In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

305.–1 The Blunt Long Enfield rifle musket is based on the British Pattern 53 Enfield. Blunt “Long Enfield” Rifle Musket  305. New York City gun-maker Orison (sometimes written as Orion) Blunt had retired from a partnership with W. S. Syms about five years before the Civil War began. Blunt corresponded with Chief of Ordnance General James W. Ripley on August 13, 1861, regarding payment for a large assortment of various firearms and ammunition sold to the Ordnance Department by the Union Defense Committee of New York. In later correspondence, General Ripley would identify Blunt as an agent of this committee. On September 10, 1861, Blunt proposed to sell 20,000 British Enfield rifled muskets to the Ordnance Department, and to supply that department with 20,000 American-made Enfield pattern rifle muskets at $18.00 each. General Ripley declined the offer of the British arms, but accepted the proposal regarding the American-made arms. He specified that the first 500 rifle muskets were to be delivered in 60 days, and the remainder of the order at 500 to 1,000 per month. The arms were subject to inspection by an ordnance officer, and “none would be accepted and paid for lest such as are approved by the U.S. inspector.” No deliveries had been made by February 1862, when Blunt wrote to Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton that he had occupied the interim months preparing his manufactory for the production of 500 to 1,000 Enfield pattern rifle muskets per month. Chief of Ordnance Bomford endorsed Blunt’s letter, stating that the contract had been voided by nondelivery and recommended, if a new contract were made, that it be for Springfield pattern rifle muskets. The correspondence was forwarded to the Holt-Owens Commission then studying allegations of fraud, overpayment, and delivery failures in ordnance contracts. On March 26, 1862, the commission found that the original contract was forfeit for nondelivery, but also stated that the government would accept all the arms Blunt could deliver before July 1, not to exceed 3,000. General Ripley relayed this information to Blunt on March 27. Blunt wrote to General Ripley on March 31, stating that 200 rifle muskets were ready for inspection and asked where they were to be delivered. General Ripley responded, “Not less than 500 will be taken at one time.” Blunt completed these arms, and Inspector Colonel William A. Thornton was assigned to inspect them. The inspection was delayed because the sample arm that had been supplied by Blunt had been lost. When this was replaced, a barrel prover was sent to Blunt’s establishment. Colonel Thornton required the barrels to be proof tested in an unrifled state, Non-Armory-Pattern Muzzleloading Arms 345 305.–2 It is speculated that Orison Blunt was somehow connected with John P. Moore, also of New York City, in the production and sale of arms to the government. (Milwaukee Public Museum Photograph.) which was the practice at Springfield Armory. Blunt could not conform to this because the rifle muskets were already completed, assembled, and packed for shipment. Blunt wrote to Colonel Thornton, saying that he had proved the barrels with 360 grains of Hazard’s powder. Because of this lack of barrel proof by a government officer, the entire lot was rejected. The disposition of these rifle muskets is unknown. It is possible that they were subsequently sold through arms brokers and merchants dealers to a state or to private militia units, or even to the federal government. There is some evidence of a relationship between Blunt and John P. Moore, also of New York City. This evidence suggests that the arms offered by Blunt, and those later sold to the federal government by Moore, may have been produced by the same maker, or at least some of their components came from the same source. Surviving examples of Blunt and Moore Enfield rifle muskets are generally similar, but the Blunt-marked arms have a slightly longer barrel, a shorter trigger guard, and a different hammer head’s engraving. The lock of a known Blunt rifle musket has the usual Blunt marking of “1862” over “UNION” forward of the hammer. Behind the hammer was a faint, partially removed, federal spread eagle over a shield, as was marked on the locks of the Enfield rifle muskets delivered by...

Share