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Springfield Armory National Historic Site
Mishaps
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| Springfield Armory NHS, US NPS |
CASE 49
Nature and happenstance sometimes make a mockery of man’s most serious endeavors and turn his grimmest tools into playthings for capricious gods. A sentry walking his patrol on a rainy night had his musket and bayonet turned into a corkscrew by lightening, but the powder charge is untouched. A porcupine gnaws at a musket for the seat salt impregnating it. And in the heat of battle, chance drives a musket ball into the stock or barrel where it remains embedded.
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Springfield Armory NHS, US NPS US Model 1861 rifle musket
Catalogue number SPAR 1330
MODEL 1861 During a thunderstorm, a sentry's musket was struck by lightning which left it just as you see it. Despite the intense heat caused by the lightening, a regulation Civil War paper cartridge was found intact in the breech when the weapon was disassembled for cataloging and preservation. The identity of the sentry, who survived, is not known. It is believed that he was a Confederate since, while the rifle is a Springfield contract arm, the bayonet is apparently of Confederate manufacture.
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| Springfield Republican newspapers |
| In this newspaper article, about 1980, Curator Meuse is shown after discovering the intact charge of gun powder and bullet in the weapon. That cartridge, along with the paper wadding, is displayed in the museum case in a glass vial. The bullet appears to be a Williams 'Cleaner" bullet, rather than the standard Burton bullet (so-called 'Minie'). |
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Springfield Armory NHS, US NPS Catalogue number
SPAR 1331
CONFEDERATE BAYONET
Manufacturer unknown - Socket bayonet that was attached to rifle-musket hit by lightening (SPAR-1330), now contorted into a U-shape. Bayonet appears to be from a .69 caliber musket. T-slot lock with no ring. Flat blade. Bayonet is possibly Confederate.
No visible markings.
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Springfield Armory NHS, US NPS Springfield US Model 1861 rifle musket
Catalogue number SPAR 1478
MODEL 1861 The barrel of this weapon, found on a Civil War battlefield, has been struck by a large projectile.
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| Springfield Armory NHS, US NPS |
Here is seen a close-up of the muzzle end of the battle-damaged Springfield US Model 1861 rifle musket seen above.
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Springfield Armory NHS, US NPS BRITISH RIFLE MUSKET PATTERN 1853 (P53) ENFIELD RIFLE MUSKET
Catalogue number SPAR 1476
BRITISH RIFLE-MUSKET MODEL 1853 (P53) ENFIELD During the Civil War, the stock of this British Enfield became impregnated with salt from perspiration. After the war the soldier took the gun home and stored it in his barn. The gnawed stock is the result of a porcupine attempting to chew out the salt.
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| Springfield Armory NHS, US NPS |
Above is a close-up of the rodent-damaged British P53 Enfield rifle musket stock. The gnawed areas appear to be those on which the weapon was most often handled and sweated on during hot campaigning in the Civil War.
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Springfield Armory NHS, US NPS This Springfield US Modle 1861 rifle musket was hit by a bullet below the muzzle.
Catalogue number SPAR 1475
US Model 1861 rifle muskets These weapons, shown immediately above ( SPAR 1475) and below ( SPAR 1481 & SPAR 1479), were struck by projectiles during combat. In several instances, the bullets can be seen still embedded in the barrels.
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| Springfield Armory NHS, US NPS |
This Springfield US Modle 1861 rifle musket was hit by a bullet below the muzzle. That bullet may still be seen embedded there below.
Catalogue number SPAR 1481 |
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| Springfield Armory NHS, US NPS |
This close-up of the muzzle end of the Springfield US Model 1861 rifle musket shows the lead bullet embedded during combat in the barrel just below the bayonet stud and front sight.
SPAR 1481
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| Springfield Armory NHS, US NPS |
This Springfield US Model 1861 rifle musket was hit by a bullet below the muzzle and just forward of the bayonet stud and front sight.
SPAR 1479
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| |  | | Did You Know?
Springfield Armory functioned in tandem with its sister armory in Harpers Ferry, (West) Virginia, providing arms for the nation from 1795 until Harpers Ferry Armory was burned down during the Civil War. Today, both sites are units of the National Park Service.
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Last Updated: March 14, 2009 at 10:13 MST |
