This weapon is a Civil War Model 1863 Sharps carbine made by the Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Connecticut. Carbine is a straight-breech, .52 caliber percussion, single shot breechloader fitted with iron furniture. Carbine is serial # 95973 and is identified to Private William Parris of Company A, 6^th Kansas Cavalry. Overall the firearm measures 39” long and features a 22” long round barrel mated to a two-piece black walnut stock.

Barrel retains approx. 90% of its original blue. Between the rear sight and the receiver the barrel is stamped with a good “NEW MODEL 1863” and just forward of the sight is a readable stamping of “SHARPS RIFLE MANUFG. CO. HARTFORD, CONN.” in three-lines. Rear sight has tight flip-up leaf missing the sliding appture. Iron blade front sight is present at muzzle. Bore is very clean and excellent overall.

Lock retains 80% of its case colors with strong maker and patent stampings back of the hammer and on left side above sling bar. Mechanics are excellent. Original nipple is present and mostly clean. Top of breech block also shows case colors.

Wood surface shows signs of heavy use with scattered dings, dents and scratches. There are some chips of wood missing around the back edge of the lock but these are old and the exposed wood matches the rest of the wooden surfaces. Forend stock is tightly secured to the barrel with one iron band that has small amounts of blue remaining. Entire stock has a dark surface. There are two faint inspector’s cartouches under the saddle bar and ring. Iron patchbox is present in the right side of the butt. Screw heads show light to moderate wear. Left side has the initials “H. A.” carved into the wood. Behind this, carved by a different hand is “WM. PARIS CO A  6 KVC.”

William Paris (spelled PARRIS in the records) was born in Jackson County, Indiana on January 16, 1842. He gave his age as 17 years old when he enlisted in Company C, 6^th Kansas Cavalry on June 15, 1862. At the time of his enlistment in Baxter Springs, Kansas he was described as being 5’ 5” tall with a dark complexion, gray eyes, black hair and by profession a farmer.

Private Paris was present with his company and took part in several skirmishes including the fight at Prairie Grove. In July of 1862 he served as bodyguard for the regiment’s Colonel and the following August he was assigned to duty at Brigade Headquarters.

Eventually the 6^th Kansas Cavalry arrived in Rolla, Missouri where on May 20, 1863 Private Paris deserted, taking two Colt Navy revolvers with him. He was apprehended in mid-September at his hometown of Medora, Indiana claiming he was one of the escorts assigned to General Ewing and claiming that he had left the General to visit with his parents. Returned to duty in February 1864, Private Paris suffered a loss of pay from June 3, 1863 to Jan 31, 1864 part of which reimbursed the Government for one of the revolvers he took.

Paris served through December of 1864 when the regiment was reorganized. At that time he was assigned to Company A.

Paris was mustered out on June 20, 1865 after taking part in many small actions in Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas.

In October of 1867 William Parris married Mary Louise Sanders in Cato, Kansas. The couple would raise 4 children. The family would move around some but eventually settled in Indiana.

Parris died in Indianapolis, Indiana on March 22, 1917 and is buried there in Crown Hill National Cemetery.

Military and pension records from the National Archives come with the carbine.  [ad]

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