THOMAS J . MCHUGH Editor

OUR OFFICERS for 1956 - Seated (1. to r . ) Herschel C. Logan, Vice-President; Samuel E. Smith, President; Thomas E . Hall, Secretary-Treasurer; Thomas E . Hdlt, Direcfor. Standing, Harry C . Knde, Sidney Aberman, George E. Missbach, S. L. Hutcheson, A. F. Roddy, James R. Somers, Directors.

THE COVER carries out the theme of the lead mono-

graph of this issue and is the work of our Vice-President,

Herschel C. Logan. Martial pistol collectors will readily

recognize the lock-plate marking as that of the U.S.

Model 18 19 North flintlock pistol.

page three

NORTH PISTOLS AND THEIR VARIATIONS' by

C. MEADE PATTERSON

SIMEON NORTH - Patriarch of U. S. Pistol Makers (Photo courtesy oj Samuel E. Smlrh)

INTRODUCTION

For 30 years of domestic arms production (1799 to 1829), Simeon North supplied pistols to our armed

services. He has been well named the "first official pistol maker" of the United States by his descendants.

Simeon North was born at Berlin, Connecticut, July 13, 1765. His boyhood memories were filled with recol-

lections of the Revolutionary War. Like other Connecticut boys of his day, he expected to be a farmer. In

1795 he bought a saw mill run by water and converted it to the manufacture of scythes. A neighbor-

ing gunsmith, Elias Beckley, further influenced young Simeon.

page four

"S, North cF E. Cheney Ber11 E. Srnirlr rollerrinn. This pist, Itomc in Ncnl Ilrr~npshir~ in rb, o.. , ,4, , .c. ,,, , ,., , . . ,,, .,, . , , h ~ r .rmnn, $34 i ~ l r ,

I the Sum tic o! on 4 TL" L C 1 A -

& * , * . I

< + A + + + . + o w - < + A < + * > +

of "S. Nc king, l ~ c a h

wth Br E. C h ~ n ~ y B ~ r l i n " pi,* on of forward screw. on(/ Iork-

* V n Y J . * - " *

- Revrrsc side of I! rrh E : + ~ j l i k = y J pistol, -fuinrly slrowirrg tht tp an shrr stock nho riap-r "

(stomped ~ ~ p ~ i l l c (14 +is pixto!). M0.v nr rrh tPr

Chen~y p i s ro l~ known nave been worn sa hndlv rtm; r t r t

re "S. No US sram

9 W R OfI rl .. - , ., .

Serfin" YP rhe r .her No, . .

!n the ins m longer r8

< ' j

<* * '

puge five

EARLY BERLIN, THE NORTH & CHENEY

T he thought of manufacturing pistols for the Government occurred to Sjmeon North, and a

contract was obtained on March 9, ,1799 to produce 500 pistols at $6.50 each. It was natural at this time to turn to one of the French models used dur- ing the Revolutionary War. The Charleville Model 1763 musket had been selected as the pattern of the young nation's first muskets a few years before, and it was decided at this time to produce pistols like the French Model 1776, more generally known as the Model 1777. North's first pistols delivered in batches were so well received and the need so great that a larger contract for 1,500 additional pistols of the same pattern at $6.00 each was accepted the following year on February 6, 1800. Altogether 2,000 North & Cheney Model 1799 pistols were made, with delivery being completed by September 1 1, 1802. (Figures 1, 2 and 3 )

Although an admitted copy of the French Model 1777, there are differences called for in the North contract and there are other differences which may be noted upon direct comparison between the North & Cheney pistol and its French predecessor. North & Cheney barrels were to be 8% inches, an inch longer than the French barrels. However, it ap- pears that thrifty Simeon was not one to waste a good barrel that was a wee bit scant, and some of the known North & Cheney pistols have barrels up to % of an inch shy of the contract length.

Since these exceptionally rare and valuable North & Cheney pistols were a copy of the French pistol, it may seem strange why there has not been more faking in changing and re-stamping a French pistol into a North & Cheney. The brass frames would be easy to stamp and it certainly'would not be too difficult to add an inch of barrel length to a French pistol, considering the remarkably skillful work that has been done in stretching cut-down Walker re- volver barrels back to their original nine inches. However, there are many, many "little" differences which, when they fail to check in comparison with a known original North & Cheney, would be pretty conclusive in exposing a fake. A few of them will be briefly mentioned here."

The North & Cheney pistols have an additional screw, a trifle larger than the forward trigger guard screw, holding the barrel to the frame. No French pistols have been noted with the extra screw.

North & Cheney pistols were not made with

From an address presented at the meeting of the American Society of Arms Collectors, Netherland Plaza Hotel, Cin- cinnati, Ohio, May 21, 1955.

belthooks. Most, but not all French pistols were equipped with iron belthooks. Merely removing the belthook would be simple in creating a fake, but there remains the approximate one-half inch cut in the.,brass frame just to the rear of the trigger on the French pistol which would have to be either filled in or sounded off and smoothed out. The former is very difficult. The latter could be done, but a de- pression remains and such has been noted on two fakes examined a number of years ago. Of course there is no problem if the faker is fortunate enough to obtain a French pistol originally made without a belthook.

Frizzens on the North & Cheney pistols have a greater extreme height than on the French models, running about 1 Y2 inches tall as against '/a to ?G inch less on the French. This is not too good a test, however, remembering North's tolerance on barrel lengths.

Backstraps on the North & Cheneys examined have been the same width from tang to butt, where- as the French version shows a noticeable taper from top to bottom of the grip.

North & Cheney pistols were numbered serially in three hidden places: on the underside of the barrel at the breech, on the shoulder of the breech plug, and on the brass lock-frame where the barrel is attached. Nothing will be said here about the 'size and style of numerals in the serial number, but it would be well to compare a pistol that one was con- sidering purchasing with a known genuine specimen to determine correct numerals - just in case the faker has become more educated than the work done on several examples noted in the past,

The underside of the brass lock-frame at the trigger guard was stamped in an interrupted curve either "S. NORTH & E. CHENEY BERLIN" or "NORTH & CHENEY BERLIN" (Figure 2) . The barrels are stamped "U-S" on the top at breech and lightly marked "V + P on the left side at the breech. The wood stock is stamped " U S ' o n the left side directly opposite the hammer (Figure 3).

Elisha Cheney, usually pronounced "Chainey", was a brother-in-law of Simeop North, but his part in the early pistol contract has not been determined.

3 Although not originally a part of Mr. Patterson's adtlrcss at Cincinnati, the 1:ditor reit our ASofAC rci~ilrrq would appreciate morc information on the famous North R C h c n e y pistols and so intltlceil Samuel E. Smith to ndrl h i s infor- mation to Mr. I':~ttrr\on'~ orherwise complctc Yorth p i ~ t o i %tory. Mr. Smith's atldltions include mention of markin~s, discussion of variations and delection of fitk~ng, anti sll serial number ancl survivnl ratio data,

page six

LI. S. Model 1808 Nrrr~h (?) .67 culiher flintlock pistol with bt hook. 1-ork-plate is onIy ~ r u m p ~ d wirh mn eugle over "1 STATES." in /mnt r)f cock. Pistol i . ~ stumped "0" over " I I I , on rkr hrrcrh pltrg ~hnrrlder arirJ on the stock under tI

hack

n--

FIGUR r Inr I Norrn .73 r u t r h ~ r ;f!nNock pi~tuI. La tkpIa f i

rr sfarn{fed in 3 1inr.c ".F, NORTH" m-rr "RERLIN." over "CON ." hrhind cnrk, c~nd wirlt nn ~ o p l r ovpr "U. STA TES." i n frnnr of mock. "I/" nvrr " I f I I P ( H r n r y I i , Perkin) is rramper, in thr stock nppositr t l~c Inck. Seriul ni~rnhrr 20 i.~ srompeti nc Irft s i d ~ of hrerch ~lrrr slrorrlder. nn Irfr .rilfr of barrcl or tire ht k , und irr

page seven

Cheney was a clockmaker, and it has been said that he manufactured such small parts as the pins and screws. Others regard him as having been a finan- cial backer of the first North contracts. The North family has discounted any active participation by Cheney in the manufacture of pistols and their belief is backed by the fact that only Simeon North signed the second North contract of February 6, 1800 for the additional 1,500 pistols. So far, the first con- tract has not been located so we do not know how it was signed.

The authors of SIMEON NORTH, FIRST OFFICIAL PISTOL M A K E R , published at Con- cord, N. H. in 19 13, although doing a fine pioneer- ing work in telling about Sirneon North and his pistol making, were in error as to what type of pistol the contracts of 1799 and 1800 called for. Thc book illustrates and describes the model 1811 full stocked pistol and calls it the 1799 contract. Fortunatdy the authors located and printed the en- tire February 6, 1800 contract in the book and in Part Second of that contract is stated, "That part of the breech of the pistol which lies within the Brass may be formed round on the under part in- stead of being squared". That description clearly

LATER BERLIN, PISTOLS

refers to a brass framed North & Cheney of course and not to a full stocked later model pistol with no brass frame.

Today there are very few North & Cheney pistols in existence. Their survival rate seems to be less than one per cent. Between 15 and 20 specimens are all that are known of the original two thousand. Information provided by serial numbers collected by Sam Smith over many years suggests that the first 500 pistols were numbered consecutively from 1 to 500 and were those marked "S. NORTH & E. CHENEY BERLIN", and that the 1,500 pistols of the second contract were numbered consecutively from 1 to 1,500 and were those marked simply "NORTH & CHENEY BERLIN". The number of specimens available for examination is so few that such conclusions are only considered possibilities. Why the survival of these North Model 1799 pistols is so low remains a mystery. Perhaps it remains for someone engaged in arms research at Archives in Washington to locate a hitherto unknown War Dept. directive of the early 1830's instructing Ord- nance oficers to have withdrawn from storage and broken up for scrap, all of the "old model brass pistols".

w ith the completion of the 1799-1800 con- tracts, Sirneon North made no more pistols

for the United States until June 30, 1808 when he entered an agreement with the Navy to supply 1,000 pairs of boarding pistols at the price of $1 1.75 a pair. An additional contract for 500 more pairs of Model 1808 Navy pistols at $12.00 a pair was obtained December 4, 1810. These pistols have ten-inch barrels held by pins to a full-length stock. The brass buttcap has a curious umbrella shape typical of Berlin pistols of this and later models. A belt hook was mounted on the left side opposite the lock so that the seaman's hands would be free for climbing and using the cutlass. These Model 1808 pistols are never found with any proofmark on their barrels. A serial number is found stamped in the wood of the stock under the iron backstrap and in the left side of the breech plug shoulder. The pistol in the author's collection is number 214. Most of these pistols were converted to percussion later on, and many flintlock specimens often prove to be re- converted. This pistol is usually called .64 caliber, but those measured have been -67 caliber.

The common lockplate marking is an eagle over "U. STATES" between cock and battery, and "S. NORTH" over "BERLIN" over "CON behind cock. Some are known with "U. STATES" on top

WITH FORESTOCKS of the barrel. Another variation, such as the pistol shown in Figures 4 and 5, has the same eagle over "U. STATES." on the lock, but no markings what- ever behind the cock. One might think at first that the typical "S. NORTH" over "BERLIN" over "CON" stamping has been removed, but this is not the case; the lockplate has uniform' thickness throughout and the eagle over "U. STATES." stamp- ing is perfectly sharp. This particular lock is 95 inch longer than the usual Model 1808 North pistol locks that are marked with North's name and address. It has been suggested that another contemporary made these pistols, but the eagle stamping is identical with those signed by North. It has also been sug- gested without support that these are early unsigned pattern pistols. The fact that its number is not a conventional serial number, but is "0" over "1 1 11" might lend some basis to this thought.

The next North pistol (Figure 6 ) is the Model 181 1 .6Y caliber contracted for on November 18, 18 1 1, with Tench Coxe, Purveyor of Public Supplies, for 1,000 pairs at $11.8795 a pair. This pistol is more often called Model 18 10, but the Model 18 11 designation is preferred because it refers to the actual contract date. This pistol is shorter than the Model 1808, having an 8% inch barrel held by pins to a full-length stock. Bore diameters have been found

W . S. Tmn~it ioi? Morkl !&I3 I ruliber flirltlock pist with Rerlirl IoI.R (~vid i r ~ r t ~ O I E ~ " olvr "IIIIP" (Ilcri W . Perkin) is ~ t u m p r d in thti arclrn ~,,an.tirr: the lock. N e double siic

1. X. Mr1rltn/ 1813 N c m h .71 c n l t h ~ r flintlock pislo/ rctillr t~srr, m'kpltttr ~trrrrXinfis '"Y. NORTIIN irr crirrmp, nvfr u# e11~1tb I r wren "U" unrl "S", rrvrr "h.IIDLN CON." itr rirrt'c. b(#ft ric

stock ( ~ p p r ~ ~ i r t r lock is srarn~,--' """ er "LS*' (1,rtikrlr S o ~ w , in ~ u r i p l

page nine

to measure from .69 to .73 caliber. Mountings are brass and sometimes bronze. The umbrella buttcap was continued. Numbers, which may be batch numbers instead of serial numbers because they are usually low (these three are numbered 20, 27, and 31 ), are found stamped in two plAces; in the stock under the backstrap and in the left shoulder of the breech plug, and sometimes in a third place on the left side of the barrel at the breech under the stock.

Although the North Model 1808 pistol carries neither proofrnarks nor inspector's marks, the North Model 18 1 1 has both. The barrels are either proof- marked "P" (proved) over "US", or "US" over an eagle head over "CT" (contract) in a countersunk oval over "V" (viewed). Some have regarded " C T as standing for "Connecticut", as it might very well where North pistols are concerned. This proofmark also appears, however, on barrels of U. S. contract muskets made in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts as well as in Connecticut. A small " P also is some- times found stamped on the backstrap. "V" over initials "HHP for Henry H. Perkin, Ordnance Inspector and son of Joseph Perkin, first Super- intendent at Harpers Ferry Armory, are stamped in the stock opposite the lock on the North Model 18 11 pistols with " P over "US"' proofrnarks. "CW" in a trefoil for Charles Williams is stamped in the stock opposite the lock on this North Model 18 1 1 pistol with the proofmarks "US" over eagle head over "CT" in oval over "V".

in musket fashion rather than by means of the awk- ward pins. Wickham's suggestion was accepted by his superiors and on December 8, 1812, Secretary of War William Eustis ordered six pattern pistols to be made with barrel bands at Harpers Ferry.

' ~ w e n t ~ - f o u r pattern muskets were also ordered at the same time. These became the Model 1812 pat- tern muskets. Whether or not North was ordered at this time to manufacture the undelivered balance of his contract of 2,000 Model 1811 pistols with two-ring barrel bands is not known, but North Berlin pistols with the usual brass mountings, 8 % inch barrels, and a Wickham two-ring barrel band (Fig- ure 7 ) were manufactured either under this contract or at the beginning of the next. These variations have the " P over "US" proofmarks on the barrel and the "V" over " H H P inspector's marks in the stock opposite the lock.

Not much time elapsed between the order to man- ufacture six pattern pistols with Marine T. Wick- ham's improvement and the granting of a new wartime contract to Simeon North on April 16, 1813. This contract was nearly three times the total of all his preceding pistol contracts combined. North had been encouraged to expand his capacity in an- ticipation of this new fivc-year contract for 20,000 pistols to be made like the six Wickham pattern pistols recently completed at Harpers Ferry. The price agreed upon was $7.00 a pistol. A larger armory was opened six miles away at Middletown in the summer of 18 13 to handle this enormous con-

While this contract was in process of manufacture, tract. Simeon's son, Reuben, stayed on at Berlin Marine T. Wickhani of the Ordnance Department to continue the manufacture of some parts. As a stationed at Philadelphia hit on the idea of retaining matter of fact, the Berlin factory continued in op- pistol barrels in their stocks by spring-held bands eration until 1843.

MIDDLETOWN The new pistols with two-ring barrel bands were

iron mounted throughout, their barrels were in- creased in length to nine inches, their caliber re- mained that of the musket or .69, and all parts were to be interchangeable. These Model 1813 North pistols were first produced using left over locks of Berlin manufacture and markings of the previous pistol contract of 18 1 1 (Figure 8 ) . When the old lock supply had been exhausted, new Middletown locks were made. These new locks were stamped with an eagle between the letters "U" and "S" with "S. NORTH" in a curve above and "MIDL" CON." in a curve below (Figure 9 ) . The back end of the lockplate was rounded for the first time and left un- marked. Some have been reported showing a date behind the cock such as "1814", but these extra date niarks, judging from those thilt have been seen,

are not believed to be original. Other changes in the Middletown lock which differed noticeably from the Berlin lock included:

1 . An inclined brass pan without fence in place of the horizontal pan with Fence.

2. Elimination of the thumb angle in the hr~m- rner (battery, stccl, or frizzen).

3. Enlargement of the cock. 4 A rounded tinial on the battery spring re-

placed the spearhei~d liniid made nt Berlin. Opening the new factory at Middletown resulted

in mimy delays in the delivery of Model 18 13 pistols. Simeon North was constantly explaining to the Ord- nance Department why he was behind in his de- liveries. Furthermore, he was censured for selling pis- tols in Boston at the expense of his obligations to the Ordnance Department. The War oE 18 12 had placed

U . S. Modcl 1813 ~ o r r h -71 O ~ K - pla~e aamped "3. NORTPI" over ' u.> 'k~rstrcl I obpp) in hlmk Icti~rs is stamped in fhe SIOCA opposit~ ~ h t , I r~rk ,

-;-*I uJris ariginallv fined with a belt hook.

linttuck pi. ..', "+If.,.,' ,

nri- t r w , nr,. rirtrl r ~ n t . ~ i

U . S. Jl4 gin01 Frt over on CON." . . ,

rodel 1816 North .S4 coliher pinrlrrk piarol with lwrr finirk. Lorkpluit. is artlrnpe'd "5. N O H T l f " lrr c r ragh ivith shiclri hcfwwn "'t'" ahd ' ,Yo, nvPr "MI it1 cnrve. "RI" (Rohert Jolrnsun) is .vtnrrrprrl rtr

rrdp nr hurrel yt hrrrrh, "I;D" Irrryktruu.nj irt wrrnr I \ \trlr up of rlrc sruc k , mlrf " 1 C" f f

:rt~mpcd irr

poge eleven

a premium on North's pistols. By June 22, 1815, more than two years after the contract, only 1,156 pistols had been delivered. The contract had speci- fied delivery in five years of all 20,000 pistols. Meanwhile, another complaint had arisen. Pistols of musket bore were disliked by'the armed services because of their excessive recoil. The prevalent opinion was that plstols should shoot !h ounce rifle balls - not one-ounce musket balls. This valid criticism to the Ordnance Department resulted in their negotiating a revised contract on January 8, 1816, with North. The undelivered balance of the 1813 contract for 20,000 pistols was to be manu- factured with .54 caliber, nine-inch barrels, all iron mountings were to be browned, all parts were to be interchangeable, and a year's extension in time was granted. Instead of terminating in 1818 the five- year period agreed upon in 18 13, the deliveries now could run 'into 1819. Nqrth agreed to these terms when a $1.00 increase in price per pistol was stipu- lated. Where the price had been $7.00 each for the

I Model 18 1 3 pistols, the price was increased to $8.00 each for the Model 18 16 pistols.

Although made as a part of the same contract, the differences between the North Model 18 13 and

I the North Model 18 16 pistols are distinct: 1. Model 18 13 pistols are -69 caliber, and

Model 18 16 pistols are .54 caliber. 2. Model 1813 pistol barrels are usually oc-

I tagonal at their breech end, whereas Model 1816 pistol barrels are round throughout their entire length.

3. Model 18 13 barrel band is not fluted at the base of its forward ring, whereas the bases of both band rings are fluted in Model 1816 pistols.

4. The stock ends flush with the front of the barrel band in Model 18 13 pistols, but the stock projects in front of the barrel band in Model 18 16 pistols.

5 . Model 18 13 pistols have no front sight, but Model 18 16 pistols have a brass blade front sight mounted on the forward ring of the barrel band.

Some North Model 18 13 pistols were equipped with belt hooks, apparently for naval duty. No Model 1816 pistols are known with authentic belt hooks. Some Model 18 13 pistols have plain locks without the eagle (Figure 10). They are simply stamped in.two lines between the cock and the bat- tery, "S. NORTH" over "US'. m e contract of April 16, 1 8 13, specified that the eagle stamp should be used on the pistols delivered. No clear explana- tion has been offered as yet to account for these pistols marked in this different manner. The simi- larity in lock markings to the later Model 1826 pis- tols made for the Navy, which are stamped in two

lines between cock and battery "U,S." over " S . NORTH.", suggests possible naval service, especially for those pistols where belt hooks were used. Sonie are known, however, that were never fitted with belt hooks. Another minor but interesting point is the observation that the eagle on the North Model 18 13 lock has no shield in front of it. Though reduced in size from the Berlin eagle that preceded it, the 1813 eagle resembles it in this particular respect. The eagle of the North Model 18 16 lock, even early ones with the "MIDLN CON." markings, always has a shield in front of it.

Model 18 13 North pistols with Berlin locks usual- ly are stamped "V" over "HHP" (Henry H. Perkin) in the stock opposite the lock. Their Berlin-type barrels, which are round throughout, are stamped "P" over "US", Model 1813 North pistols with Middletown eagle locks are usually stamped "LS" (Luther Sage) in script in oval, and sometimes "V" above the oval in the left side of their stocks opposite the locks. Their octagonal breech is stamped "P" over "US" on its left-hand slanting flat, and often " H . H . P on its right-hand slanting flat above the vent. North Model 181 3 pistols with the two-line marking without the eagle have the same barrel markings, " P over "US" and "H.H.P," but "ET" (Elisha Tobey) in block letters is sometimes found stamped in the stock opposite the lock.

Model 18 16 North pistols (Figure 1 I ) have bar- rels stamped "P" over "US'' or "P" and "US" on their left side at the breech. Sometimes the barrel inspector's initials, such as "RJ" (Robert Johnson), are stamped in the right side of the barrel above the vent, and sometimes a number, such as "S", is stamped in place of the initials. Inspectors' initials usually found stamped in script, in ovals, in the stock opposite the lock include "LS" (Luther Sage) and " E T (Elisha Tobey), and in script, without ovals, "OA" (Oliver Allen) and "JN" (John New- bury). Screw heads of Berlin North pistols are usually stamped with an assembly mark such as a circle or s circle with a tail, a dot or a pattern of dots, a dash or a pattern of dashes, or a distinct Roman numeral, but the Model 18 16 pistol screw heads are usually stamped with the assembly mark of a single letter of the alphabet. Letters ranging from "A" to "2" have been noted. Presence of an- other letter indicates a replacement part from another pistol of the same model. These letters are also stamped on the mountings.

Sometime during the production of the Model 18 16 pistols, the lockplate marking was changed. This new marking shows a slightly different eagle with shield between the letters "U" and "S" with "S. NORTH" in a curve above and "MIDLTN

pngt rwclve

v . J. M U ~ I P I 1 8 i Y North .Sd r f ~ l i b ~ r f/it~r/ock pisrnl. lu lock- pl(1lrr is sturnpt8d "I. NORTH." in cicr\rr, over .on c n ~ l r n'irh shirlll Irrrwrrn " I / " ond ".S". u r r r "MIDI-7N CONN." rn crrrrp it1 jronr of ruck, and "1821" h ~ l ~ i n d cork. R ~ r r f l ;.T rrampcd ,. r, * . . , ex hprf J ~ I J I ~ S C ) I I J n w r "P" ntwr " 11.1"'. "I,S" (Lt t rh~r S L I ~ P ]

:k opposite rlrr lock.

IJ. S. MOIICI 1 1 P Z f i Nor111 -54 tq<~liJrt-r pinrl(~ck pisftll v i f h hrlt huok. I.ot.l plartv i.r stir)rtpt~l " 11. ,S," [Jl'Fr "3. N O RT li." irr f m t r r nj r .or,k, rmd "lf127" h~l t inr( rtlc-k. "US" ovcr "E?"' IElrrhu Tnlrry) nvrr " P " in rrxst+rfc- i s smtnprd in /It.' brcccl~ rnrl 0 1 rlrt

- *J " rT" ;1 strri;~l in r r t r o l is slr rltr

Frauaa IS. 54 calih~r ~h hook.

page thirteen

CONN." in a curve below. Note the addition of a " T to the Middletown abbreviation and the ad- dition of a second "N" to the Connecticut abbre- viation. Model 18 16 pistols with this style of stamp- ing have been named Model 1817 pistols without justification. The date of the change to the second stamping is not known. If it were known, it would hardly deserve the status of a separate and distinct model. Probably this later lockplate stamping was used in pistols of 18 18 and 18 19 manufacture.

Simeon North gathered momentum during the production of his Model 18 16 pistols at his Middle- town plant. His deliveries were prompt and by the spring of 18 19 he was looking for an additional con- tract, Nearly all 20,000 pistols of the April 1813 contract had been delivered. Unfortunately for the Government and the common good, his accelerated production had been too late to satisfy the dire need for pistols occasioned by the War of 1812. It is estimated that of the 20,000 pistols made under the 18 13 contract, approximately 1,500 pistols were Model 18 13 made during the War and about 18,500 were Model 18 16 made afterwards. It is presumed, without evidence to the contrary, that North con- tinued making .69 caliber pistols from June 22, 18 15, when 1,156 had been delivered, until January 8, 1816, when the revised contract was negotiated for -54 caliber pistols.

Harpers Ferry designers turned out six pistols of a new pattern in the spring of 1819. Two of these pattern pistols still survive: one altered to percus- sion (Figure 12) and another in flintlock in William M. Locke's collection. The barrel had been length- ened to ten inches; a single ring barrel band farther down on the stock replaced the two-ring barrel band of Marine T. Wickham that had been used on the transition Berlin pistols and the Middletown pistols of 18 13 and 181 6; an iron button-head swivel ram- rod replaced the easily lost, separate hickory and iron ones of earlier models; and a sliding safety bolt was introduced to lock the tumbler securely when the half-cocked pistol was not in use. Many col- lectors prefer the Model 1819 pistol for its more graceful shape to earlier pistols produced by North. This Harpers Ferry Model 3 819 pattern pistol was first described in an article in the August 1949 issue of THE AMERICAN RIFLEMAN. Its lockplate is stamped with the same but smaller eagle over "US' that appears on Harpers Ferry muskets of 18 19 and the same eagle that appears on some 18 19 Harpers Ferry rifles of the 1803 Model. The model date "1819" is stamped at the back end of the lock- plate under the sliding safety bolt. "HARPER'S FERRY. 1819." is stamped on the iron backstrap and "US" is stamped in the buttcap tang. Character-

istic Harpers Ferry proofmarks, as used in 18 19 on muskets, are stamped at a reduced scale, in keeping with the size of the pistol, in the breech end of the barrel where "V" over "P" over an eagle head appear.

Simeon North, now going strong at his Middle- town factory, accepted another five-year contract for 20,000 Model 1819, pistols of the style of the Har- pers Ferry pattern pistols on July 2 1, 18 19, at $8.00 a pistol (Figure 13 ) . He completed this contract ahead of schedule, delivering 2,000 in 1820, 7,000 in 1821, 8,000 in 1822, and 3,000 in 1823. No Model 18 19 pistols made by North are known dated 18 19, 1820, or 1823. Only locks dated "1821" and "1822" behind the cock and under the sliding safety are known to collectors. Some without any dates at all are presumed to be of early, or 1820, manu- facture, this having been the established practice on all previous North pistols. Apparently enough dated locks were made in 1821 and 1822 to carry through to the end of the contract in 1823. Some Model 1819 North pistols fitted with belt hooks are be- lieved to have been produced for naval service.

The lockplate marking of the Model 18 19 pistols, except for the date behind the cock, is exactly the same as the second type of lockplate marking found on the North Model 18 16 pistols, that is the eagle with shield between the letters "U" and "S" with "?. NORTH" in a curve above "MIDLTN CONN." in a curve below. These lockplate markings were a carry- over without change from the last of the Model 18 16 pistols which were still being manufactured after ac- ceptance of the Model 1819 contract. Barrels for these pistols were proof-tested by North's neighbors in Middletown, Robert and John D. Johnson. Ac- cordingly, some are stamped "RJ" over "P" over "US" and others are stamped "JDJ" over "P" over "US" in the left side of the breech end of the barrel. Ordnance inspectors' initials found stamped in script ushally within an oval in the stock opposite the lock include "LS" (Luther Sage), "ET" (Elisha Tobey), "JM" (Justin Murphy), "JN" (John Newbury), and " J W (Joseph Weatherhead). The sliding safety proved a short-lived innovation, and it never was used again on any U. S. martial single-shot pistol. It is understood that the projecting thumbpiece caught on the holsters and their housings (flaps) when the pistols were drawn or replaced.

The Model 1826 Navy pistols with 8% inch bar- rels, swivel ramrods, and belt hooks (Figures 14 and 15) were the last of the line of U. S. martial pistols made by Simeon North. Three thousand of these pistols werd manufactured for $7.00 each under three separale contracts for 1,000 pistols each, dated November 16, 1826, December 12, 1827, and

[ I , i. ' ~ o e f t ! ~ t a l i NorXlr .71 cal ih~r pi.~tol convprted from , * flirrtlmk In perrlis.rion by cirunz. L m k p l o r ~ is .rrlarnppd in 2 line9 *."'§. NORTH" over "US', **H.H.P." (Henry H . Perkin] is ' .mmped tn righl sluntrng b n r r ~ f Put or hrpech. ahd " E T (Elisha

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page fifteeh

August 18, 1828. Their lockplates are stamped in two lines between cock and battery "U. S." over "S. NORTH." and "1827" or "1828" behind cock. Elisha Tobey inspected all 3,000 of the completed pistols for the Navy. The breech end of the barrel is usually stamped "US' over "ET" over a counter- sunk " P in rosette, and "ET" in script in an oval is stamped in the stock opposite the lock and above the belt hook. Other barrels are stamped "US'over "AH" (Asabel Hubbard) over a countersunk "P" in rosette, showing that this inspector passed some '

of the barrels. A small anchor indicating Navy use is stamped near the proofmarks on some bar2eIs. Simeon North had become interested in rifle manu- facture in 1823, and had been producing U. S. Model 18 17 rifles in the interval between the Model 18 19 and 1826 pistol contracts. At the end of the

1826 pistol contracts, an additional opportunity to manufacture Hall's patent breech-loading rifles had been offered him, and much to John Hall's annoy- ance, he had accepted it. He first made Hall's patent rifles and carbines and later made improved Hall Carbines which were produced at ~.iddletown as late as the 1850's. Thus, delivery of the Model 1826 pistols closed a famous military pistol-making epoch that had lasted for 30 years, ( 1799 to 1829). U. S. pistol manufacture had been dominated all that time by a single enterprising man, Simeon North, who had delivered 50,000 flintlock pistols to our armed forces. His pistol saw service in the Wars with Tripoli, the War of 1812, the Seminole Wars, the Black Hawk War, and the Mexican War. Converted and flintlock North pistols were even used as late as the Civil War.

APPENDIX - North Pistol Conversions cone on military-style percussion hammer, on the inside of

drum bolster barrel the lockplate, in the wood behind the lock, and Model 1799 -- a - - - under the barrel. Some North Model 18 16 pistols

Model 1808 X - - - - with bolster alterations were also fitted with iron

Model 181 1 X - - -- buttonhead swivel ramrods at the time of con-

Model 18 13 X X -- version.

Model 1816 X X - - Evidently, many North Model 1826 Navy pistols

Model 1819 X X -- were converted to percussion while still in the Navy's

Model 1826 - - -- X possession. So thoroughly was the job OF conversion done that it is difficult to find an original flintlbck - - -- -

Conversions to percussion of all North flintlock ~ i s to l of this model. Many have been reconverted pistols, except the North & Cheney Model 1799, have been observed. The most common conversion, the drum conversion, has been seen on all other models except the Model 1826. Some drum con- versions of Model 1808 and 1813 North pistols (Figure 16) suggest military conversion through use of a large plain percussion hammer. Most of the other conversions using this system are readily iden- tified as the work of private gunsmiths who brought discarded military flintlock pistols up-to-date for private citizens during the percussion period (Figures 17 and 18) .

Bolster alterations to percussion are considered bonafide military alterations which kept an additional supply of otherwise serviceable pistols in readiness for use. Some of these military conversions like Figure 19 have "A. W." stamped on the bolster face, suggesting that the famous martial pistol maker, Asa Waters, may have altered them. Some North Model 1813 pistols with bolster alterations to percussion carry concealed conversion serial numbers. J. S. White had one stamped "152" on the inside of the lockplate, in the wood behind the lock, and under the barrel. This converted Model 18 13 pistol (Fig- ure 20) has "100" stamped in the barrel side of the

iike the North Model 1 8 0 8 ~ ~ a v ~ pistols. All Model 1826 North Navy pistols converted to percussion, that have been observed, are of one type, indicating simultaneous uniform alteration. They have a large nipple screwed into the top of the barrel and a mili- tary-style percussion hammer made offset to strike the barrel-mounted nipple (Figure 2 1 ) .

North pistols, both flintlock and converted, are found with unusual punch marks stamped in the breech end of their barrels. They range in depth to nearly !4 inch and are regarded as "condemnation marks". The thought behind this conception is that these punch marks branded the pistol once and for all as no longer fit for firing. Just as the service life of the pistol began with its proofmarks, so its ser- vice life ended with the application of these con- demnation marks by the Ordnance Department. These punch marks have been found on the barrels of North Model 1816 and 18 19 pistols. Various shapes have been noted including a,dot, a crescent, a heart, an arrowhead, a rectangle, and a square. Sometime$ a man's name and organization appears on top of the barrel followed by the word "COND" (condemned?) in conjunction with one of these marks.

page s ixt~en

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sred 3827. ru L.. ..!-.

A UNIQUE BREECH-LOADING U. S. MARTIAL PISTOL by

SAMUEL E. SMITH

W hether completion of Simeon North's 1826 contract. ended all of his pistol making activity

may never be known. However, there is a strong pos- sibility that the breech-loading single-shot percussion pistol illustrated here was made under North's super- vision in his arniory in Middletown, Conn. as a trial piece for another U. S. Government contract which never materialized.

The only markings on this pistol arc the inspec- tor's initials "NWP" on the breechblock in front of the hammer, and also the samc "NWP" stampcd in an oval on the left sidc ol' the stock where the government inspector's initials appear on other U. S. martial pistols. Having thc same inspector's stamp of approval on both the stock and the barrel is im- portant on a trial piece, such as this pistol appears to be. Standard production pistols have barrels proved by one or rriore inspectors and stocks and

1 Becausc of the possibility that this rare breech-loading military pistol might have bccn made by Simcon North, it was decided to ask Mr. Smith to write the story and in.clude it with M r . Patterson's fcature i~rticlc.

final assembly by still others. With this entire pistol being o.k.'ed by just thc one inspector, the trial pistol theory is given credence.

NWP was the rtlark of N. W. Patch who had been a government arms inspector sincc 1831 when the inspection was taken from the Superintendents of the National Armories and placed i~ndcr Lt. Daniel Tyler as Chief Inspector. This information is given in Vol. I of U. S. ORDNANCE by Jarnes E. Hicks. In Vol. I1 by the same author, much of the corre- spondence is given, showing that N. W. Patch served as an inspector at the Simeon North armory between 1833 and 1850 while North was engagcd in manu- facturing more than 20,000 percussion carbines under government contracts. While i t is true that Mr. Patch was also employed inspecting arms at the Waters, Starr and other armories during the 1830's, yet i t must be renrenlbcrcd that those contractors were making niuzzlc-loading flintlocks, swords, etc. Nonc of tliern were making percussion breech- loaders and none of then) had the previous lpng history as a pistol maker that North did. Simeon North was actively engaged in making percussion

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page eighteen

locks the p e ~ h block

a 3 . .

breech-loaders (carbines) and it seems only natural that he would be interested in producing a percus- sion breech-loading pistol.

On page 11 1 of Vol. TI U. S. ORDNANCE, Major Hicks reproduces Col. North's letter of June 4, 1833 to Col. George Bumford at the Ordnance Dept. in Washington. In the second paragraph, North writes: "I would also propose to furnish one thousand pistols the same as the one now furnished, at the price of eight dollars per pistol, or ten thou- sand of them, at sevFn dollars per pistol". Atternpt- ing to read between the lines of century old corre- spondence is admittedly dangerous, but it is very possible that when North wrote "the one now fur- nished" he meant just that - and was referring to one pistol he had just then furnished. However, even if he meant the Model 1826 pistol which was the most recently manufactured model, it shows a con- tinued interest of North in pistol making at the time he was making breech-loading carbines and rifles.

Comparing this breech-loading pistol with the carbines, we find some similarities which could wcll bc a maker's carryover. The trigger guard on the breech-loading percussion pistol is about identical to those on the Model 1826 North flintlock pistols. So is thc butt cap, except that it extcnds more than an inch farther up on thc grip to meet the tang than do those on the flint pistols. Being shorter, an old Model 1826 butt cap could not have been used here. The hammer, though smaller, is very similar to the hammers North supplied on his contract carbines; likewise the trigger. Being .52 caliber smoothbore, it may indicate that this pistol was not made until around 1840, as the Model 1838 Hall-North breech- loading carbine and subsequent carbine models were the first to be made in that caliber.

The mystery of who made this martial pistol may never be solved, but regardless it is to me one of the most interesting pieces in the martial pistol section of my collection. Simeon North could have been proud of it then as I now am.

page nineteen

1

PENNSYLVANIA 1798 CONTRACT MUSKETS by

THOMAS E. HOLT

T he General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on March 28, 1797, passed an

act authorizing the purchase of 20,000 muskets to arm the State troops. In April and June of 1797, the Commonwealth advertised in the Independent Gazetteer and other Pennsylvania newspapers for bids on furnishing 20,000 stands of arms to be marked near the breech with the letters "CP .

Contracts were made with various firms and indi- viduals. Let us consider a typical contract - that of the Ketlands, This is an Article of Agreement, dated November 15, 1797, between the Common- wealth of Pennsylvania signed by Governor Thomas Mifflin, and Thomas and John Ketland of Philadel- phia. In this agreement, the Ketlands propose to furnish ttie Commonwealth with 10,000 stands of arms at $10.25 per stand. The guns were to be made in ~ n g l a n d according, to the following specifications:

". . . the length of each barrel to be three feet eight inches, and to receive a ball of eighteen to the pound; each barrel to undergo the same degree of proof as is now in use for the proof on those made for the service of the United States, and to be stamped or marked near the breech with the'letters CP; the locks to be upon the best construction, double bridled on a flat plate and marked with the letters aforesaid; the mounting Iron, with the bands and swivels and spring to each band; the ramrods to be of well tempered steel; the bayonets to be fifteen inches in the blade, made of steel well tempered and polished; the stocks to be made of well seasoned walnut; the length of the butt of the musquet to be fifteen and a half inches from the breech end of the barrel to the heel plate; the side pins, the breech pins and triggers to be case hardened; the weight of the musquet and bayonet thus completed not to exceed eleven pound^."^

From this contract, it is logical to assume the " C P to stand for Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Inasmuch as these arms were to be made in England and proof fired for "the same degree of proof as

those made for the service of the United States", why would a mark denoting CITY PROOF be placed upon them? It may be of interest to note that the British Government would not permit the export of these arms, so the contract was abrogated and the order placed with other firms.

Similar contracts were placed with other people. On December 13, 1797, William Henry 11 of Nazar- eth, Pennsylvania, contracted to furnish 2,000 stands of arms. Owen Evans of Evansburg, Pennsylvania, on December 7, 1797, agreed to furnish 1,000 muskets. Melchior Baker, Fayette County, had a contract dated February 1799 for 2,000 arms. Baker was associated with Albert Gallatin, who later was in Thomas Jefferson's cabinet and withdrew from the arms firm. John Miles of Northern Liberties, Phil- adelphia, contracted on September 3, 1798, for 2,000 muskets. Lether & Company of York, Pennsylvania, on April 1 1, 1798 agreed to furnish 1,200 arms.

Plate I shows an example of the arms manu- factured by each of these contractors, as well as one by an unidentified maker." The latter, designated "a" in the Plate, is very interesting for it has the name "Sweitzer" on the inside of the lock plate, as shown in Plate 111. There was a Sweitzer known as a lock maker, but it has not been ascertained whether he ever made any long guns. He probably made only the lock for some other manufacturer. In 1808, Daniel Sweitzer & Company was located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

There were additional firms and individuals who had contracts for arms under this act of 1797. Peter Brong, Henry De Huff, Jacob Dickert and Jacob Haeffer, each, on April 17, 1801, agreed to furnish 500 arms. Abraham Henry, a brother of William Henry 11, on April 1 I, 1798, contracted to furnish 2,000 arms. John Fondersmith on January 14, 1799, agreed to furnish 500 stands. The Kerlins, John Jr. and Samuel, contracted for 500 arms on May 2, 1801, and Robert McCormick proposed on April 1 1, 1801, to furnish 1,000 stands. On April 17, 1801, a firm composed of Conrad Welshanse, Jacob Doll

Prom an address presented before the Society at the Chi- c a p Meeting May 19-20, 1956. 3 Editor's Note: The six muskets illustrated are all from

Mr. Holt's Collection and represent the largest group of 2 Pennsylvania State Archives, Harrisburg. these arms known to collectors.

Q - ~ k e r "e" ' - Evan Miles

page twenty one

and Henry Pickell, proposed to furnish 1,000 stands to the Commonwealth. No guns by these makers are known to the writer,

Many of the arms furnished under these contracts were marked on the barrel, near the breech, with a "P" and a Liberty Cap, as well as the "CP", as shown on Plate 11.

Why was the Liberty Cap used as a proof mark and what was its significance?

The Liberty Cap, from time immemorial, has been an insignia of Freedom. In the Roman Empire, slaves who were freed were given this distinctive head gear to wear. In the French Revolution, the red Liberty Cap came to be the accepted device of the people - the Third Estate - and was officially recognized at the birth of the First Republic in 1792. The United States was much interested in and sym- pathic to the French Revolution, and the Liberty Cap came to be a popular insignia of Freedom here. Several of our coins in the 1790 period bore this symbol so its use as a mark of proof was quite ac-

I ceptable. In 1798, however, it fell into disfavor because of our strained relations with France over

I our inability, or lack of desire, to live up to our treaty of 1778 with France. Hence, it is safe to as- sume that a gun bearing the Liberty Cap proof mark

I was made before 1800. What is the meaning of the "CP"? To answer

that, I believe one must consider the period - it may have two meanings. On the muskets covered in this article, I think it stands for Commonwealth

o f Pennsylvania. There are many able proponents of the City Proof definition - and on earlier guns I could agree with that meaning. However, there are later examples of the "CP" mark on guns manu- factured for -the United States which I feel definitely must be Commonwealth o f Pennsylvania, as a mark denoting ownership. For example, in the magazine Antiques for July 1926, in an article by Walter H. Kelly, is an illustration of a Whitney improved model 1801, marked "U. States" on the lock plate but also having " C P on the barrel. In the Nunnemachex Collection is a U. S. Springfield musket, dated 1815, with the barrel marked " C P and "US'. In the same collection is a musket by J. Henry, Philadel- phia, model 1808, with the lock plate marked "US" and the usual eagle of the 1808 contracts, while the barrel is marked "CP. These, I think, can only be Commonwealth o f Pennsylvania. Why would a mark meaning City Proof be put on guns which had obviously been made and proof fired by the United States and then turned over to Pennsylvania?

Plates IV to IX, inclusive, show the lock plate markings of the muskets which appear on Plate I.

All the muskets shown on Plate I have the Liberty Cap over " P in a sunken oval on the barrel. Sev- eral are marked with "V" over "CP" on the stock.

The controversy over the meaning of the "CP" has been going on for a long time and probably will continue for many years to come. I hope this article will stimulate fresh interest in these guns and bring forth additional material on the subject.

page twenty two

PLATE 111 - Inside view of the lock from a musket by an unknown maker (see "a" on Plate I). Little is known about SWEITZER'S activities beyond the fact that he was a lock maker.

PLATE 1V - Lock in Plate ill above shown here in mo~rnrrd

PLATE V - Lock section of a muskt of York, Pa. which also appears as "b"

1 "LETHE Plate I .

CO."

page twenty three

I

I

I I

lium Henry 11 of Nazareth, Pa. - e I .

I + +

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V l - Mus rrwled w "

ket by Wrl c" on Plat

:e also "d Pal*

- -7

. XI - - ' ~ w k e t b y Melchior Buker of .Fnyette County,

, I . The jaw-screw is probably a

page twenty four

.'*/ PLATE ail - Dcrarr or me rvcn area of o musket made oy Owen El also shown as "e" on Plate I .

Pa, I t is