American Military Shoulder Arms, Volume 3: Flintlock Alterations and Muzzleloading Percussion Shoulder Arms, 1840-1865

Appendix XIV: Amoskeag and Whitney Post–Civil War Shotguns

XIV.1–1 The barrel of a post-Civil War Amoskeag shotgun has an under rib and two ramrod thimbles. Appendix XIV Amoskeag and Whitney Post–Civil War Shotguns The Civil War’s end in April 1865 also ended the government’s need for infantry arms. Soldiers were discharged and several hundred thousand rifle muskets were placed in government repositories. Also, the production of cartridge shoulder arms began at Springfield Armory with the production of Joslyn muskets in late 1864. The era of percussion military arms ended abruptly as they were replaced with cartridge arms. At the Civil War’s end, Amoskeag had 1,496 completed rifle muskets and 2,000 bayonets on hand. Both the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company and the Whitney Armory had large quantities of components on hand, left over from their wartime production. Amoskeag gradually sold many of these components to the Providence Tool Company; the H. R. Davis Company; Colt Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company; and Remington Arms Company. Its attempts to sell all of its arms making machinery in a single lot were unsuccessful. The machinery and tools were ultimately sold, piecemeal, to the Greene Rifle Works, Providence Tool Company, the Rollin White Arms Company, and others. Amoskeag Single-Barreled Shotgun XIV.1 Between May and August 1865, 200 single-barreled half-stocked shotguns were produced by Amoskeag. These were made up from remaining components of Model 1861 special contract rifle muskets and from components for Lindner breechloading carbines. The shotguns had rifle musket locks and barrels and the same stocks, butt plates, and sling swivels used in the production of Lindner carbines. The shotguns cost Amoskeag an average of $5.44 each to produce. Only 58 had been sold commercially by June 1869, at prices ranging from $8.00 to $12.00 each; 142 of these shotguns were still unsold at that time. The 48"-long shotgun has a 32" barrel with a .609"-diameter smooth bore. The barrel extends 213 /16" beyond the stock and has an under-rib with two 11 /4" Appendix XIV 580 XIV.1–2 Except for the sling swivel, the breech area of the Amoskeag shotgun is similar to the rifle muskets produced under government contract. XIV.2–1 Whitney used his “direct vent” barrels and locks in the production of single barrel shotguns following the Civil War. thimbles. The barrel’s nipple bolster still has a spread eagle stamped in its outer surface but it has been fitted with a nipple for #12 percussion caps. It is stamped “177” in the upper-left breech flat. The barrel is retained by a breech tang screw and a lateral pin through the forestock. The lock is the same as those delivered on Special Model 1861 contract rifle muskets. It has the same markings, and is dated “1864.” The trigger guard assembly is also the same as those of the Special Model 1861 contract rifle muskets, but the lower sling swivel’s shape has been rounded, possibly for use as a sling ring. The rifle musket butt plate is only 11 /2" wide. The brass-headed hickory ramrod has a 2" assembly at the rear consisting of a ball screw with screw-on cap. The walnut stock is 263 /4" long, including its pewter forend cap. The buttstock is narrower than those of rifle muskets. Whitney Single-Barreled Shotgun XIV.2 The Whitney Arms Company also produced single-barreled shotguns from components on hand at the Civil War’s end. These were made up from excess components of Whitney’s U.S. and Connecticut contract arms, also with the “direct vent” barrels with nipple bolsters that were too short to use in Whitney’s Direct Vent rifle muskets (see section 381). These barrels were among the 4,060 Appendix XIV 581 XIV.2–2 The barrels have very short nipple bolsters and thin lockplates inlet flush with the stock’s surface. purchased from the Colt’s Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company, which had previously purchased them in England. The underside of many are marked “EZRA MILLWARD” or “EW” or “DEAKIN.” A Whitney Arms Company statement of 1867 sales reveals that 355 of these shotguns were sold at an average selling price of $5.56 each; they cost $2.25 each to produce. It is not known to whom they were sold. The 523 /4"-long shotgun has a...