🥇 BANNER Civil War Revolver!!!

[hbru123]

I was metal detecting at a early 1800’s-1920’s homestead which throughout the years has had Civil War soldiers sent to capture Confederate sympathizers camp outside, the Mormon battalion camped there, and a lot more occurred. You might remember my post about how I found a Civil War revolver cylinder if not it has a lot of history of the site so here is the old post: I found this awesome Cylinder to a revolver near a Civil War skirmish site and a Civil War trail in San Diego California. Here is a little back story: In San Diego there were many Confederate sympathizers and in 1861 16 Confederate soldiers ran into some Union soldiers on there way to San Diego (Remember this was before San Diego was widely populated so if you saw a homestead near a river, which is where I found this, you would most likely stop to have a drink of water and rest) a small skirmish pursued but the Union ended up capturing the Confederates. I found this not far from the battle site. After looking over hundreds of different revolvers the only one that was a match was a Confederate .36 caliber revolver. ( you have to remember that Civil War relics are insanely hard to find in California so this is a amazing find for me) it was found over 14 inches deep.

Today: I went back there. I was finding some old relics but I never thought something like this would ever happen. I got the signal and I looked down and saw something sticking out of the ground, I pulled it out, and after a second of looking at it I knew that it was the back to a revolver. I went to look to see if the cylinder and the barrel were there so I swung my detector over the hole and there was still something so I dug down a few inches and out popped the cylinder and the barrel. After some research I found out that it is a 1860 army issue colt revolver!! I never thought I would find a gun and much less a Civil War revolver in California!!

**UPDATE**

I was looking over the gun and I found that the owner of the gun carved his initials (T B) into the brass piece!!

I just found out that it was shipped to Capt. R. H. K. Whitely Governor's Island, NY in 1862!

 

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[hbru123]

Great find!! Two things. You might want to consider electrolysis to clean it up and stabilize it ASAP. The Colt address/writing on top of the barrel may be visible under the rust. The serial number should be visible stamped in the brass in front of the trigger guard near the screw and near the screw that joins the trigger guard and backstrap. can you post close ups of these areas? If the numbers match, it's likely an untampered-with specimen. You can also spend some $ and get Colt to send you a letter that will tell you where the revolver was shipped and how it was finished as it left the factory (if they have the records after the fire years ago). It's worth a call to the Colt historian's office to see if your SN falls within the numbers whose records are still available. Again, the letter will cost some real $, but it's worth the investment for display or selling purposes to document the find and get a look at the beginning of your Colt's journey west.

Thanks! I put a picture of the serial number on my original post, and the serial number does match up. I will definitely email them!

 

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[Phishfindr]

Lock 'n load! Congrats!

 

[hbru123]

Lock 'n load! Congrats!

Thanks!

 

[trdking]

Awesome stuff! A lot of people don't realize that California as a whole had a ton of Confederate sympathizers. All the way up the coast mainly. Again Awesome!

 

[hbru123]

Awesome stuff! A lot of people don't realize that California as a whole had a ton of Confederate sympathizers. All the way up the coast mainly. Again Awesome!

Thanks! Yes!

 

[hbru123]

I just posted a amazing update on the original post!

 

[relic nut]

That makes it twice as cool!
I couldn't see it in the picture

 

[hbru123]

That makes it twice as cool!
I couldn't see it in the picture

Thanks! I will post a picture a little later.

 

[tanz 82]

Wow

 

[hbru123]

Wow

Thanks!

 

[GaRebel1861]

Very nice find! I've only dug one handgun from a civil war site but, it was nowhere near as good as the one that posted. Congratulations!!

 

[hbru123]

Very nice find! I've only dug one handgun from a civil war site but, it was nowhere near as good as the one that posted. Congratulations!!

Thanks so much!

 

[JBnNC]

That's one of those dream items for a Civil War relic hunter.....banner vote in
--JB

 

[hbru123]

Here is the initials (TB) carved into the base. It is circled in blue.

 

[jeff of pa]

Sweet

I love it

 

[hbru123]

That's one of those dream items for a Civil War relic hunter.....banner vote in
--JB

Thanks so much!!

 

[hbru123]

Sweet

I love it

Thanks!

 

[dirtlooter]

finding a gun of any sort is always awesome and to find an old percussion revolver is like a dream find plus being a Colt. congrats on the wonderful find. Cool factor? Super high of course! You can make a center piece out of it for a collection. Sweet!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Here is the initials (TB) carved into the base. It is circled in blue.

Hard to see the "TB". If we end up doing a rendezvous sometime, I'd like to see it in person.

I've found gun parts before (trigger guard & a side-plate) which did indeed have personal identifying marks carved into them. Like notches on one (# of persons shot ? who knows?). So I can totally imagine someone putting their initials on it.

If what southern Loyist was saying is true (that serial # records might still exist showing who was the original purchaser), then wouldn't it be the cat's meow if it turned out that the original purchaser was in fact someone with the initial's T.B. ? haha

 

[hbru123]

finding a gun of any sort is always awesome and to find an old percussion revolver is like a dream find plus being a Colt. congrats on the wonderful find. Cool factor? Super high of course! You can make a center piece out of it for a collection. Sweet!

Thanks so much!