![]() ![]() On September 19, 1865, and unbeknownst to the Chief of Ordnance, he was granted a U.S. As a result, in January 1865, the Ordnance Department had more than a million totally obsolete big-bore muskets in its inventory.Īccordingly, Erskine Allin, the master armorer at Springfield Armory, was directed to work out a way to convert all those muskets into breech-loaders accepting a metallic cartridge. The Spencer and the Henry were considered underpowered by comparison with the foot soldiers standard-issue. It also required a special cartridge, which wasnt waterproof or self-primed. The Sharps was expensive and frequently leaked gas at the breech. ![]() The infantry, on the other hand and with few exceptions, employed muzzleloaders. Before it ended, Sharps, Spencers and other breech-loaders prevailed with cavalry troops. Certainly as the percussion cap superseded flint and steel, the breech-loading gun will replace those that load from the muzzle. So predicted Secretary of War John Holt in 1860. ![]()
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