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Title:	MUSKET -  U.S. MUSKET MODEL 1842 PERCUSSION .69
Maker/Manufacturer:	SPRINGFIELD ARMORY
Date of Manufacture:	1850
Eminent Figure:
Catalog Number:	SPAR 1121
Measurements:	OL:145.5CM 57 3/8" BL:106.6CM 42"

Object Description:

U.S. MUSKET MODEL 1842 PERCUSSION .69
Manufactured by Springfield Armory, Springfield, Ma. in 1850 - Standard Model 1842 single-shot percussion muzzleloader. Flat, beveled edge lockplate. Iron furniture. Bright finish. Trumpet head shaped ramrod. No rear sight, brass blade front sight on upper strap. Fastened with three iron bands, spring-fastened, with the upper double-strapped. Bayonet lug under barrel near muzzle. First arm produced at Harpers Ferry and Springfield Armory with completely interchangeable parts. Also last of the .69 caliber smoothbores. This is one of 20,171 weapons manufactured at Springfield Armory in 1850. Springfield Armory manufactured 172,000 of these weapons.

Markings:
Lockplate: SPRING/FIELD/1850 rear of hammer. Eagle/US forward of hammer.
Barrel tang: 1850.
Barrel: V/P/Eaglehead.
Stock: Inspector's initials (JS?) on left side opposite lock. JS could stand for John Stebbins. Stebbins was appointed an inspector in 1836.
Buttplate: U.S. 46 (possibly old museum rack number.)

Notes: Although it was always the desired goal, the actual proof of interchangeability did not really come until a flood at Harpers Ferry in 1852. In a letter to then Secretary of War Jefferson Davis, Colonel H.K. Craig describes what happened: "As applicable to the question concerning the quality of the arms made under the superintendence by military officers, I subjoin the following extract from an official report by the United States inspector of armories of his inspection of Harper's ferry Armory in July, 1852: 'The completeness of the present system (of superintendence by military officers,) so far as uniformly in construction is concerned, is made manifest by the late submersion of 20,000 arms during the highest flood ever known at the place. In cleaning those arms 9,000 percussion muskets have been stripped and completely dismantled, their parts being thrown into great masses, and after being repaired the arms are reassembled from these lots of 9,000 components having no distinguishing mark, every limb filling and fitting its appropriate place with perfect exactness. Had not this perfect uniformity existed, the parts of each arm must have been separately distributed, boxes must have been provided for these several and numerous parcels, great care would have been requisite to avoid mixture. Every limb of every musket must have been numbered and the expense of the operation would have been greatly increased.
All these inconveniences have been obviated by that system of uniform dimensions, even in the simplest and minutest components of the arm, which obtains in such perfection at this armory.
To determine whether this general uniformity extended to the fabrication of both national armouries, I caused a musket of the manufacture of 1851 of each armory to be taken to pieces, and then applied all components of one to the other, mixing them in almost every possible manner and applying the parts likewise to the receiving gauge. The result was, the components, as well as the whole, were identical for every practical purpose. Only one almost inappreciable variation in the length of the front end of the lock-plates being detected, and this did not prevent a perfect assembling of the arms.'"
General Winfield Scott, not surprisingly, recommended continued use of the flintlocks during the Mexican War. Scott was somewhat skeptical of this new percussion arm. Despite his misgivings, the M1842 was issued to some units who participated in the Mexican War.
During the Civil War many soldiers on both sides preferred this arm to a rifled one. These smoothbore muskets were capable of firing the buck-and-ball ammunition. In fact, since the American Revolution, buck-and-ball ammunition remained part of the American military inventory. By 1835, it was standard for a soldier to carry three times as many buck-and-ball cartridges, as single ball loads. At 50 yards, and with little marksmanship required, buck-and-ball was a devastating load.

"During research on early U.S. Army accoutrements, an interesting appendage to 1839) accoutrements, together with a corresponding number of small buckskin pads or cushions, like a thumb-staff, to slip over the cone to prevent the cock from falling upon the naked top of the cone. A short thong with a slit near the end to pass through it, will enable the soldier to fasten or attach it to the swivel or guard, so that in firing it will be out of the way, and yet always ready for use when required.
At the same time orders have been given for the issue to the remaining 9 Companies of a full set of bright flint lock muskets and accoutrements complete.
Instructions have also been given for the issue of 4 Non-commissioned Officers' and 2 Musicians swords of the present established (1840) pattern, with belts, to each of Companies D & F stationed at Ft. Smith.
I have to request that on the reception of the new arms and accoutrements, measures may be taken for turning in the old ones at the nearest Arsenal.'
Cone pads were still an issue item two years later, as indicated in a letter from Talcott to Captain Robert Anderson, stationed at Fort Moultrie, dated 9 April 1846: 'Sir, The rammers for percussion muskets called for in your requisition of 1st inst. (April) have been ordered to be supplied from the Springfield Armory.
The leather cone pads were directed to be sent with the Muskets in April 1845, but as they have not been received, the order has been renewed.'
As '2,370' leather cone pads were made at the Springfield Armory during the fiscal year ending 30 June 1845, it is surprising that supply requisitions for them would have gone unfilled in 1846. However, just a few months later Talcott was forced to admit that cone pads were no longer an issue item. In writing to Captain Silas Casey, stationed at Fort Mackinac, on 28 July 1846, Talcott notes: 'Sir, In reply to your letter of the 20th inst. (July) I have to state that leather cone pads & covers are not now furnished with percussion arms. These small articles were continually being lost; and it was determined to dispense with them, and to direct that 'for exercise, when caps are not used, a burnt cap will be placed upon the cone.'
Frequent snapping is injurious to arms, and should be avoided. It is thought the exercise with blank cartridges (for which caps are always furnished) will be generally sufficient for the purpose of instruction in firing.'...
The authors are unaware of any extant examples of cone pads as described above." - James S. Hutchins & Frederick C. Gaede, Journal of the Company of Military Historians, July, 1997.

"When I saw that the 12th New Jersey were armed with the ancient caliber .69 smoothbore muskets, like the ones that the 4th New Jersey had been issued after being exchanged in 1862, I almost balked about going. Since the muskets were all but useless at anything but the shortest range, few units in the Army of the Potomac still carried them." - Captain Kevin Bannon, 4th N.J. Volunteers, First Division, Sixth Corps, Army of the Potomac. July, 3, 1863, Gettysburg, Pa. near Brian's farm west of Cemetery Ridge.

References:
Ball, Robert W.D. SPRINGFIELD ARMORY: SHOULDER WEAPONS 1795-1968. Antique Trader Book. NorClark, David C. Ed. ARMS FOR THE NATION. Scott A. Duff. Export, Pa. 1992.
Madaus, H. Michael. THE WARNER'S COLLECTOR'S GUIDE TO AMERICAN LONGARMS. Warner Books. N.Y., N.Y. 1981.
Reilly, Robert. UNITED STATES MILITARY SMALL ARMS. Eagle Press, Baton Rouge, La. 1970.