The included factory letter lists this Colt fluted Army revolver with 7 1/2 inch barrel in .44 caliber, blue/brass finish, and wood grips when shipped in a grouping of 500 to Peter Williams & Company of Richmond, Virginia, on April 15th, 1861, just days after the Battle of Fort Sumter between April 12th–13th, 1861, the opening engagement of the American Civil War. Virginia joined the Confederacy on April 17th, although secession was not officially ratified until May 23rd, and it is likely that this revolver would have been rushed into early service in support of the Confederacy. This early Colt Model 1860 Army has the highly desirable early full fluted cylinder. While over 200,000 Colt Model 1860 Army Model revolvers were manufactured, only around 4,000 were manufactured with fluted cylinders, making this variation especially desirable. Some of these distinctive Colts were shipped to the South before and at the very beginning of the Civil War, as proven with the factory letter accompanying this example. Of the small amount of these fluted cylinder revolvers made, most of them were no doubt heavily used during the war, making surviving examples particularly scarce. This example features the one-line Hartford barrel address, faint "COLTS/PATENT" frame marking, frame cut for a shoulder stock, fluted cylinder with the 1850 patent date marking, and matching serial number "3047" marked on the barrel, frame, trigger guard, butt, wedge, cylinder pin and handwritten in black ink inside the grip mortise. The cylinder has no visible serial number. Includes an unmarked, possibly Confederate made, period leather holster.

Very good and well above average as Confederate used, with brown patina overall on the iron surfaces and lightly worn but visible markings, a few areas of minor corrosion and some dings around the right of the wedge and on the butt. The brass exhibits a golden aged patina with a few areas of darkening around the trigger guard. The grip is good with some scattered light scratches and numerous small round dings on the bottom flats. Mechanically fine. The holster is good with mild age related wear and an outer protective coating. This Confederate Virginia shipped fluted cylinder Colt 1860 Army revolver would make an excellent addition to any Civil War firearms collection!