A Tour of a Smoldering Capitol (Model 1861 Rifle)

On this day in history in 1865 President Abraham Lincoln toured the still smoldering Confederate capitol of Richmond, VA with his son Tad. While more lives were doomed to be lost, the American Civil War was almost at its end.
Following an increasing number of defeats the Confederate government fled Richmond on April 2nd 1865 in the face of advancing Union forces. As they left, rebel troops burned bridges, arsenals and warehouses in a bid to hamper Union movement and prevent war material from falling into Northern hands. This ultimately pointless gesture (Lee would surrender the Army of Northern Virginia only one week later) quickly got out of control and devastated portions of the city.

On April 3rd 1865 the Mayor of Richmond approached Union lines and delivered the following message: "The Army of the Confederate Government having abandoned the City of Richmond, I respectfully request that you will take possession of it with organized force, to preserve order and protect women and children and property." The Federal forces helped put out the fires and placed the city under military occupation

The most prolific weapon in the hands of the Union Army by the end of the war was the Springfield Model 1861 type musket, with approximately 1 million produced by Springfield Armory, Harper’s Ferry Armory, and numerous private contractors. This weapon fires a .58 caliber Minié ball (which is actually a conical projectile) out of a rifled barrel, and is able to achieve a maximum effective range of 400 yards. As the war dragged on rifled muskets of various designs replaced earlier .69 caliber smoothbore muskets that had previously been the military standard

This particular weapon is in the 1861 pattern and is produced by Parkers, Snow & Co. of Meriden, Connecticut. The company produced 15,000 rifles between 1863 and 1864. The 1863 dated rifles are somewhat more uncommon, and believed to be the product of an earlier contract that was only partially delivered. The Parker portion of the company went on to form the famous “Parker Brothers” shotgun manufacturers after the Civil War, extending their arms making legacy.