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NDIA International Small Arms Symposium, Exhibition & Firing Demo
2005
By Stephen C. Small, Ph.D.
As of 1500 hrs 9 May 05
“A Bold Initiative:
Colonel Miles and The Lee
Magazine Rifle in 1879”
2
The Life and Times of Nelson Appleton Miles
Late 19th Century U.S. Army Small Arms
Indian Small Arms
The Fight For Lee Rifles1879
Postscript
Briefing Outline
3
Nelson Appleton Miles(1839 – 1925)
4
Northern Plains Campaign (1874 – 1880)
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Colonel MilesCommander
5th Infantry Regiment
6
5th Infantry Company Grade Officers
Captain Mason Carter
Captain Snider,
Company F
Second Lieutenant Oscar F.
Long
1st Lieutenant
Baird
First Lieutenant Henry Romeyn,
Company G
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5th Infantry Artillery
12-pound Napoleon cannonModel 1841
Three-inch Rifled Cannon
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1877 – Infantryman’s Full Field Equipment Load
Springfield Rifle
60 rounds of ammunition and belt
Overcoat, rain and wool blankets, extra clothes
Full canteen
Five rations: ¾ lbs. meat & 1lbs. hardtack
TOTAL
• 8.40 lbs.
• 5.40 lbs.
• 15.38 lbs.
• 3.84 lbs.
• 8.75 lbs.
• 41.77 lbs.
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Battle of Wolf MountainsMontana
January 8, 1877
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“Miles’ Scouts”
Two Moon, Cheyenne
Luther “Yellowstone”
Kelly
Hump, Minneconjou Lakota
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Battle of Wolf Mountains
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Crazy HorseDefeated
13
Late 19th Century U.S. Army Small Arms
14
The Importance of the Service Rifle
15
During the years 1865 and 1891 Army Expenditures Declined
from $1,031,323,000 to $48,720,000
0
200000000
400000000
600000000
800000000
1000000000
1200000000
1865 1891
95% Reduction
16
1866 Peabody Rifle
1863 Springfield Rifled Musket
17
The Service Rifle and Carbine1873
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45-70 Caliber
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Personal Defense WeaponModel 1873 Single-Action Colt .45
Caliber .45” 250-255 gram lead ballCapacity six Muzzle Vel 860 MuzzleSights Fixed – 25 yards
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Indian Small Arms
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Indian Shoulder-Fired Small Arms
Henry Rifles
Winchester lever actions
Spencer repeaters
Sharps breechloaders
Springfield Breechloaders
Miscellaneous muzzle-loaders
Shotguns
22
Bows and Arrows
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Clubs and Axes
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The Fight For Lee Riflesin 1879
25
James Paris Lee
Small Arms Inventor
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The Model 1879 Lee Rifle
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Lee’s Detachable
Box Magazine
Magazine for Model 1882
Remington Lee Rifle Caliber .45/70
28
The Letter
29
The Sherman Brothers
Commanding General William Tecumseh
Sherman
U.S. Senator John Sherman
30
Chief of Ordnance, Brigadier General Stephen Vincent Benet
(June 1874 – January 1891)
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Miles’ Commanding Officer…
Brigadier GeneralAlfred H.
Terry
32
The State Army Navy Building
Washington DC
George W. McCrary
Secretary of War (March 1877 –
December 1879)
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Postscript
34
1882 - The Navy Buys Lee Rifles
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Commanding General Miles
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Miles Died in 1925
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The Lee RifleAdopted as British Service Rifle December 1888In various versions, the Lee rifle would successfully serve in World War I and IIIt was the fastest-cycling bolt-action ever made for military use
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Questions?