famous guns of history

[Kaylee]

This slant-breech Sharps carbine, model of 1853, was used by, and then siezed from, a famous historical personage in 1859. The consequences of his actions remain with us today.

Who was he, and where was this weapon used?

Extra credit -- what's the irony of this particular make of weapon being used at this particular place.

-K

 

[TallPine]

John Brown?

Harpers Ferry?

 

[Kaylee]

right in one!

Summary history for those who don't know it:

This carbine is one of two on display, both captured from John Brown's raiding party on the Federal Arsenal at Harper's Ferry. Instead of hightailing it with as many crates of muskets as he could load on a wagon, he continued to occupy the Arsenal.. apparently under the impression that the thousands of slaves within a day's walk would join him, and he would lead a vast slave uprising.

Instead, US Marines commanded by Robert E Lee (yes, thatLee, still at this time in US Service) together with local militia captured Brown and all of his followers. The ones that weren't killed, that is. Brown was shortly thereafter executed for treason.

Brown became a martyr for the abolitionists, further increasing the tensions around the Slavery Question.

Two years later, the Civil War was underway.



Now.. anyone care to take on the extra credit?
Or post more picures of other historical pieces?

 

[TallPine]

What do I win?

 

[Kaylee]

the full image, of both carbines.
(note the long saddlering bar, extending forward to the barrel band, unlike the much shorter bars on the 1859 models and most repros)

The photo is of one of Brown's followers, the owner of the top carbine. The lower of the two carbines was seized from Brown himself, as the letter (c.1870's) attests.

 

[Kaylee]

um... the title "Firearms History Expert of the Week"

finally, we have reproductions of the pikes Brown had ordered to arm the first arrivals to his army. He figured that runaway/rebelling slaves fresh off the plantation wouldn't be able to figure out guns, so he had these made up. (The museum had one original on display, these are pretty much exact replicas, they stand just about 6' long)

Just the thing to take against an artillery battery, eh?

After they were captured, one of these pikes was sent to the governor (I believe) of each southern state by a staunch secessionist, along with a message to the effect of "this is what the Yankees have in mind for you."

-K

 

[fivepaknh]

A true classic

 

[Langenator]

I'll take a shot at the extra credit: the carbine was made at the Springfield Armory, and then used in the raid on the Harper's Ferry Armory?

 

[4v50 Gary]

What museum did you see that slant breech Sharps at, Jennifer?

BTW, back in Kansas when the pro-slavery forces decided to pay J. Brown a visit (lynching party), J. Brown was very prepared. With others to load for him, J. B. kept up a steady fire on them from 500 yards distance. He potted quite a number too. J.B. was quite a marksman for his time.

 

[Kaylee]

"John Brown Museum" at Harper's Ferry, WV. Just a couple rooms across the street from the restored "last stand" firehouse, but packed full of relics. To include said two carbines and an original pike. Mentioned but not on display at the time I was there were pieces from the scaffold he was hanged on.


The irony is this:

The first breechloader brought under development for the US Gov't was the Hall Rifle. Not only did he produce a workable breechloader, he also for the first time brought practical interchangeable parts to US longarms. (Whitney promised, but apparently didn't really deliver. Gov't contractor screwups and pie in the sky promises not being a modern invention. )

ANYHOW, Hall was given space at Harper's Ferry to produce his rifle for the US Gov't. One of his assistants was a young man by the name of Christian Sharps.

Years later, Mr. Sharps' take on the breechloading rifle -- now a huge commercial success unlike the earlier Hall design -- was used to take over his own alma mater as it were, at Harper's Ferry.


And now you know.. the rest of the story.

-K

http://www.snipersparadise.com/history/sharps.htm

 

[Bainx]

kaylee,
I think you have stumbled onto not only a "thread", but a series of "threads".
Please present a few more.

 

[sm]

Please present a few more

We like the pictures too. We ain't sleepy yet...Aunt Kaylee...tell us another one...puleese!

 

[4v50 Gary]

The Hall had a problem with the gas block not sealing and venting gases upwards upon discharge. Opps. Even then, many of the Halls were converted from flint to percussion during the Civil Wars and one of the big scandals was the purchase of Halls @ $2 a gun by one firm which converted them and sold them back to the gubmint at a huge profit. The General who authorized the deal, John Charles Fremont, got into some hot water for it (but was exonerated).

 

[Bainx]

That brass door on the stock is for what? Patches or reloads?

 

[4v50 Gary]

My take would be cleaning jag or worm. The .52 caliber carbine took a linen cartridge.

 

[Kaylee]

as to the "patchbox" -- To be honest, I don't know. I'm going to assume, as does Gary, that it housed cleaning/maintenance tools. Perhaps a combo tool like the muskets of the era? (nipple wrench/screwdriver thingie).

But being a breechloader firing conical bullets, patches weren't used, and I can't see it being used for an extra cartridge. I do know (at least on the repros, not sure about originals) that by the 1863 model, the patchbox was dropped. I'm assuming for wartime expediency, as it was widely used by the North (and the South, when they could lay hands on 'em)

As far as more stories.. I've already done given you all the weapon pics from my trip -- perhaps fivepaknh can give us the story on that Thompson of his?

-K