SCARCE DRAKE-ALTERATION US MODEL 1841 “MISSISSIPPI” RIFLE BAYONET

SCARCE DRAKE-ALTERATION US MODEL 1841 “MISSISSIPPI” RIFLE BAYONET

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$360.00 ON HOLD
Originally $450.00

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 1000-996

Late in 1861 Massachusetts contracted with Boston gunsmith A.J. Drake to alter 1,742 Mississippi rifles that are known by regimental markings to have been issued to the 46th and 51st Massachusetts. Drake altered them in two ways: he installed long range leaf sights at the breech to replace the old fixed, V-notched sights, and he replaced the old front sights with a more up-to-date sight using a block base that could act as a stud for a conventional socket bayonet, though one that had to accommodate the larger barrel diameter, sight  placement, etc. The bores were left at .54 caliber, but the modifications brought them up to rough parity with the 1855 series of arms in terms of accurate long-range fire using the elongated Minie ball and arming the rifle-armed soldier for close combat with the bayonet.

For manufacture of the bayonets Drake turned to the Bay State Tool Company, of Northampton, Mass., who produced a total of 1,994 on their British-made machinery, which gave them a superficial resemblance both to Spencer rifle bayonets made by the company and to Confederate Fayetteville bayonets made on machinery obtained from the same British manufacturer. The three bayonets differ in points, but a key distinguishing factor for these Drake Massachusetts M1841 bayonets is the presence of an alpha-numeric mating or rack number on the socket- in this case “F.78.” Moller, V.3 P.165, shows a Drake altered Mississippi issued to and marked on the buttplate by the 51st Massachusetts with a company letter and rack number, “17” over “B,” on the buttplate tang. A dealer’s listing for a 46th Mass marked Drake altered Mississippi shows a slightly different marking on the buttplate tang, but one incorporating both a company letter and individual rack number as well as the regimental identification.

This bayonet is in very good condition- full length, 23-inches, with 3-inch socket, functional locking ring, good edges and point, showing some scattered gray age stains and thin brown area at the point, but with smooth metal overall, no pitting, and mostly showing as a semi-bright steel gray. As is correct with these bayonets for the Drake altered Massachusetts M1841s, there is no “US” or other marking than the letter and number on the socket.

Both the 46th and 51st were nine-month regiments serving from Fall 1862 to Summer 1863 for the most part in the Department of North Carolina, with service in the Goldsborough Expedition in December 1862, which involved fighting at Kinston, White Hall, and Goldsborough Bridge, with both units diverted late in their service to take part in efforts to interrupt Lee’s retreat from Gettysburg. This a scarce bayonet for one of the scarcer, but well-documented variations of the classic U.S. Model 1841 Mississippi, which will need no introduction to collectors, and forms a collecting category of its own, with the bayonet also fitting a specialized bayonet collection.   [sr] [ph:L]

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