This ultra-rare India Pattern/New Land Pattern Brown Bess was one of 20,000 contracted for by Santa Anna of Mexico in the years 1842 and 1844 from the English gun trade. This is the regulation arm of the Mexican infantry used in the Mexican-American War of 1846 to 1848. Our example is in totally untouched and uncleaned condition and remains in the original flint configuration.

The 39-inch barrel is Birmingham proved. The lock plate is deeply stamped with the Mexican coat of arms; namely an eagle with a snake in its beak perched on a cactus. The walnut stock shows heavy "period" use and even signs of scorching on the fore-end (which will presently be explained). There are no modern repairs to the stock and all components on the arm are original including the threaded ramrod. The front sling swivel has broken off and is missing while the original rear swivel is extant.

This weapon, which has resided in a major arms collection for years, was captured at the Garita de Belen during the Battle of Chapultepec 13 September 1847. The captor Thomas Ballard was a member of South Carolina's Palmetto Regiment. The weapon found its way to a GAR Hall and in the 1950s ended up in a private mid-West collection. The burn on the stock, that does not affect the great appearance, can be explained two ways: The horrid conflagrations that consumed much of Mexico City during the savage fighting. Or alternatively, it is a fact that thousands of these captured Brown Besses were ordered to be destroyed by burning; perhaps Ballard pulled this one out of the flames as a souvenir?  The musket is extraordinarily rare and worthy of a museum.  [pe] [ph:L]

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