On May 9, 1864 it was mentioned that the regiment was ordered in haste to the front. While it had mixed success during the war, the rare rifle was largely effective at Prairie Grove and two other prominent battles. This will set the First District of Columbia Cavalry up to be called upon for assignments of “special duty”. This movement was detected by Graham, who detached a part of Capron’s Illinois regiment, armed with Henry rifles, by whom the enemy was met and repulsed, losing heavily under the rapid firing of a much inferior force. They are hard to stockpile and take a great deal of time and cost and you will never possess them in the same quantity as Spencer rifles and carbines. On October 16, 1860, Henry received a patent for the Henry .44 caliber repeating rifle, which soon demonstrated just how effective such a weapon would be on the field of battle during the Civil War. Captain Freese, Lieutenant Mountfort and myself ran down across the field, and there was a rebel cavalry man with a seven-shooting rifle very near us. Major J. S. Baker was commanding the 1st D. C. Cavalry on January 20, 1865 to Major General A. But they paid dearly for their temerity. Approaching the wounded farrier, the following dialogue is said to have taken place: "General Wheeler. These are the first guns we ever saw that fired without intermission.”  This source goes on to say, “At this junction General Logan hastened to General Dodge and asked for a brigade to retake the lost line and to recapture the guns. Step 4.5: Aquire Major General Lafayette McLaws and his beard of awesome and set him as the Division commander. Thus ends our battle near Bentonville, North Carolina, which proves to be our last encounter with the rebel army in the war for the Union.” (59). At around $45 for a Henry rifle it was an expensive rifle. Beaudry, Louis Napoleon, Historic Records of the Fifth New York Cavalry, University of California, Page 151, Published 1865. There has been much written about “Morgan’s Raid” through Kentucky and southern Indiana. and 39th Iowa were partly cut off from the fort, but those who reached it poured in the severest fire upon the assailing forces that had ever been seen up to that time, with such splendid result that the attacking forces melted away out of sight as though the earth had opened and swallowed them. This was the immediate signal for an attack from us; and in a moment our rifles were belching forth their leaden messengers of death, and the surrounding hills were made to reverberate the echo of one explosion after another until the last load was exhausted”. Compiled by: Andrew L. BresnanResearchers: Andrew L. Bresnan & Todd Koster© 2011. The left of the company rested on the Carterville Road. The attack was so sudden that the first shots struck a glass of water his wife was raising to her lips, breaking the glass. “To Rosser was assigned the duty of carrying the outpost position of the enemy at Sycamore Church, and then to push on and capture the cattle which was corralled about two miles from the church and guarded by another considerable force of cavalry.--- This was the outpost of the force protecting the cattle, the approaches to it being protected by felled trees and abattis. 89. “There was one regiment in that Second Brigade, Second Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, that was deployed as skirmishers, extending far beyond the front of the brigade to the left, according to General Dodge’s command at that time that we must extend the line so as to protect the left flank. His ability as a sharpshooter, however, remained largely hidden until one day in Georgia when he traded his flute for a Henry rifle and won the Medal of Honor. Myrick, was sent out scouting beyond the pickets and across the creek, to see what was there. script.setAttribute("onerror", "setNptTechAdblockerCookie(true);"); Most of this ammunition was expended in and around Atlanta, GA. (71), Concerning the amount of ammunition that the government felt should be adequate annually for a particular type of weapon, General George D. Ramsey writes the following: “I have to state, as the opinion of this department, deduced from past experience, that 500 rounds of copper cartridges for the single-shooter and 1,000 for the repeater is an ample annual allowance.”  He goes on to state that there is outstanding contracts for 2,000,000 Henry cartridges from the New Haven Arms Company. Part two has been another interesting adventure in researching the use of the Henry Repeating Rifle in the Civil War. In the fall of 1864 Captain Charles Robinson made it back to his company after escaping from Johnson’s Island. The WSS followed the same course of action during the Carolina Campaign. Though the Henry was devastating when used by small groups of trained soldiers, it was never issued in large numbers. Although of great interest it is not my intent to go into that matter here but instead mention his use of his Henry rifle. “The Johnnys couldn’t make out what was going on. He thus reached his cover and seized his Henry Rifle, turned upon his foes, and in five shots killed five of them; the other two sprung for their horses. It has been struck twice by the enemy but in no way disabled. Springfield, Pages 51-52, Published 1906. I asked them whose command they belonged to, receiving no reply, myself and Lieutenant Chinoweth fired on them, both about the same time. The Henry Repeating rifle was not that well received by the higher ups in the government. This company had 52 men and was the largest company in the 7th Illinois Infantry at this time. (January 26, 2020) When victorious federal soldiers scavenged the Gettysburg battlefield they made a shocking discovery. 1871. Wilcox to Lieutenant Colonel Lewis Richard, Assistant Adjutant General, the General writes of the action around Walker’s Ford. it at the muzzle. “Will you have the North Carolina regiment in readiness to move over at any time? It is an 1887 book but is in itself a timeless book of bravery, courage and sacrifice that men made to preserve our great country, The United States of America. 88. 4, Government Printing Office, page 598, 606, Published: 1900. Have accord the opportunity of an ocular demonstration of the effectiveness of the writer's firing, after fully 400 cartridges had been used without any perceptible result--besides burning his hand and exhausting and depressing him mentally and physically. Major A.F.R. As the fighting continued, Britain sold its Enfield rifled muskets to both sides, but it took time for those to arrive and be distributed. Oliver Winchester the owner of the New Haven Arms Company received several letters of testimony about the uses of the Henry Repeating rifle. A man named Joe Forrest a friend and aide to the Illinois Governor Yates was overheard by Major McCook making a comment about the fact that “he hotly advocated the human character and rights of the negro, he noticed a man in an undress military uniform, with the shoulder straps of a major jump to his feet from his seat at the side of the captain, and then walk rapidly down the cabin toward the stern of the boat….”Who is that man, and what is he going to do?” “That” was the answer “is the famous Major McCook, father of the two generals of that name. The primary bean counter was Montgomery Meigs who was responsible for creating Arlington National Cemetery and for filling many of the graves because he would not allow the repeaters to be supplied to the army. The men of the 66th Illinois Infantry were part of Mersey’s Brigade assigned to the task. The Government was more concerned about the dollar and cents side, rather than the view of saving lives. How many Henry Repeating rifles the 100th Indiana Infantry had I am not sure of, but they must have been armed with several Henry Repeating rifles. Annals of the Early Settlers’ Association of Cuyahoga County, Volume III. As an enticement for men to join the 3rd VVI they could retain their rifle upon discharge, which is what Heiligmann did. Jack Sullivan and captured all who were not killed. “Henry’s Repeating Rifle”, T. J. Strafford, Printer, 1865, Reprinted by: Satterlee, L. D., Ten Old Gun Catalogs for The Collector, Volume 1, Follett Publishing Co., 1962. Before Upson purchased his Henry he mentions, “I wish we had Henrys.”  The 97th Indiana Infantry did have Henrys and the 100th Indiana Infantry had witnessed the usage of the 97th’s Henrys. My long experience as a bear-hunter in the Western wilderness had made me expert with a rifle, and my desire to have a piece with which I could excel at sharp-shooting, if ever an opportunity offered, had become intense, and the organizing campaign against Vicksburg seemed to promise the desired opportunity. I retired my force across the river, thus ending the fight, as far as the 5th Indiana and 65th Indiana Mounted Infantry were concerned…. Woke out of sleep by such a din they’ll scatter to the four winds---all that are not winged by our carbines or revolvers. He writes the following concerning his escape; “When I started from the house I had dropped my pistols and belt, but I held on to my sixteen-shooting rifle. script.setAttribute("async", true); Series 1 Vol. As such, the Henry’s impact wouldn’t be felt until after the war, when it became the basis of the iconic Winchester rifle of the Wild West era. The moment he reached his front door he sprang for his cover, and his assailants commenced firing at him. Upson, F. Theodore, With Sherman To The Sea, Louisiana State University Press 1943. Those fellows opened their eyes; said they had no idea such shooting could be done.” (1) Upson mentions that “we have plenty of men who could do better”. 38 Part III, Government Printing Office, page 415, Published: 1891. But when I made the attempt to shoot, I found that I was so nearly dead that I could not hold my gun up. that gives a different story. The result has been orders for the rifle. For the purpose of instruction Company commanders should see that each piece is provided with a wooden rod fitted in and about one and a half inches shorter than the magazine. One was the Spencer, which, in the form of a shorter, cavalry carbine, would become the more popular during the war. During the American Civil War, an assortment of small arms found their way onto the battlefield.Though the muzzle-loading percussion cap rifle was the most … Abbott, John Stevens Cabot, The History of the Civil War in America, New York Public Library, Page 575, Published 1873. He being then an experienced soldier was called upon to drill the greater number of the volunteers in the company, and when it was organized he was selected second lieutenant. The “boys” did not hear the command, but stuck to their rifle pits, and worked their seventeen shooters for all they were worth against a large force of rebels who were advancing upon them, and ordering them to surrender, which they were forced to, but not until they had used up their last cartridge, and bent the barrels and broken the locks of their seventeen shooters when they surrendered to a mad lot of fellows, who discovered the fact that there were only two “Yank” soldiers, who had caused ten or twelve of their men to “bite the dust.”  They were taken to the Rebel General Pat Claybourne’s headquarters, who was very mad at them for not surrendering instead of holding out to the last against such odds as was opposed to them, and then had to eventually surrender. The 86th Illinois Volunteer Infantry was mustered out of federal service at Washington D.C. in June 1865. Henry Repeating rifles would offer over twice the firepower, so I think maybe the Henry Repeating rifle might have been more likely the weapon. the piece with the right hand and resize(?) I liked the new gun well enough; ‘twasn’t a bad gun, the Henry, you hear me talk! Most of their Henry rifles were delivered while the WSS were at Corinth, Mississippi at Camp Davies with delivery taking place a few at a time starting as early as September of 1863 and continuing into 1864 until the regiment had over 200 Henry Repeating rifles in their ranks. However the Henry Repeating rifle was at its best at ranges of fewer than 200 yards and even better at ranges of fewer than 100 yards. As to rapidity of fire, however, the proof seems strongly in its favor. This was highlighted by a changeover in shoulder-fired weapons from smoothbore firearms that had to be loaded through the muzzle each time a shot was fired to rifled-barrel firearms, some of which loaded at the breech. They fled, ran up the hill and through Fort Stedman, and down the hill on the west side into rebeldom, and before they could reorganize we pressed them so close that they gave themselves up as prisoners. 'Well,' said Wheeler, 'if I had 300 such men as you I could march straight through h--l." The above came from the book entitled Michigan in the Civil War. “Mr. Bilby takes us through Gettysburg, among other places, showing how the Spencer and Henry rifle played a decisive role.” —The Wall Street Journal “A valuable study. . . . his research is balanced and thorough, his writing is ... Battle of White’s Bridge, on the 8th of May. Let me hear from you in regard to the matter. Published 1865. Since the number of Henry cartridges expended was an even 500 cartridges, I have to wonder if this may be an estimate or a rounded off number and not the actual number. They had a little 3 pound gun on the road and would stop and fire it sometimes. “After picketing again on the twenty-second, the regiment became engaged with a body of rebel troops the next morning, and drove them four miles, destroying a quantity of army stores. Being an excellent shot he brought down a number of the enemy, while the Union forces lay behind him at a distance of a city block or more, unable to get closer to the enemy’s line. It is certain death at 800 yards, and probably at 1,000 yards.  "Featuring guns photographed by Dennis Adler from the Mike Clark/Collector's Firearms Collection; the Dr. Joseph A. Murphy Collection; and the Dennis LeVett Collection, with additional photography provided by the Rock Island Auction Company ... The advent of repeater rifles promised to change all of that. “To Miss M.M. This sort of failure is easy to get with the Spencer action, if the lever is not operated smoothly. In her book she describes her account of the battle. A Rebel gave him a drink of water, but took his gun. No sooner had they discovered the position of this regiment than they raised a yell and rushed on to the charge. The two commands split up after the capture of Clarksville. 7, received from division headquarters, I moved the brigade on the 13th October, 1864, across the Etowah River on the Cave Spring road at 5 a.m., the Seventh Illinois Infantry in advance, Followed by the Thirty-ninth Iowa Infantry, Fiftieth Illinois Infantry and the Fifty-seventh Illinois Infantry, and Battery B, First Michigan Artillery. No supports coming, the cavalry was compelled to give way when Mahone made his fourth charge, capturing the guns of the Second Corps. A ball from his own regiment tore his coat as he lay on the ground, but did not wound him. According to the report of Major Samuel Martin of the Thirty-Seventh Kentucky Infantry, Henry Repeating rifles were used at a fight in and around Glasgow, Ky. Reynolds writes that fourteen men armed with Henry rifles crossed the river in boats and were able to close within fifty feet of the rebel fort. Those of us outside of the fort were armed with Henry rifles, the rapid firing from which made a Rebel captain, who was taken prisoner, inquire: “If them ‘ere was the things that we wound up Monday morning, and wot run till Saturday night?” We informed him they were the things. ....Without a serviceable carbine cavalry is almost useless in the wooded country in which it is required to operate, where the enemy take up positions from which they can only be driven by dismounted men. said the man, 'we are the poorest of the lot. Do you hold the manufacturers under such control that you can stop for ninety days the shipment or furnishing of arms by them for private sale? ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Civil War Firearms: Their Historical Background and . There I fell, losing my sixteen-shooter, and in diving for it I got pretty well wet and re-crossed the stream and found my horse. In fact he was given a hat half filled with money, a pair of gold spurs and a magnificent pair of cavalry boots. Although the War Department had started purchasing Spencer rifles on a limited basis as early as 1861, the Ordnance Bureau was not in favor of purchasing the weapon on a mass scale. Pioneered by a 26-year-old inventor and gunsmith from Connecticut named Christopher Spencer, the rifle offered several advantages over the muzzle-loading, single-shot muskets still in use by both armies. Another regiment to be armed in part with the Henry Repeating rifle was the 23rd Illinois Infantry. Gerrish, Theodore, Hutchinson, John S., the Blue and Gray: A Graphic History of the Army of the Potomac and that of Northern Virginia, Brady, Mace, Pages 311-312, Published 1884. But a division which General Parke had sent from the Ninth Corps to proceed down the railroad and turn the rebel flank, when it had nearly taken its position, was, by some misapprehension of orders or circumstance, transferred to the Jerusalem plank road, and thus kept out of action. Yet this is West Point opinion, the deductions of West Point science! If so, I need 21,000 rounds Union rifle carbine cartridges and 2,640 Henry rifles.” This request is dated October 21, 1863. (123). I had a sixteen shooter which I regretted very much chagrined for what we had done, but notwithstanding, they treated us very well; much better than we expected. So you can see the reason for the term “Double edged sword”. 16. Hileman was then to help strengthen the fortification around Chattanooga. After remaining in the house about an hour they were aroused by the firing of the sentinel, and, on rushing from the house, encountered at the fence a party of rebel cavalry, about sixty in number. The Home Guard losses were 3 killed, 2 wounded, and 300 prisoners; the latter, after several hours, were paroled. Kingsbury Chief of Ordnance, A. P. he writes that the Henry would be a first rate weapon. They also fretted that since the Spencer used its own special ammunition, and could fire much faster than most other weapons, vast sums would need to be spent on bullets. 36 Part II, Government Printing Office, page 863, Published: 1891. The First District of Columbia Cavalry was the best armed regiment of cavalry in the war. 25-09-2017 18:34:16 ZULU. Of the ammunition expended, Henry rifle cartridges number 11,068. I will give all necessary receipts.”(26)  Also on May 17, 1864 is a letter from General Vogdes concerning the same topic. Persons who are not acquainted with the improvements that have been made in Fire Arms must think it strange that the gun should not keep pace with other improvements. Please send me the price of the cartridge per 1,000, and the price of the arms. 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