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Appendix X U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Muzzleloading Percussion Shoulder Arms Procurement The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) did not have its own Ordnance Department. USMC procurement of small arms was from the U.S. Army’s Ordnance Department . The Corps Quatermaster, with the Commandant’s approval, ordered the arms from the Army. If additional influence was required to obtain the arms, the Corps commandant or the secretary of the Navy would request the arms from the Army’s Ordnance Department. Prior to the Spanish American War, the U.S. Marines assigned to shipboard duties carried arms that had been previously assigned to them aboard ship. In this sense, the muskets were theirs. During the Spanish American War, and thereafter, the weapons used by shipboard Marines belonged to the ship. The Marines were issued arms from the ordnance stores of the vessel to which they were assigned. Except the Jenks long and short breechloading carbines procured for shipboard use in the 1840s, it is believed that the U.S. Navy continued to issue flintlock muskets and rifles until fiscal 1853. In its annual report for that year, the federal arsenal in Watertown, New York, reported altering 6,027 Navy flintlock muskets and rifles to percussion by the arsenal cone-in-barrel system. Correspondence indicates that the Navy specified that the .69 caliber muskets it procured in the decade prior to the Civil War were to be rifled and sighted, and browned. It is believed that this brown-finished metal was more corrosionresistant aboard ship than bright metal would be. Records indicate the Navy’s next procurement of percussion arms was when Harpers Ferry Armory sent 200 percussion-altered flintlock rifled and sighted muskets to the Washington Navy Yard on April 10, 1856. Of these muskets, 60 were sent to the Norfolk Navy Yard. U.S. Navy Inspector Henry A. Wise wrote that the barrels of these muskets “should be browned for service on shipboard, which can be done at Norfolk perhaps if the [USS] Portsmouth does not sail before the time required to complete them.” On May 8, Colonel Craig wrote to USMC Quartermaster Major George F. Lindsay, enclosing an account for 200 rifled muskets altered to Maynard’s primers , and 25,000 primers, which Major Hagner of Frankford Arsenal had completed and shipped on April 10. These Frankford Arsenal Maynard lock–altered muskets are described in the text (section 185.45; they were easily the best of the altered muskets at that time. Harpers Ferry’s annual report for fiscal 1856 stated that 1,000 muskets were altered to percussion and 2,000 altered muskets were rifled and sighted at that armory during the fiscal year. Of these muskets, 500 were browned. Appendix X 560 On April 21, 1857, Secretary of the Navy Isaac Toucey wrote to Chief of Ordnance Colonel H. K. Craig enquiring whether muskets belonging to the USMC could be rifled at the national armories. Colonel Craig responded the following day. He stated that, in addition to rifling the barrels, the arms could be fitted with front and rear sights and the ramrod heads could be altered for pointed bullets. He also asked to be informed to which armory the USMC commandant preferred to send the arms for rifling and sighting. OnMay20,ColonelCraigwrotetoMajorLindsay,statingthatheunderstood the Corps’ preference was that the rifling and sighting was to be accomplished at Harpers Ferry Armory and that he had instructed the armory’s commander to accomplish this. He also stated that the alteration of other USMC flintlock muskets to the percussion Maynard lock, and rifling and sighting, was being accomplished at Frankford Arsenal at a cost of $3.36 each. As the muskets belonging to the Corps were of a different model, the cost of their alteration “would be very costly.” Frankford Arsenal was altering Model 1816 muskets for the Army; subsequent correspondence with Major Lindsay indicates the Corps’ muskets were of an older pattern. Colonel Craig offered two alternatives: The Corps’ muskets could be fitted with Ward’s patent Maynard hammer, rifled and sighted for about $1.50 each. Or, if the Corps muskets were in unissued condition, the Ordnance Department would accept them in trade, and would issue the Frankford-altered muskets with Maynard primer mechanisms at a cost of $3.36 each. On May 23, Major Lindsay responded to Colonel Craig’s offer by requesting 300 Frankford Maynard–altered muskets. Colonel Craig...

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