GETTYSBURG USED CLASSIC M1816 CONVERSION MUSKET IDENTIFIED TO FIRST SERGEANT JOSEPH E. DASHER, 34TH AND 191ST PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS

$5,950.00 SOLD

Quantity Available: None

Item Code: 173-2684

Here is an original and identified longarm used in the Civil War by veteran Pennsylvania soldier Joseph E. Dasher of Dauphin County, Harrisburg, PA. His firearm is a .69 caliber, Model 1816 Springfield musket converted from flintlock to percussion cap and dated 1838 on the lockplate. The identified smoothbore musket is a single-shot muzzleloader in very good overall condition. Pennsylvania Reserve troops, of which Dasher was one, typically used older style smoothbore muskets such as this.

Joseph E. Dasher was a twenty-one-year-old laborer in the Harrisburg, PA area when he enlisted as a Private in Company "K” 34th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, a.k.a. 5th PA Reserves, on May 7, 1861 at Columbia, PA. The Fifth regiment was organized at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg on 20 June 1861 and embarked to the front and participated in multiple battle engagements, i.e. Bull Run, Peninsula Campaign, Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Gettysburg, and in the Overland Campaign in Virginia.

Records indicate that Dasher was present at the Battle of Gettysburg. The 5th Pennsylvania Reserves were part of Crawford’s Brigade at the Battle of Gettysburg and fought July 2nd at the Valley of Death and Little Round Top and then took their final position on Big Round Top. During the Confederate assault on the Round Tops, they came to the aid of Colonel Strong Vincent and also the 20th Maine by charging up the face of Little Round Top to support its defense.

Joseph Dasher was promoted to Corporal in April 1862 and then Sergeant in November 1862 and was present for duty in all the regiment’s battles. He re-enlisted as a Veteran Volunteer in late December 1863. On June 6, 1864, Dasher joined the 191st Regiment, PA Volunteer Infantry as First Sergeant of Company “D”. Dasher was later captured in action at the Weldon Railroad during the Battle of Petersburg on August 19, 1864. He was held prisoner until paroled at Camp Parole, Annapolis, MD on May 17, 1865.

First Sergeant Dasher’s M1816 musket was a conversion product of the Springfield Armory in Springfield, Massachusetts, which modified these old flintlock weapons from the late 1840s through the late 1860s. The musket, in good strong condition, has the ‘Bolster’ type of conversion on it and was the last type of conversion used through the early part of the Civil War. The beveled lockplate surface wears a pleasing, dusky gray patina with a mottled, fine pinprick rusting to the surface. Lock markings are the “Eagle / US” which appear thin and worn. The hammer has a high spur and wears the same dark patina as the rest of the iron components. Rear of lockplate behind the hammer is marked with “SPRING / FIELD / 1838”. Barrel is 42” in length and is secured to the stock by three iron barrel bands. Barrel breech has one proof marks “P” clearly visible. Mechanics are very tight and crisp. Barrel wears a gray patina with moderate spots of black oxidation overall. Bore is dirty and could use a cleaning. Butt tang itself is marked “US”. Steel, button-shaped ramrod is very good, original condition and retains its threaded tip. All the other iron components are very good. The dark, uncleaned, black walnut stock is in good overall condition with normal dings and dents accumulated with service and age. However, the top of the stock at the wrist / tang does exhibit an old crack in the area typically susceptible to cracking.

Dasher’s initials are hand carved on the stock flat opposite the hammer in 3/8” high letters and denote “J.E.D.” Two, strong and clear inspector cartouches are also visible on the flat. To the left of this area is carved “J. E. Dasher” and what may be “Co. K”. On the stock is carved, “Joseph Dasher 5 Regt Co. K”.

A copy of Dasher’s military and pension records from the National Archive’s, as well as a copy of the 5th PA Reserves (34th PA) and the 191st PA regiments are included. Also with this weapon is a CD that contains a number of documents related to Dasher and his post-war pension activities.

This musket, itself a veteran of the Civil War, is identified to a battle-hardened Pennsylvania soldier and would surely make a wonderful addition to any ID’d military collection or to a Pennsylvania-related artifact display.   [ra]

DISCLAIMER: All firearms are sold as collector's items only - we do not accept responsibility as to the shooting safety or reliability of any antique firearm. All firearms are described as accurately as possible, given the restraints of a catalog listing length. We want satisfied customers & often "under" describe the weapons. Any city or state regulations regarding owning antique firearms are the responsibility of the purchaser. All firearms are "mechanically perfect" unless noted, but again, are NOT warranted as safe to fire!

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