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Sporting Arms Purchased During the Civil War  385. Note: This section is included only as an item of interest, as it is impossible to determine and describe the specifications of the sporting arms procured by the federal government, much less those brought into service by individuals, during the Civil War. During the course of that war, the federal government procured a few hundred privately owned sporting rifles and shotguns. These “acquisitions” were often made to indemnify U.S. military officers, who purchased the arms, giving drafts on the federal government, to satisfy a particular local situation. The largest known purchase of sporting arms in this period took place in Colorado, in 1861. President Lincoln appointed Colonel William Gilpin governor of the Colorado Territory on February 28 of that year. Over the summer and fall months, Gilpin raised the First Regiment of Colorado Volunteers, because he believed the Colorado gold mines would be a target for the Confederacy. The regiment was barracked at Camp Wells, a short distance south of Denver . To arm, house, clothe, and feed the regiment, Gilpin gave various Colorado merchants and other citizens $400,000.00 in drafts on the U.S. government. At the end of 1861, Congress decided that Gilpin had exceeded his authority, and declared the drafts void. Chief of Ordnance General Ripley wrote to the claimants who had submitted bills that certain information and procedures were required. One of his letters stated, “In answer to your letter of the 19th, ulto, I have to state that accounts for Arms purchased, before they can be approved and forwarded by this office, must be accompanied by written evidence that the purchase was made by direction of the Secretary of War, and that the articles purchased [were] received by a U.S. Officer for Government service.” Gilpin went to Washington to explain his conduct and obtain payment for the Colorado merchants, many of whom were on the verge of bankruptcy for accepting the drafts. The matter was examined by the congressional Holt-Owens Commission, which had been investigating the procurement of arms. This commission approved payment to these merchants when they provided itemized accounts of the merchandise provided. Some of the merchants sent itemized invoices and at least one sent a receipt signed by the Colorado regiment’s acting assistant quartermaster that the articles had been received by him. General Ripley sent an agent, J. S. Fillmore, to Denver to settle accounts for the ordnance stores purchased by Governor Gilpin for the Colorado Volunteers. Unfortunately, Gilpin was relieved as territorial governor in May 1862. Subsequent events proved Gilpin correct. Brigadier General Henry H. Sibley left Texas with a large force of Confederate troops in late July 1861. His force entered what is now southern New Mexico west of El Paso and moved northwards Non-Armory-Pattern Muzzleloading Arms 515 along the Rio Grande River towards Albuquerque. Several small battles were fought during late 1861. An independent company of Colorado volunteers joined a force of Union dragoons, infantry, artillery, and New Mexico militia just before Sibley’s forces reached Val Verde; the independent company of Colorado volunteers and other named forces were assigned the right flank of the Union line. They advanced and were charged by a company of the Texas Fifth Cavalry. The Coloradans formed a hollow square and almost annihilated the Texans. In spite of this, the Confederate forces ultimately won the battle and continued northwards to Albuquerque. The First Regiment of Colorado Volunteers began its trek southward on March 1, 1862. Confederate forces reached Albuquerque on March 17, and five companies of Texas Mounted Volunteers were ordered to continue northwards. The Coloradans reached Bernal, a day’s march from the Glorieta mountain pass located east of Santa Fe, late on March 24. Two days later, a force of 418 men (a forward guard comprised of four companies of the First Colorado Volunteers, as well as an enlarged company from the Third U.S. cavalry) under the command of Major Chivington fought a Confederate force of 500 at Apache Canyon. The Confederates retreated after losing 32 killed, 43 wounded, and 40 or more taken prisoner. The Coloradans lost only five dead and 14 wounded. The major forces of both armies met in Glorieta Pass, a few miles east of Santa Fe, on March 28. Eleven hundred Confederates were met by a Union force of 1,342, comprising more than four companies of the First and Third U.S. Cavalry, two...

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