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I just joined as a member , after inheriting my fathers collection of Winchester rifles . I am researching one in particular and wanted to find out if
brass framed Henry rifles were used by the South during the civil war. I live in Australia and the possible history of this firearms is very interesting.
Peter,
Welcome to the Forum. Yes, Henry’s were used in the Civil War but they were not government issued to the troops. They were bought by the individual solider if they had enough money or bought for them.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
November 7, 2015
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As far as whether they were used by the South the answer is yes. They weren’t issued by either side but some were captured and possibly purchased by southern soldiers and used while ammo was available. Andrew Bresnan recently wrote a fascinating series of articles for the Collector. As a member you should have access to the archived articles. Just click on “Publications” at the top of this page and follow the link to “Magazines”.
Welcome!
Mike
Peter Gavrilis said
I just joined as a member , after inheriting my fathers collection of Winchester rifles . I am researching one in particular and wanted to find out ifbrass framed Henry rifles were used by the South during the civil war. I live in Australia and the possible history of this firearms is very interesting.
Peter,
As member you can post some pictures of the rifle in question and we can discuss what we know or hypothesize about the rifle.
Sincerely,
Maverick
WACA #8783 - Checkout my Reloading Tool Survey!
https://winchestercollector.org/forum/winchester-research-surveys/winchester-reloading-tool-survey/
Many thanks to you all. My father was an avid collector and he told me a story that 2 Henry’s came to Australia on the CSS Shenandoah. I have done some research and the ship was in Australia , it was a confederate raider , it docked in melbourne and his story was that the captain (Wadell) traded 2 Henry’s
to a lady in exchange for her 5 sons to go back and fight for the confederacy , that cant be proved but some 40 Australians did board the ship as stow aways
The ship surrended in the Mersey river in Liverpool England . The point for me that would be interesting is to see the ships manifest as to
authenticate the story, Mine is #7636, the other Henry went to another Australian collector just recentley and i believe they were not sequentially numbered .My guns are in a vault in Sydney and I live 6 hours away but am just finishing building a facility here at my farm to store and display them and will be able to post some photos in the next 4 weeks.
I am greatly appreciative of your comments as this history and this firearm hold a special place with me and also in American history .
thank you all again
Peter Gavrilis
You might want to buy the 2 books that were written on the Henry rifles. The Story of Benjamin Tyler Henry and His Famed Repeating Rifle by Les Quick and The Historic Henry Rifle by Wiley Sword. Both books have sections on the Henry’s that were sold to the US Military. Les’ book says there were 1,731 sold to the Military. Military Henry’s have Military acceptance marks. The type I guns are stamped with the typical H and W but also have H C on the frame and CGC on the barrel. Stocks have a CGC cartouche on the right side below the area where the wrist transitions to the top of the comb. Type II only have a very small horizontal stamp on the left side of the butt stock wrist. These are marked JT or AWM.
If #7636 was actually issued to the Military it would be a Type II. The stamp on the wrist is only about 1/4″ long and about 1/8″ tall. Very hard to see but if it is there and you know where to look you could see it. Your gun was manufactured in late 1864 or early 1865. Check for information when the ship was in port.
DO NOT POLISH this gun!!!!!
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