Confederate Shotgun : but which model?

[rammjäger]

Hello ,
I finally received this great CW relic ! - It was found at Brandy Station / Virginia.
On private property and aprox 1 Mile from the Battlefield itself. Just where the troops
are thought to have camped before the battle took place.
From this two barreled shotgun was found only the Lockplate's left side .
You can see the hammer remains in "cocked position".
I am really emotioned to have this great piece of history in my hands.
In Wikipedia I found all needed informations about this battle :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Brandy_Station

But I couldn't identify what model of shotgun this was. - Any idea ?
The corroded steal won't give me a clue. Besides, I will not try to clean it.
Instead I will keep it at its original found condition.
HH
Rammjäger

PS.: I could only find this link .Thats all !
http://www.hackman-adams.com/guns/ConfCavC&S.htm
Perhaps it was just a normal shotgun brought from home ?

 

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[rammjäger]

Interesting item you have there, A very nice find. I dont think you will ever be able to say one way or another wether the gun is CW or civilian, you made the comment that you thought it unlikely that a civilian would loose a shotgun, but I dont think it any more likely for a soldier in a spot were the battle wasnt. If the soldier were to be urgently repositioned he may forget many things but i dont think he would forget his weapon. never the less it is a great piece and the reality is we will more than likely never know but it sure is nice having an imigination on how such an item would be left behind. Great find.

Sasnz

OK - but I should here point out that in fact it was found only the left side's Lock Plate of this 2 barrelled shotgun.
The question here is : Why only the left side was found and not any other part of the shotgun ?
According to the reports, Lee's troops were short of ammunition and guns
There is the possibility that this Lock Plate was lost while repairing the gun .Or just as a spare part - who knows ?

 

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[ivan salis]

maybe gun was damaged in battle --spare part fell out pf a knap sack ?

if one was short of weapons ---well bring ole betsy from home -- old double shotguns for farmers were very useful(by being a double if one barrel misfired you still had the other one as back up) -- shotguns can take down everything from squirrels to deer just by changing shot size load as well as being useful for battle--- (plus you could cram anything down the barrel as "shot --short on lead ?--use cut nails, bits of scrap metal --busted glass., pea gravel )--- cavalry troops often packed sawed off double barrelled guns for up close fighting -- they cleared a wide path thru infantry groups --no man wanted to face a sawed of doulble barrel shotgun at short range --and if they did even fewer lived to tell of it.

 

[rammjäger]

maybe gun was damaged in battle --spare part fell out pf a knap sack ?

That was my first idea too.
Some other TN member posted here a sawed-off piece of a shotgun's
double barrel hit by a Minié bullet . And yes, they repaired their guns "on the spot".
No time left for shipping them for repair behind the front lines ......

 

[Juanmoretime]

Things like this defy accurate ids sometimes but it does let your imagination have fun with it. Still a very cool find and one which will always be cloaked in mystery. To me thats the best find you can possibly have!!!

Steve

 

[allen_idaho]

During the Civil War, shotguns were fairly common. General Grant armed a good percentage of his troops with them during his first two major battles (Fort Donelson and Shiloh).

They also converted old Harper's Ferry muskets from flintlock to percussion and filled them with a .69 caliber ball and 3 buckshot, creating a make-shift shotgun with an effective range of 200 yards.

An article to that effect was written by Fenwick Y. Hedley in 1918 for the New York Times. He served in the war from 1861-1863.

 

[rammjäger]

This Lock Plate was found presumibly in the vicinity
of Gral. Gregg's 3rd Cavalry
Regiment's path from
Kellys Ford towards Brandy Station.
According to the report,he found little or not at all
resistence in his way north....

 

[allen_idaho]

I'm pretty sure I've got it. That plate is off of an 1880's model L.C. Smith shotgun.

 

[panthr]

OK - but I should here point out that in fact it was found only the left side's Lock Plate of this 2 barrelled shotgun.
The question here is : Why only the left side was found and not any other part of the shotgun ?
According to the reports, Lee's troops were short of ammunition and guns
There is the possibility that this Lock Plate was lost while repairing the gun .Or just as a spare part - who knows ?

It could be that that lock plat was removed because it was damaged in some way. Maybe that is the reason why it is still in cocked mode. I dunno... its all just speculation

 

[ivan salis]

might be a model 2 12 -- R E Lee Yankee Blaster

 

[rammjäger]

might be a model 2 12 -- R E Lee Yankee Blaster

Hi Ivan,
I assume "2" goes for "two barrel" and "12" for Caliber 12 ?
Lately I have watched at Ebay one of those Daguerrotypes a CSA Soldier
possing with his 2 barrelled shotgun.

Regards,
PS.:
it seems to be that the only CSA troops positioned South
of Brandy Station were the 1st and the 2nd. South Carolina Cavalry Regiments.

 

[rammjäger]

I'm pretty sure I've got it. That plate is off of an 1880's model L.C. Smith shotgun.

Hello,
I found this link to this shotgun (last photo at the bottom of the page).
This is a replica made by an italian manufacturer.
http://www.fcsutler.com/fcweapons.asp

 

[rammjäger]

might be a model 2 12 -- R E Lee Yankee Blaster

You were wright
Many thanks