangling, was eventually reduced to 30,000 guns. Deliveries commenced on June 11, 1863, and the final deliveries on the contract for 30,000 occurred in August 1864.

 

New Hampshire Manufacturers

 


Amoskeag Manufacturing Co.

Manchester, New Hampshire

Lockplate: Amoskeag Mfg. Co., Manchester, N.H.

          Amoskeag secured a contract on November 18, 1861, to produce 10,000 Model 1861s at $20 each.  What Amoskeag produced was actually the Colt Special Model 1861 (sometimes called a Model 1863 Springfield), their first delivery taking place on June 11, 1863, and ultimately 10,001 were delivered by July 13, 1863. A second contract was signed on November 5, 1863, for 15,000 more muskets, all of which were delivered by February 28, 1865. A final contract for 2,000 muskets (this small number intended to use up all remaining spare parts) was signed on January 6, 1865, and delivered soon thereafter, making Amoskeag’s contribution of 27,001 muskets to the Union war effort.


New Jersey Manufacturers

 


Trenton Arms Co.

Trenton, New Jersey

Lockplate: U.S. Trenton

          Trenton Arms Co. was formed by James T. Hodge and Addison M. Burt to execute the two contracts for 25,000 muskets at $20 each that each man had secured in 1861. Utilizing the shops of the Trenton Locomotive & Machinery Co. as the armory, Hodge and Burt subcontracted for numerous components including locks and barrels. Initial deliveries on Addison Burt’s contract commenced on March 26, 1863, and totaled only 11,495 muskets when closed on December 30, 1864. The deliveries on Hodge’s contract commenced May 14, 1863, and totaled 10,500 muskets when completed on December 17, 1864.

 

New York Manufacturers

 


Charles B. Hoard

Watertown, New York

Lockplate: U.S. Watertown

          Charles B. Hoard operated a steam engine factory in Watertown, New York, secured a contract for 50,000 Model 1861s at $20 each on December 24, 1861. Holt & Owen’s commission in the spring of 1862 threatened to negate his contract, so Hoard let it expire then promptly signed a new contract on June 28, 1862, for 25,000 muskets at $20 each. Only 12,800 of these were delivered between September 17, 1863 and August 2, 1865.

 


Remington Arms Co.

Ilion Gulph, New York

Lockplate: Remington’s, Ilion, N.Y.

          The well-regarded E. Remington & Sons firm of Ilion, New York, the oldest gunmaker in the country, devoted most of its productive energies to producing handguns and carbines during the war, but also produced some rifles in the latter half of the conflict. On August 11, 1862, Remington secured a contract from the War Department to produce 10,000 modified Harpers Ferry rifles with sword bayonets at $17 each, all of which were delivered between April 18, 1863, and January 8, 1864, while a further 2,500 were contracted for in December 1863, none of which were delivered. On December 14, 1863, Remington secured a contract to supply 40,000 Model 1861s at $16 each which were delivered between May 31, 1864, and May 24, 1866.

 


Edward Robinson

New York, New York

Lockplate: E. Robinson, New York

          This firm received a contract to produce 30,000 arms in June 1863, ultimately delivering 12,000 1861s between 1864 and 1865. It has also been reported that this firm produced the full 30,000 arms called for in the contract.

 


Sarson & Roberts

New York, New York

Lockplate: U.S. New York

          John B. Sarson and William S. Roberts formed a partnership in the fall of 1861, initially delivering Potsdam muskets to the U.S. market but soon secured a contract to produce 25,000 Model 1861s, the contract being signed on August 3, 1861. Their initial offer was to produce Enfield copies or Springfields at $18.50 per musket, but after fully realizing the production issues that lie ahead, the contract was cancelled and a new one for 25,000 muskets at $20 apiece was signed. The Holt-Owen commission reduced the contract to 20,000 muskets, the components of which S&R subcontracted from other gunmakers. Eventually only 5,140 of these guns were delivered before the contract was terminated on November 20, 1863, making Sarson & Roberts one of the rarer Model 1861 contract muskets.

 


Union Firearms Co.

New York, New York

Lockplate: U.S. U.A. Co., New York

          Robert S. Gallaher of New York secured a contract to produce 20,000 Models 1861s at $20 each on August 13, 1861; a second contract to produce 20,000 more was signed on October 11, 1861. The Union Firearms Co. was established in late 1861 to execute these contracts as well as 25,000 of the E.S. Allin conversions (Marsh guns) for the Springfields. A fourth contract calling for 25,000 more muskets was received in December 1861. But in the spring of 1862, the government reduced Union Firearms contracts to 25,000 Model 1861s and 12,500 of the Marsh guns. First deliveries of the Model 1861s were to begin in July 1862 but only roughly 300 were actually delivered. Another very rare Model 1861.

 

Pennsylvania Manufacturers

 


Alfred Jenks & Son

Bridesburg, Pennsylvania

Lockplate: U.S. Bridesburg (464 were marked Philadelphia)

          Alfred Jenks & Son, a Philadelphia firm, operated the Bridesburg Machine Works and acquired a contract on July 13, 1861, to produce 25,000 Model 1855s at $20 each, but actually made Model 1861s. The contract was doubled to 50,000 muskets on October 5, 1861, and by the spring of 1862, these started to arrive in Federal stocks. A final contract for 50,000 more Model 1861s was signed on December 15, 1863 of which Jenks delivered 48,000. Total production of Model 1861s was 98,000.

 


John Rice

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Lockplate: U.S. Philadelphia

          John Rice, a stonemason, not a gunmaker but a skilled organizer and well-known commodity in Washington, secured a contract to produce 36,000 Model 1861s on November 21, 1861 at $20 each. Rice utilized other gun makers to produce his components: Essler & Brother made locks, Alfred Jenks’ Bridesburg Machine Works produced stocks, William Mason produced the barrels, etc. Production delays eventually caused the government to reduce the contract to 25,000 muskets and only very few guns were actually produced before the whole scheme collapsed. It’s possible that the 464 Philadelphia-marked Model 1861s delivered by Alfred Jenks’ Bridesburg Machine Works were actually assembled John Rice weapons. A very rare bird.

 

Rhode Island Manufacturers

 


Providence Tool Co.

Providence, Rhode Island

Lockplate: U.S. Providence Tool Co., Providence, R.I.

          Providence Tool received a contract for 25,000 Model 1861s on July 13, 1861, and a doubling on November 26, 1861 with the first delivery not commencing until December 18, 1862. A third contract to deliver 20,000 more muskets was extended in 1863 and final deliveries on this contract occurred May 25, 1865. All told, Providence produced 70,000 Model 1861s.

 


Casper D. Schubarth

Providence, Rhode Island

Lockplate: C.D. Schubarth, Providence

          Casper Schubarth, an experienced Norwegian-born gunsmith, secured a contract to produce 20,000 Model 1861s at $20 each on October 11, 1861; on November 26, 1861, he secured a contract for an additional 30,000 muskets. Schubarth formed a partnership with Frederick Griffing and James Ryder, forming C.D. Schubarth & Co. in February 1862. Schubarth subcontracted the barrels, locks, stocks, mountings, and implements with other northeastern manufacturers but conducted the final assembly at his shop in Providence. The contracts were eventually reduced to 30,000 weapons of which the first delivery commenced on December 19, 1862. Final delivery occurred in October 1863 by which time only 9,500 Model 1861s had been delivered.

 

Vermont Manufacturers

 


Lamson, Goodnow, & Yale

Windsor, Vermont

Lockplate: L.G.&Y., Windsor, VT (a few 1865s are marked E.G. Lamson)

          Lamson, Goodnow, & Yale purchased the assets of failed gunmaker Robbins & Lawrence in Vermont before the war and received a contract from the Federal government on July 11, 1861, to produce 25,000 of the special Colt pattern Model 1861 at $20 each. By October 7, 1861, this contract was doubled to 50,000 muskets, but as mentioned with Colt above, it took awhile before the L.G.&Y. muskets started to arrive in government stocks, the first delivery taking place on September 24, 1862.  All 50,000 of the contracted muskets were delivered by December 10, 1864.

An oddity- blank lockplate rifle muskets from Whitney Firearms Co. 


Contractor Production of Model 1861s by Make

Alfred Jenks & Son                    98,000

Colt Patent Firearms Co.            75,000

Providence Tool Co.                  70,000

Lamson, Goodnow, & Yale        50,000

Remington Arms Co.                 40,000

William Mason                          30,000

William Muir & Co.                   30,000

Edward Robinson                    30,000

Amoskeag Manufacturing Co.    27,001

Savage Revolving Firearms Co.   25,500

Norwich Arms Co.                    25,000

James D. Mowry                       22,000

William W. Welch                     18,500

Whitney Firearms Co.                15,001

Parker Snow Co.                        15,000

Charles B. Hoard                       12,800

A.M. Burt                                 11,495

Trenton Arms Co.(Hodge)       10,500

Casper D. Schubarth                 9,500

Mulholland/Parker, Snow & Co. 5,502

Eagle Manufacturing Co.           5,480

Sarson & Roberts                      5,140

Welch Brown Co.                        1,360

John Rice                                  Less than 500

Union Firearms Co.                   Less than 500



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