nfortunate side effect of time, the War of 1812 is a conflict known to many in Its dates, battles, ships, and the brave men who fought on both sides have lon low fade into the pages of history books. A surprising feat considering the ma events that transpired in those two and a half years. The White House and Capi g were burned to the ground, our National Anthem was penned, Captain Oliver Perry defended our country from enemy vessels in the Great Lakes, and the phra give up the ship,” was first uttered. It was a war filled with acts of incredi battles, future presidents and generals on the battlefield, and epic naval slu ng United States yet again confronted one of the most powerful nations on eart One such battle in that conflict was the Battle of Fort Stephenson. Far f largest battle of the war, there were only approximately 1,500 total com but it did mark a substantial change in momentum and perfectly symboliz a proud and plucky American force against the overwhelming odds of the British and their mighty Navy. Fort Stephenson was barely more than a trading post fortified by log palisades and a large ditch, and unfortunately surrounded by high ground It was located where modern-day Fremont, Ohio, currently rests, now a sma town about 20 miles down the Sandusky River from the southwest corner of Lake Erie. This small fort was all that stood between an American supply depot further inland and a British floatilla accompanied by a band of Nativ n warriors led by Shawnee warrior chief Tecumseh.
des were far from evenly matched. 700 British Regulars and 700-800 Native ans were led by General Henry Proctor and came backed by several gunboats of ritish fleet as well as a howitzer. The Americans were commanded by 21-year ol r George Croghan. His forces were a 160-man garrison and a weathered 6-pounder on named “Old Betsy.”
ghan was ordered to evacuate and set the fort ablaze, but the young Major and remained behind prepared to defend it to the last. Croghan wrote a letter in ys preceding the battle:
he enemy are not far distant. I expect an attack. I will defend this post till tremity. I have just sent away the women the children and the sick of garrison may be able to act without encumbrance. Be satisfied. I shall, I hope do my d example set me by my Revolutionary kindred is before me. Let me die rather tha prove unworthy of their name.”
ational Treasure Solid Gold Fitted Ames Congressional Presentation Sword Prese ndrew Jackson to Lieutenant Benjamin Johnson’s Family for Gallantry and Good C efense of Fort Stephenson During the War of 1812
On this property, Griswold erected the most modern gin factory
his eight children and his factory foreman. Every component of his gins was ma his 5,000-acre farm fed his workmen and slaves. t that I might be related to Ebenezer Grier (1821–1888), Sam Griswold’s attorn
hat I am not. My grandfather, Francis “Pappy” Grier (1893–1982) of Macon, Ga., accounts instilled my lifelong interest in the Civil War.
1824–1882), a native Georgian, was producing cotton gins in New Orleans at the which I believed were the early brass frame navies with small trigger guards ( ade in Griswoldville, based on the recently researched timeline. The same seri nd on the earliest small trigger guard pistols are found on later Griswold rev istics. There are records of Gunnison bringing his pistol-making machinery, in
E COLLE troduci tique C onthly ith hig ome of ilitary expert be teem leading includ along profe unusu and t from limi
ng year tablish is init g the a as hire oduce s Burton install s Ferry that he ted to ion.
TORS g the S llector agazine -resolu he worl collect ollecto ng with authori ng dist ith pro sionals l milit eir rel early A ed cove
Burton d Briti al proj sembly by the all arm as made tion of Armory had for rming t
Colt revolving rifle. Photogra uniform jackets early in the w
engines, shafting, pulleys, etc., to Griswoldville. A letter from Gunnison to the Confederate Secretary of War written from Macon, Georgia, May 14, 1862, stated: “I was involved in the manufacture of Colt’s Navy revolv in New Orleans at the time of capture by the enemy, from which place I have escaped with portions of my machinery reestablish the same work at Griswoldville.” All governm related documents concerning this manufacturing effort cite “Griswold & Gunnison.” Records most often speak of Gunnison as the principal and contact person. As the war continued, the aging Samuel Griswold must have been less active as Ebenezer Grier signed his letters and document him as his trustee.
I have studied Confederate handguns for 40 years and personally examined more Griswold revolvers than anyone alive. In the database I maintain, there are currently r of 347 revolvers and another 28 serial numbered parts. T are several variant Griswold & Gunnison revolvers among first models with round barrel housings and second model with half octagonal barrel housings. First model Griswol are the scarcest, especially the earliest guns. There ar 19 survivors accounted for with a serial number under 50
Among the survivors, there are some interesting variatio not published previously. All students of these revolver aware of the characteristic twisted iron seen in the cyl Four survivors also noted (174, 186, 202, & 312) have tw iron barrels and no twist in their cylinders.
William “Bill” Albaugh stated in his 1963 book Confede
Handguns concerning SN 202, “The fault lines or twist of cylinder may be seen only under a magnifying glass, and only by exercising the imagination.” SN 202 is the earli Griswold for which Albaugh had a complete description, a he expected that all cylinders were “twisted;” that is n
in 2000 shows no twist; however, the barrel did show wel
Early production run pistols show experimentation in perfecting both the revolvers and the rate of production including; twisted iron with different degrees of twist, direction of twist, use of iron frame pins, spring wedge different methods of seating the cylinder arbor, differe numbering, and assembly markings. By serial number 500, CivilWarNe
Wanted, at Hunter’s Iron Works, the Falls of Rappahannock River, in the Manufactory of small Arms, a Number of Hands who understand the File, also Anchor Smiths, Blacksmiths, and Nailers, to whom suitable
Encouragement will be given; where may be had, for ready Money only, Bar Iron, Fullers Shears, Files, and a Variety of Articles made in the Iron Branch, and where Tradesmen of every Kind, who incline to settle, may have Half Acre Lots of Land at a small Ground Rent for ever, and may be assisted in building, Provisions, and Materials, and the Produce of their Labour taken in Payment for the same. Apply to John Strode, Manager of said Works.3 The advertisement was repeated several times during the following year, and Hunter offered to purchase “Ne Tradesmen in any of the above Branches, also Coopers.” Hunter was interested in producing military materiel and armaments at least as early as October 1775 when h advertised in a Philadelphia newspaper seeking workers skilled in gun making. In the mid-eighteenth century, Philadelphia was the central geographical location for experienced in the gunmaking trades. Hunter advertised that he wanted “a gun smith, a complete artist, able t
and direction; ten gun locksmiths, four gun stockers, complete workman for turning and welding gun barrels, two complete workman for boring and grinding gun barrels, and a good file cutter.”5 The following year, in June 1776, James Hunter showe a sample musket with bayonet, scabbard, and steel ramr to the Convention established by the Virginia governme to oversee production of arms and materials in support the Patriot cause. The musket was very well received a adopted as the standard long firearm. Hunter was asked make as many muskets as possible within the next twelv months. Hunter expanded his gun product line to includ other types, including two types of pistols at the Hun Iron Works, a .69 caliber, 9-inch smooth bore and a .6
Close up photograph of the engraved RAPA FORGE lock pl on the martially marked Pulaski Legion-pistol. To the lock plate, you can see a portion of the intricate car behind the barrel tang on the top of the pistol grip.
265. The length of the rifle barrel is 37 ½-inches and marked “COL. COLT HARTFORD CT. U.S.A.” Stamped on the ing rammer and brass trigger guard. The walnut stock h e frame, trigger guard, and buttplate have matching nu type rifle was issued to the Berdan Sharpshooters. The
. These rifles were shipped on January 28th to Hiram B
insisted on the Sharp’s rifle as promised. After thre
th Illinois Infantry; “DJ Leech Oct 6th 1862” is writt 1863, he was detailed as a nurse in the regimental hos 863 Siege of Vicksburg. He mustered out on August 15,
