This small group of items are identified to Captain William B. Fowle of Company C, 43^rd Massachusetts Infantry.

The first item in the group is Fowle’s Colt Model 1862 Pocket Police revolver with presentation engraving on the backstrap. This .36 caliber sidearm is considered by many gun collectors to be the pinnacle of the Colt’s factory streamlined revolver design, this weapon has matching serial numbers of #13265 indicating its likely production in the last quarter of 1862. Barrel meas. 5.50 inches long and retains some hints of blue near the muzzle but is mostly gray. A clear and sharp “ADDRESS COL. SAML COLT NEW-YORK U.S.A. AMERICA” marks the top of the barrel. Bore is clean with good rifling. Wedge pin number of 9838 does not match the rest of the weapon but that is acceptable in most circles. Creeper-style loading lever works well and is gray in color matching the barrel.

The rebated, half-fluted 5-shot cylinder retains some blue in the recessed areas with the higher areas being gray. Light wear is visible on the cylinder surface. All nipples are original and safety pins have some wear but still work. Patent date clearly marked on side of cylinder. Frame has some hints of the case colors but is mostly gray. The standard “COLTS / PATENT” is stamped on the left side of the frame. Stamping is good but the word “PATENT” is faint.

Revolver mechanics good. Weapon indexes correctly. Hammer holds at half and full-cock and falls properly when trigger is squeezed.

Grips are of one-piece, varnished walnut, strong and tight and exhibit some scuffing and scratches. Most original varnish is retained on the grips. Iron grip straps and triggerguard show light signs silver-plated wash. Left side of triggerguard marked “.36 CAL.” Frame screws show some wear. Engraved on the backstrap is “W. B. FOWLE, CAPT. CO. C. 43D REGT.” Engraving then pass around to the bottom of the strap with “MASS. V. M.”

The second item in the group is a very nice conditioned Officer’s sword belt rig beautifully displayed on a black wooden display stand with a black felt covered top.

The leather of the belt rig is in excellent condition. Belt meas. approx. 1.75 inches wide and is complete with both sword drops with snap-hooks and leather guard-shield behind support hook. The surface of the leather is very good showing light wear consistent with age, use and storage. Sword drops are strong. Attached to the belt is a Model 1851 Officer’s belt plate. Plate is in excellent condition with much gilt remaining. Spread-winged eagle is on a stippled field with plain brass wreath as is correct for the officer’s version of this plate. Reverse of the plate has a wide tongue and was nicely engraved after the war with Captain Fowle’s name and regiment. Attached to the wooden stand is a paper label with a neat ink inscription that reads “CAPT. WILLIAM BENTLEY FOWLE, JR. / CO. C  43^RD MASS. INF. ENL. 9-22-62. / PROVOST MARSHALL BEAUFORT, N.C. DIS. 7-30-63.”

William Bentley Fowle, Jr. was born in Boston, Massachusetts on July 27, 1826.  He worked as a ticket master with the Boston and Worcester Railroad in 1848 and retained this job through 1851. Starting in 1852 he had an office at 9 Merchants Exchange. In 1860 and 1862 he was a member of the Boston Common Council, and was president of that body in 1865.

On September 22, 1862 he was commissioned Captain of Company C, 43^rd Massachusetts Infantry, a company he helped raise, and was mustered in on the 24^th of that same month. The regiment was sent to North Carolina and between November 30, 1862 and March 14, 1863 Captain Fowle served as Provost Marshall of Beaufort, North Carolina. When his company returned to the regiment it saw service near Blount’s Creek and Little Washington. When the 43^rd’s nine months service was over Captain Fowle was mustered out on July 30, 1863.

After the war he lived in Auburndale, Massachusetts and was active in the coal and watch business. He was an active member of the Charles Ward Post #62 of the GAR and died on January 21, 1902 and is buried in Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

With the items is a packet of research on the 43^rd Massachusetts and Captain Fowle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS,

CLICK ON ‘CONTACT US’ AT THE TOP OF ANY PAGE ON THE SITE,

THEN ON ‘LAYAWAY POLICY’.

THANK YOU!