Private Purchase...

[St. George]

This has been posted on 'The Historical Society Forum' - and may be of interest.

 St. George's Notes XXVI - Private Purchase...
« on: Yesterday at 10:46:53 AM »     

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The procedure through which an officer could purchase arms is outlined in a letter dated December 19, 1881.

This letter is addressed to Lt. J.W. Martin, 4th Cavalry, Fort Sill, Indian Territory - through Headquarters, Military Division of the Missouri.

"Prior to the promulgation of the G.O. 4 of 1879, officers provided their own arms, but could purchase them from the U.S. if so desired.

That Order authorized them to obtain arms, etc., from the command with which they may be serving, for their personal use, but directs that the stores will be accounted for in the same manner as similar stores in the hands of troops.

Under Section 1167 of the Revised statutes is required to make returns tfor the same to this (the Ordnance) office as in the case of any other Ordnance Stores in possession of an officer, and the customary invoices and receipts pass between issuing and receiving officers.

There is no other way of fixing responsibility for property.
A troop's commander is expected to issue to officers from surplus stores.  His enlisted force should not be deprived of arms, etc., for this purpose.(N.A. 41)"

Yours Respectfully,
Your obedient servant
(signed) R.C. Drum
Adjutant General

Two major facts are evident.

1.  An Officer 'could' purchase arms for their own use from the United States.

2.  Officers could only be 'issued' surplus stores from their own unit - not depriving enlisted troopers.

By 1874 - early in the production of the issue revolver - Nickel plating 'was' being done - and it was being done at the National Armory - at Springfield.

It was done on a 'Special Order' basis - with Officer's revolvers 'originally' having been furnished in the standard 'Government Blue' - with casehardened frame and hammer.

No mention is made of an NCO being afforded this option - their weaponry being issued to them as a matter of course.

In the above instance - the term 'surplus' means 'extra' or 'un-issued from stores'.

An aside...

Militias were allotted weapons in accordance with the Militia Act of 1808.

Upon receiving their issue of Cavalry revolvers - several states immediately perverted the intended use of these arms and threw them on the market.

It's known that some of these new-condition revolvers were re-purchased by Colt in an effort to sell them to the Government - with no success, thanks to the fact that they were of the older pattern.

In an effort to recoup - many were Nickelled and re-gripped - often in Ivory one-piece - and put on the commercial market.

The plating would offer the intent that 'these' were 'not' Government-issue arms - thereby avoiding potential problems with their sale.

Further information can be found at the National Archives, and in the book - 'A Study of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver' - by Graham, Kopec and Moore - as well as in  numerous articles as featured in 'The Gun Report', 'Man At Arms' and 'The American Rifleman'.

Not 'all' Officers owned that which they carried - many being more than satisfied with what was issued to them - though some did and of those some had 'preferences' for which they willingly paid.

The largest block of nickelled U.S. Cavalry revolvers is found in the 11,800 - 14,230 range - though different numbers crop up in various serial number ranges.



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