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J. Henry & Son Rifles and Cadet Musket  317. From 1808 until shortly after the War of 1812, the Henry gun-making firm produced flintlock muskets for the federal government. During part of this period, the firm also produced rifles and pistols under government contract for the Indians and for commercial sales.1 The Henry manufactory, known as Bolton Gun Works, also produced flintlock muskets for the states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, and other members of the militia . Following the War of 1812, the company produced sporting arms and components for the commercial market and Indian arms for the fur trade market. Its customers included the American Fur Company, P. Chocteau & Company, and W. & G. Ewing. After John Joseph Henry’s death in 1836, his only son, James, became head of the firm. James’ eldest son, Granville, began working at the Henry manufactory in the mid-1850s. In 1859, he became a business partner with his father. At this time, the Bolton Gun Works firm became known as J. Henry & Son. The Henry family papers, which include the correspondence, ledgers, sales, and order books, are located in the Hagley Library, near Wilmington, Delaware. These papers indicate that the Philadelphia firm of Justice & Steinman became customers of the Henry firm in 1842. During the ensuing years, the Henry firm sold sporting arms and appendages to this firm, often by means of consignment sales. By the mid-1850s, Justice & Steinman had become one of Henry’s largest customers of rifles. During fiscal 1856, from June 1, 1855, to June 1, 1856, Henry’s records reported the consignment sale of 582 sporting rifles in various styles and qualities to Justice. During the same period, Justice sold 37 Henry shotguns. In addition, Justice sold large quantities of rifle components that he had received on consignment from James Henry. It is believed these components were sold primarily to other gun-makers. On April 25, 1861, at the time the Pennsylvania militia was being called out for 90 days’ service, Phillip Justice wrote to J. Henry & Son asking them to produce “a large quantity” of carbines with 24" barrels for cavalry within 30 days. The Henry records do not indicate that any of these carbines were made. However, this request may have been the impetus that started James Henry’s production 1 In addition to limited numbers of arms procured as presents to chiefs during treaty negotiations, large quantities of arms were purchased by the government for its “factory” system during the first couple of decades of the 19th century. This system had numerous government-operated trading posts, called “factories” generally located in the Western portion of the then–United States, operated by agents known as “factors.” These factories would trade manufactured goods, including firearms, to the Indians for animal pelts and other items. In addition, 1,200 Indian carbines were produced at Springfield Armory in 1807–1810, but only 100 of these had been given away by 1820. Finally, during the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War, arms were furnished by the “European” belligerents to their Indian allies. Non-Armory-Pattern Muzzleloading Arms 357 of military arms. The Henry papers indicate that, by June 21, Granville Henry had created the pattern that would be used for the military rifles produced by the firm. He referred to these as “minie rifles.” They were equipped with angular socket bayonets. Although the majority of military rifles produced by Henry were sold to Justice, no record of a written agreement between Henry and Justice has been located. Small quantities of military rifles were also sold to two companies of Pennsylvania militia. In the fall of 1861, the Henrys offered to sell military rifles to other militia companies, and to arms merchants, such as Schuyler, Hartley & Graham, without success. By this time, the Henry firm was also producing a rifle that they referred to as the “saber rifle.” This rifle’s barrel was equipped with a side-mounted saber bayonet stud near the muzzle. Sales of saber rifles to Justice ended in March of 1862. Justice had become a subject of an investigation by the U.S. Congress’ Holt-Owens Commission. Also by this time, large quantities of low-priced foreign arms were being imported to meet the demand for arms occasioned by the war. The J. Henry & Son “minie rifles” were produced during July and August 1861. Most were sold to Phillip S. Justice. Because Justice began...

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