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FIRST ARMY CONTRACT SPENCER RIFLE: MICHIGAN CAVALRY BRIGADE AT GETTYSBURG

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The story of Spencer rifle contracts, deliveries, and government payments for purchases is complicated. Laid out by Roy Marcot in his book on Spencer’s and in a 1997 article in “Man at Arms” by Wiley Sword, who has established the serial number range for Spencer’s delivered to the Michigan Cavalry Brigade. No serial numbers have turned up in regimental records in the National Archives, but the numbers are in a very limited range because they are the first rifles manufactured and delivered under the first army contract.

This contract picked up at the end of a small contract to the Navy and included 1,200 Spencer rifles for the 5th Michigan Cavalry under Colonel Joseph Copeland. Copeland had campaigned vigorously for the repeating rifle to arm his men and received the first rifles shipped. The first five hundred were shipped in early December 1862 and issued at the end of the month. Sword has placed their serial numbers within the range of 1,000 to 1,550, allowing for the navy contract and various promotional and privately purchased arms. (Flayderman mentions only this first batch and a misprint starts it at “100” instead of “1000”). A second lot of 500, with numbers in the 1,551 to 2,050 range were shipped to Copeland from mid-December 1862 to mid-January 1863. The final 200 Copeland Spencer’s were drawn from a lot of 1,200 guns shipped starting in late January and beginning at number 2,051. Additional newer research has revealed that some slightly later (than previously thought-2,500 range) serial number guns have turned up with solid history to Gettysburg battle usage.

Our rifle is serial #1596 and thus falls within the second purchase lot sent to Copeland, who by then had been promoted to brigadier general and was commanding a brigade of the 5th, 6th, and 7th Michigan cavalry. Copeland had intended all of his rifles for the 5th Michigan, but losses in the regiment left him with about 300 extra rifles that he issued to the 6th Michigan Cavalry.

All of these early Spencer rifles saw hard service. The wood has a good darkened color and many handling dings, consistent with usage. There is a chip out of the toe of the butt at the butt plate, a fairly common occurrence when a gun has been set on the ground hard. A small tack hole and two small tacks remain from a period attempt to re-secure the now missing wood sliver. The butt stock wood to metal fit is tight. The left wrist shows considerable wear with a small chip at the top. A small hairline is also visible in the area starting at the receiver and going out approximately 3 inches. A very typical Spencer hairline crack extending forward along the line of the magazine tube in the butt stock. This was the weakest part of the rifle from removal of wood for the tube and hairlines like this are extremely common in Spencer’s that have seen use. The butt has experienced much hard usage, as evident by the small dings/scratches on both sides. The lower left side, near the end of the trigger guard tang, has two small empty screw holes and the faint impression of a non-factory swivel base. A possible explanation for this addition is the fact that these “rifles” were actually issued to cavalry regiments. In particular with this Spencer serial number set, to Michigan units. The cavalry would have already been well fitted with carbine slings and snap hooks. The addition of a swivel to the butt with an eye loop would have allowed the “rifle” to be attached to a sling. The extra benefit of being attached would also alleviate the additional weight associated with a longer barreled gun. The fore stock is tight with a few scattered deeper dings and dents. The left side fore stock juncture at the receiver has a very fine closed hairline about 1 ½ inch.

The barrel is smooth metal with a darker gray plum color overall. The receiver shows some stains and darker gray streaks. Spencer Repeating Rifle Company markings on the top of the receiver are faint. The breechblock and loading assembly all show dark even colors. Sights, barrel bands, springs, sling swivels, and the magazine tube are all in place. The mechanics are very good and the rifle has a nice bore as well. Visible rifling and a little smoothing from being shot a lot.

This would be a very good, well used, early Spencer even without the connection to the Michigan cavalry brigade, which adds to its history and rarity. Copeland was disappointed not to lead the brigade in the Gettysburg Campaign. Expanded by the addition of the 1st Michigan cavalry and an artillery battery, it was placed under the command of the recently promoted George Custer, who took it into action at Hanover, Hunterstown and Gettysburg. On July 3rd the brigade and its Spencer’s played a key role in halting Jeb Stuart’s attack behind the Union right. The rifles continued in service in the brigade during Lee’s retreat and subsequent campaigns until the Fall of 1864 when the last of them are recorded in the 5th and 6th Michigan, having been replaced by carbines and lost by attrition. In Sword’s estimate, “due to the almost constant mounted active service and fighting, few of the original 1,000 issued Spencer rifles survived the war.” This is a rare survivor and a very good chance of being present at the battle of Gettysburg.   [stp] [ph:L]

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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