Original U.S. Civil War Confederate Co. D, 12th Virginia Infantry Marked C.S. Richmond Type 4 Low Hump Percussion Rifle, Dated 1864

Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original Confederate C.S. Richmond percussion rifle dated 1864 and fitted with the later Type 4 Low Hump lock plate, one of the principal long arms manufactured by the Confederacy during the Civil War. Especially significant is the surviving barrel marking CO. D. XII'TH VA. INF., indicating association with Company D of the 12th Virginia Infantry, the “Lafayette Guards.” The rifle is heavily service worn and retains a convincing dark patina, proper 40" barrel, brass late war furniture, simplified three leaf rear sight, both sling swivels, and a later style tulip head cleaning rod. This is an antique black powder firearm manufactured before 1899. Under federal law, it may generally be owned within the United States without a special license or permit and does not require transfer through a Federal Firearms Licensee. However, state and local laws may vary. This firearm is sold solely as a historical collector’s item and has not been test fired or inspected for firing safety by a professional gunsmith. Any mechanical or bore observations provided below describe only its present condition and should not be interpreted as confirmation that the firearm is safe to load or fire. The purchaser is solely responsible for complying with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. The Richmond rifle grew directly from the Confederate seizure of machinery and components from the U.S. Armory at Harpers Ferry in 1861. Much of that equipment was transferred to Richmond, where it formed the basis of Confederate rifle musket production using machinery originally intended for the U.S. Model 1855 system. One of the most recognizable features of Richmond production is the evolution of the lock plate. Early rifles used the prominent “High Hump” form derived from the Model 1855 Maynard tape primer lock. Later production progressively reduced this projection, eventually resulting in the Type 4 Low Hump pattern, manufactured in its final form rather than simply filed down from an earlier high hump lock. This rifle retains an original Type 4 Low Hump lock correctly marked: C.S. RICHMOND, VA. and dated: 1864 The lock was removed for inspection and compared with known original examples. The font, dimensions, internal construction, and manufacturing characteristics were reported as correct. The stock inlet was also examined and shows no evidence that it was ever cut for the Maynard tape primer feed system. Due to heavy wear and wood loss around the lock, the distinctive “Mule’s Foot” area is no longer present. There is substantial missing wood around the lock itself, consistent with the extensive use and erosion seen elsewhere on the rifle. The rifle retains its proper approximately 40" barrel. The original barrel proof marks are no longer visible, having been worn away through age, oxidation, and percussion residue exposure. Of particular interest, the barrel remains clearly stamped: CO. D. XII'TH VA. INF. This marking indicates association with Company D of the 12th Virginia Infantry, known as the “Lafayette Guards.” The Lafayette Guards were one of the Petersburg militia companies incorporated into the 12th Virginia Infantry when the regiment was organized for Confederate service. The regiment drew heavily from Petersburg and the surrounding region and subsequently served in the Army of Northern Virginia under the brigades of Generals William Mahone and David A. Weisiger. As part of the 12th Virginia, Company D belonged to a regiment that saw extensive service in many of the principal campaigns of the Eastern Theater. The 12th fought at Seven Pines and during the Seven Days Battles, distinguished itself at Second Manassas, and suffered heavily during the 1862 Maryland Campaign, particularly at Crampton’s Gap before fighting again at Sharpsburg. The regiment later served at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville and participated in the Gettysburg Campaign in 1863. The 12th Virginia continued to see hard fighting during the Overland Campaign of 1864, including the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, and Cold Harbor. It then returned to its home region for the long Siege of Petersburg, where the regiment and Mahone’s Brigade participated in some of the campaign’s most severe actions. These included Jerusalem Plank Road, the Battle of the Crater, Globe Tavern, Second Reams Station, Burgess Mill, and Hatcher’s Run. During the Battle of the Crater on July 30, 1864, Mahone’s men launched the well-known Confederate counterattack against Union troops who had broken through the Petersburg defenses. The regiment remained with the Army of Northern Virginia during the final retreat from Petersburg in April 1865. It fought during the Appomattox Campaign, including the rear guard action at Cumberland Church shortly before the surrender, and ultimately surrendered with Lee’s army at Appomattox. This extensive combat history gives the surviving CO. D. XII'TH VA. INF. marking considerable historical interest, although the marking by itself cannot establish which specific engagements this individual rifle was present for. The right side of the stock also bears the carved letters: MOT The significance of this marking remains unresolved. The supplied research did not identify a matching set of initials in the available muster rolls for the company or regiment. As a late war 1864 example, the rifle is fitted with brass furniture, including the nose cap and barrel band. Earlier Richmond production often incorporated salvaged iron furniture from Harpers Ferry stores, while later manufacture increasingly made use of brass components. The lock currently functions, but wear to the tumbler prevents it from holding securely at half cock. It does operate at full cock in its present condition. The rifle retains the simplified Model 1855 style three leaf rear sight, which remains complete and functional. The bore is heavily worn. It measures approximately .65" at the muzzle and no trace of the original rifling remains visible. Large areas of old fouling and oxidation are present internally. It cannot be determined from present condition whether the bore was deliberately smoothbored at some point or simply worn to this degree through prolonged use and corrosion. The bolster area shows extensive percussion residue erosion, consistent with very heavy firing and long service. The percussion cone is damaged and significantly eroded around its base. The bolster cleanout screw is frozen, and its slot is deformed. The metal surfaces have developed an overall dark gray and brown patina with areas of stabilized old oxidation and light peppering. The finish is consistent with a long service life and extended age rather than recent refinishing. The American black walnut stock has matured to a rich reddish brown color with pronounced grain. It shows numerous dents, dings, handling marks, and other signs of prolonged service. There is especially heavy erosion around the lock and on both sides of the barrel tang. This area would have been exposed to percussion cap and powder residue, and the degree of wood loss here is substantial. Age related cracking is also present around several fittings, though no major structural repair is evident. Both sling swivels remain present and functional. The cleaning rod beneath the barrel is a tulip head type without an enlarged shank and is somewhat crudely manufactured. This configuration is consistent with later Richmond production. The threaded end remains in very good condition. The rifle was reportedly previously held in a G.A.R. hall collection before its more recent sale, though no documentation accompanies the firearm to establish that provenance further. With its 1864 dated Type 4 Low Hump C.S. Richmond lock, clearly stamped Co. D, 12th Virginia Infantry marking, late war brass furniture, proper 40" barrel, simplified three leaf sight, surviving sling swivels, and heavily service worn condition, this is a particularly compelling Confederate long arm. The missing barrel proofs, substantial wood erosion, worn smooth bore, damaged percussion cone, frozen cleanout screw, insecure half cock, unresolved MOT carving, and undocumented G.A.R. hall history are all fully disclosed. It would display especially well in a Confederate Richmond rifle, 12th Virginia Infantry, Civil War infantry arms, Virginia military history, or advanced Confederate firearms collection. Specifications: Year of Manufacture: 1864 Maker: C.S. Richmond Armory Model: Type 4 Low Hump Rifle Musket Caliber: .58 Ammunition Type: Minié Ball and Powder Barrel Length: 40 Inches Overall Length: 56 Inches Action: Side Action Percussion Lock Feed System: Muzzle Loading Federal Classification: Pre-1899 Antique More on the C.S. Richmond Rifle: At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, the Confederacy expected to rely heavily on imported arms and machinery from England to equip its rapidly expanding armies. Those hopes were quickly dashed when the Union blockade effectively cut off overseas shipments. Fortunately for the Confederacy, one of the war's earliest strategic victories provided exactly what Southern industry desperately needed. On April 18, 1861, Virginia militia seized the United States Armory at Harpers Ferry. Although Federal troops attempted to destroy the facility before abandoning it, Confederate forces recovered thousands of finished and unfinished Model 1855 rifle muskets, vast quantities of component parts, and, most importantly, much of the specialized machinery used to manufacture them. These invaluable assets were transported to Richmond, Virginia, where they formed the foundation of the Confederate States Armory. Using the captured machinery and adapting the proven Springfield Model 1855 design, Richmond soon began producing what collectors now know as the C.S. Richmond Rifle. These rifles became the standard Confederate-produced infantry arm and served throughout the remainder of the war. One of the most fascinating aspects of Richmond production is the evolution of its lock plates. The earliest Richmond rifles utilized the original Model 1855 lock plate molds, which had been designed to accommodate the Maynard Tape Primer system. Although Richmond omitted the tape primer itself, continuing to use the existing molds allowed production to begin immediately. These early "High Hump" locks extended almost to the underside of the hammer and are today classified by collectors as the Type 1 and Type 2 lock plates. The earliest examples were simply marked: RICHMOND, VA. Shortly thereafter, after the armory officially came under Confederate States control, the markings were changed to: C.S. RICHMOND, VA. creating what collectors identify as the Type 2 lock. Field experience soon revealed that the high hump profile unnecessarily interfered with placing percussion caps on the cone. Richmond initially addressed this by manually filing down existing lock plates, creating the scarce Type 3 variation. When the original lock molds eventually required replacement late in 1862, William Wentzel redesigned them by greatly reducing the unnecessary hump, creating the improved Type 4 'Low Hump' lock plate directly from the new mold rather than by hand modification of cast lock plates. This type of lock plate was then manufactured until the end of the war. NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.