A fascinating story surrounds these breechloaders. In the immediate post-Civil War years, the Irish-American secret society of the Fenian Brotherhood, plotted to invade Canada and thus have a bargaining chip with England to gain independence for Ireland. After raising considerable funds they purchased over 4,200 percussion, muzzle loading Model 1861 and 1863 type rifle muskets almost all of which were from Alfred Jenks & Son, contractors of the Model 1861 "Bridesburg" musket. The muzzle loaders were distributed to Fenian groups, 600 of whom crossed the Canadian border at Niagara, N.Y., June 1866 and defeated a column of Canadian forces at Ridgway then beat a hasty retreat with Canadian forces closing in. They were arrested by U.S. authorities and their weapons confiscated. They were soon released through political machinations and their weapons were returned. By 1869 they had reorganized. Their weapons obsolete and out of fashion, means were found to convert them to breech loading using the Needham patent. Work was done secretly in rented buildings in Trenton, N.J.. Armed with the Needhams the Fenians again attempted in May of 1870 to once again invade Canada via Vermont. After a brief skirmish 200 were captured, their leader arrested, and all weapons confiscated. These "Bridesburg" marked Needhams were actually used twice by the Fenians in their invasions, once as muzzleloaders and again as breechloaders. They played a distinct role in a little known incident in American-Canadian-British relations. The breechblock swings out to the right and forward allowing for loading of a cartridge. The lock is marked with the eagle shield motif between the hammer and breechblock and "BRIDESBURG / 1862" under the breech opening. The rear sight is a two-leaf folding style, and the ramrod is the trumpet head style. All metal parts were finished bright and the rifle is mounted with a full one-piece straight grip stock with three barrel bands marked "IN" on the left flat and iron buttplate marked "US" on the heel tang.

Very fine. Most of the uncleaned original armory bright finish remains on the barrel with some discoloration and scattered small areas of light surface oxidation. The trigger guard and the remaining metal parts have a smooth mottled gray patina. Breech area metal parts are a sharp smooth dark mottled patina except for the buttplate which shows moderate rust. The stock is very fine with a few small shallow gouges on the right side next to the trigger, otherwise overall scattered overall minor dings, dents and nicks. Mechanically excellent. An exceptionally fine Needham conversion of a Civil War rifled musket.