The LeMat revolver was patented in 1856 by Dr. Jean Alexandre Francois LeMat of New Orleans, Louisiana, and was a very distinctive handgun that combined a nine-shot .42 caliber percussion revolver with a 16 gauge smoothbore grapeshot barrel. The grapeshot barrel served as the center axis for the cylinder. During the Civil War, the Confederate government awarded contracts for 900 LeMat revolvers for the Army and 600 revolvers for the Navy. Total production of LeMat revolvers in Liege, Paris, and London was less than 2,900 between 1856 and 1865. Many senior Confederate officers, most notably cavalry commander General J.E.B. Stuart, carried LeMat revolvers. The Second Model, Paris made, LeMat revolvers had a full octagon upper barrel with a loading lever mounted on the left side, rounded trigger guard with no spur, pull-out assembly latch, butt with a lanyard ring hole and hammer with center mounted pivoting striker. In the upper position, the striker engages the percussion nipples in the cylinder, and, it contacts the percussion nipple for the shot barrel in the lower position. The top of the barrel is engraved "Col Le Mat Bte. s. g. d. g. Paris" in Old English style script. The right barrel flat is stamped with the serial number, "1620", followed a star above the letters "LM" for LeMat. The serial number is also stamped on the right side of the loading lever, on the right side of the frame below the cylinder and on the side of the cylinder. A small case is included containing a few conical bullets and some buckshot.

Good with a few small traces of original blue finish in the protected areas and otherwise mottled gray and brown patina and mild pitting throughout. The markings remain generally distinct. The hammer and striker are chipped. The grips are also good and have distinct checkering and mild scratches and dents. Mechanically functions, although the revolver work only when muzzle is pointed downward.