Posted on 04/13/2016 8:13:59 AM PDT by w1n1
One tangible connection to the human cost of the Civil War can be found in the Frazier History Museum in Louisville, Ky., in the form of a beautifully engraved Henry repeating rifle, serial number 19. The original owner was Connecticut native George Dennison Prentis, who was the editor of the Louisville Journal from 1830 to 1860 and a staunch abolitionist. After succession, he was an outspoken advocate of the Union even though his newspaper was absorbed by the pro-Confederate Louisville Morning Courier. On July 14, 1862, he wrote a report for the newspaper that praised the Henry.
It is very likely that his Henry was a gift from the manufacturer. The Connecticut-based New Haven Arms Company hoped to make the Henry the standard-issue rifle of the Union Army and sought favorable endorsements in hopes of securing government contracts. As a matter of fact, a similar engraved rifle was presented to President Abraham Lincoln.
Ultimately, 1,731 Henry rifles were sold to the US Government for a $63,943 (about $50 each). Far more (approximately 10,000) were bought by individuals and state regiments like the 66th and 7th Illinois and the 97th Indiana. The rifles were highly prized on the battlefield. Confederates described the Henry as "that darn Yankee rifle that they load on Sunday and shoot all week." Read the rest of the Prentis Henry Rifle story here.
Used a special rimfire round unique to the Henry.
Modern repros can made in all those calibers, though.
I ams so stealing that!
CC
Beautiful old American firearm.
Our people invented some amazing things...
Arbitrary spelling rules don’t help much.
***but Lordy, you could pump out those rounds pretty fast! ***
At the Fetterrman Massacre in 1866, all the cavalry soldiers were armed with muzzle loading muskets. The civilian scouts were armed with their personal Henry rifles. All were killed.
The later reports stated that you could trace the civilian scout position because of all the expended Henry .44 rimfire cases on the ground, where they changed positions, until they were killed when they ran out of ammo. In front of their positions were found large numbers of blood spills and dead horses. The Indians had removed their dead.
The Army never learned their lesson about rapid fire rifles, and the scene was repeated at the Little Big Horn.
Ping
The brass frame had a tendency to stretch destroying the lock up if a high power cartridge was used. Reproductions should only be fired with the low powered pistol rounds.
I bought a used one forty five years ago in .38 Spl and I believe it was fired with hot handloads as it often did not fire and would not eject the case. Just a few thousands of an inch of stretch can ruin the lockup. I should have known something was wrong as the price was so low.
A NEW one in .44/40 worked fine.
This is why the 1873 steel frame one can be used with .357 Mag loads, and one 1873 I had years ago worked well with hot 44/40 handloads.
"Captain Wilson was a very interesting Henry owner that much has been written.
'The following letter from Captain Wilson, Co. M, 12th Kentucky Cavalry, is entitled to an introductory statement. The writer is an unconditional Union man, living in a strongly disloyal section of Kentucky. His neighbors had threatened his life. In consequence of this Captain Wilson had fitted up a log crib across the road from his front door as a sort of arsenal, where he had his Henry rifle, Colt’s revolver etc.
One day, while at home dining with his family, seven mounted guerillas rode up, dismounted and burst into his dining room and commenced firing upon him with revolvers. The attack was so sudden that the first shots struck a glass of water his wife was raising to her lips, breaking the glass.
Several other shots were fired without effect, when Captain Wilson sprang to his feet, exclaiming, “For God’s sake, gentlemen, if you wish to murder me, do not do it at my own table in presence of my family.” This caused a parley, resulting in their consent that he might go out doors to be shot.
The moment he reached his front door he sprang for his cover, and his assailants commenced firing at him. Several shots passed through his hat, and more through his clothes, but none took effect upon his person.
[italics mine] He thus reached his cover and seized his Henry Rifle, turned upon his foes, and in five shots killed five of them; the other two sprung for their horses. As the sixth man threw his hand over the pommel of his saddle, the sixth shot took off four fingers; notwithstanding this he got into the saddle, but the seventh shot killed him; then starting out, Captain Wilson killed the seventh man with the eight shot.”
That was one Bad Ass Union man.
I read this story years ago and have been trying to find it since! Thanks!
I should mention that at the Little Big Horn it was the Indians armed with many repeating rifles.
Funny.
I was looking another meme but, opted for that...
Describes to a tee my ancestor Martin V.B. Loucks, Union Cavalry. He was drafted off a farm in Michigan. According to reports he knew both horsemanship and shooting from the saddle!
When the fighting went hand-to-hand and they used it as a club?
Likely just ordinary wear & tear, in & out of saddle scabbards, etc.
A clubbed musket is a formidable arm; the lightweight Henry not so much.
It is amazing that the Henry Rifle evolved from the Volcanic pistol of the 1850s and later to the famous Winchester 1873.
Sam Watkins in his book Company Aytch, described (Col.) Hume R. Field C.O. of the 1st Tennessee Inf. Reg. as follows:
"a born soldier .... I never saw him the least excited in my life." On one occasion Feild used his repeating rifle to fend off, by himself, a Yankee patrol: "every time he pulled down he brought a Yankee. I have forgotten the number that he did kill, but if I am not mistaken it was either twenty or twenty-one." The incident received nationwide publicity.
GREAT post,,,
Never trusted brass frames...
Used a Marlin, and Ruger Vaquero Bisleys.
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