COLT MODEL 1860 FLUTED ARMY PERCUSSION REVOLVERS WITH CONFEDERATE USE. SN 1542 & 1543. Cal. 44. This extraordinarily rare pair of Colts was shipped to Confederate Maj. Gen. William Thompson Martin of Natchez, Mississippi on Jan. 17, 1861 in a shipment of 160 same type guns along with 80 attachable stocks and 80 flasks. General, at that time Colonel, Martin had ordered these to outfit his cavalry regiment with a pair of Colt revolvers, a stock, a flask & a pair of saddle holsters. This is documented in a Colt factory letter as stated above, a copy of which, for serial number 1542, accompanies this lot. Apparently serial number 1543 is a “no record” at Colt. The likely reason is that they were shipped as a pair and therefore not recorded. Col. Martin, prior to beginning of the Civil War, was the 1st Lieutenant of the Natchez Guard. When the war opened he organized and was elected Captain of the Adams Troop of Cavalry. The Adams Troop was made up of some of the wealthiest men of Adams County & purchased the finest weapons & equipment. Each man had two fine horses and brand new uniforms. After the firing on Fort Sumter, Capt. Martin & his Troop chartered a steamboat to Memphis, TN, where they boarded a train bound for Richmond. Upon arrival at Richmond, the Adams Troop was joined by the Virginia Company (almost as splendid as the Adams Troop). On Oct. 24, 1861, Martin was promoted to Major and given command of this company commonly known as the “brag company of the South”. Maj. Martin and his men were baptized with fire at the Battle of Seven Pines and under Gen. J.E.B. Stewart, was incorporated into the famous Jeff Davis Legion. In the latter part of 1861 he was promoted to Lt. Colonel. The Jeff Davis Legion, as part of Stewart’s cavalry, saw extensive action at the Battle of Williamsburg, and many other skirmishes during May 1862,. On June 12-15, 1862, Stewart made his famous ride around McClellan’s army. Gen. Stewart hand-picked 1,200 men and officers to accompany him on this ride. They included the 9th VA Cav., Col. W.H.F. Lee, the 1st VA Cav. Col. Fitzhugh Lee and the Jeff Davis Legion, Lt. Col. W. T. Martin. The Legion fought in the Seven Days Battle and was with Lee’s Army when he forced McClellan’s Army off the peninsula and saved Richmond. On Sept. 17, 1862, the bloodiest day of the war was fought at Antietam. Lt. Col. Martin was personal aide to Gen. Robert E. Lee during this battle. The Legion attacked U.S. Gen. Abner Doubleday and his 30 guns capturing the cannons and their gunners. The Legion held the left flank supported by Gen. Early’s division. Due to his courage under fire and leadership ability, on Jan. 3, 1863, Martin was promoted to Brigadier General and transferred to the western front and given a cavalry division under Gen. “Fighting Joe” Wheeler as part of Bragg’s Army of the Tennessee. The Jeff Davis Legion went on to fight in many of the most famous battles of the Civil War, including: Brandy Station (June 9, 1863), Upperville (June 21, 1863), Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863), Bristoe Campaign (Oct. 1863), Mine Run Campaign (Nov.-Dec. 1863), The Wilderness (May 5-6, 1864), Spotsylvania Court House (May 8-21, 1864), North Anna (May 23-26, 1864), Cold Harbor (June 1-3, 1864), Petersburg Siege (June 1864-April 1865), Williamsburg Road (Oct. 27, 1864) and the Carolinas Campaign (Feb.-Apr. 1865). This represents an opportunity to acquire an extremely historic pair of early Colt pistols that undoubtedly saw a tremendous amount of heroic service in the Civil War. Accompanied by the aforementioned Colt letter along with a 3-ring binder of the history of the Jeff Davis Legion of Mississippi Cavalry and their service throughout the Civil War. Gen. Martin, had a long & distinguished career after the Civil War in local & state politics, a railroad man and a trustee of a university, a college and a hospital and was eventually elected a state senator and served from 1882-1894. In 1905, at age 82, Gen. Martin was appointed Postmaster of Natchez and died on March 10, 1910, fifteen days before his 87th birthday. He was born March 25, 1823 in Glasgow, Kentucky. The revolvers both have 8” rnd bbls with full fluted cylinders and 4-screw frames cut for shoulder stock, with round headed hammer screws apparently having been changed out some time during period of use. Stock screws are also short & round headed apparently having been changed. They both have brass trigger guards & iron back straps with 1-pc walnut grips. CONDITION: Both revolvers are in nearly identical condition. No orig finish remains being a cleaned gray patina over all metal surfaces, beginning to repatinate. Both have minor dents & dings and apparently have been waxed. Both have chipped grips with No. 1542 slightly battered on bottom. Both grips show moderate to heavy wear and a fine hand worn patina. On both, mechanics are fine with strong bores and moderate to heavy pitting. A truly historic & wonderful pair of documented Civil War used Colts. 4-32670 JR612 (50,000-80,000)
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