A mississippi used Jeff Davis Mississippi Rifle

[hawknknife]

I recently located  U.S. Model 1841 rifle that is the namesake, Mississippi rifle.  The 1st Mississippi Infantry were issued the first model 1841's the government received, they were E. Whitney manufactured rifles dated 1844.  There are only two 1844 dated Whitney's known, according to the most knowledgeable person on the 1841 rifles.  Whitney delivered 600 in 1844 and Jefferson Davis, with his influence in the U.S. government was able to get these issued to his regiment.
    A very, very rare antique and 100% original to include the ramrod.  Barrel date matches the lockplate date and nice inspectors marks on the wood.
    Being from the state of Mississippi, and primary interest being Confederate and U.S. rifle muskets, this is a double treat. I'll get some pics posted if anyone is interested....Carl

[bones92]

Sounds like a heck of a good find.   Looking forward to photos.

I don't like to brag, but I did find a 1841 Mississippi rifle not long ago... made for some soldier named Antonio Zoli, who evidently was a native of Italy...       

[hawknknife]

Antonio was Jeff Davis's Italian messenger, I think Custer used his brother to ask Benteen to bring the packs.

[Natureboy]

  I have my great-grandfather's Mississippi Rifle, a Whitney produced in 1853, so it couldn't have been used by Jefferson Davis' regiment.  Davis got in trouble because he bought an untried weapon, but it proved to be one of the best.  Whitney put so much money into producing a beautiful gun that he just broke even on them.  I've fired it a lot in the past, but I probably won't any more.  It has a lot of use, wear and history--my great-grandfather was in the 4th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, which was in, of all things, the Mississippi campaign through Iuka, Corinth and Vicksburg.  After that, they joined Sherman's Good Will Tour of Georgia.  I also have his cartridge box and cap box;  I'm amazed that all these things have survived the move to Oregon after the war, and the years since.  I'll take good care of them.  Hawknknife, we both have treasures.

[hawknknife]

The 4th Minnesota was a very historic and active regiment. They were in all the major battles in Mississippi from Port Gibson to the surrender of Vicksburg.  They were described as a "crack regiment" being the first to enter Vicksburg at the surrender.  The towering Minnesota monument is the first one you see when entering Vicksburg national military park, a huge 90 foot high granite tribute with a large bronze at the base.
     What a wonderful grouping to have.....

[oakridge]

I envy you. Great to have your ancestor's rifle, etc. My great-grandfather's sword and several guns were still in the family when my father was a child (about 1920). Other family members acquired them, and their whereabouts now are unknown. Being a good Southern boy, I was always ashamed to admit that "Pop", as they called him, was a Yankee - 4th Illinois Cavalry, but I've ,mellowed some over the years. Oh, well, he probably just had one of those old Henry repeating rifles, anyway.

[Natureboy]

  Unfortunately, my g-grandfather missed out on the march into Vicksburg, having been taken captive at Champion's Hill and sent to Libby Prison.  He was paroled in time for the assault on Missionary Ridge, near Chattanooga, and went with "Uncle Billy" through Georgia and the Carolinas.  I assume that the gun I have is the second one he carried, unless the CSA was kind enough to return his original to him.  In Alonzo Brown's "History of the 4th Minnesota," there are references to "our Whitneys."  the 4th bore the brunt of Hood's assault at Allatoona Pass, where the Southern troops fought with incredible vigor, because they were starving, and coming for the stores at the pass.  This was very upsetting to the Union troops, because they had been fighting these same CSA units in previous battles, and were angry at how emaciated they were, when they were finding plenty of food at plantations, which was being withheld from their own army.  The 4th was also the lead unit assaulting Missionary Ridge, and was on point for one of the war's last battles at Bentonville.  When they arrived in D.C. for the Grand Review, many of the soldiers weren't allowed to march, because they were nearly naked from the long march without much in the way of re-supply.  The soldiers on both sides were amazingly tough and resilient, and probably suffered more than in any other war.  Of course, the War of Independence was no cake-walk either, and I have ancestors who fought in that one, too.