This set of period leather military pommel holsters would have been used to carry a pair of Colt Dragoon percussion "horse pistol" revolvers. Colt Dragoon revolvers were issued in pairs to the U.S. Army's Mounted Rifles (U.S.M.R.), or "Dragoon" troops, and a set of saddle holsters such as these went with each pair, with surviving holster sets far less common than the revolvers today. When mounted to a saddle, the holsters laid on the sides of the pommel at the front where they were easily accessible. Both sides have large leather flaps with internal straps. The holsters are unmarked, which was common for cavalry holsters of the time, with various patterns in use. Other early martial handguns from the same time frame were tested for fitment, including Colt 1851 Navy and Colt 1860 Army revolvers (too loose) and a Model 1842 pistol (too tight), but only a larger Dragoon revolver fits like a glove, making this a rare surviving set.