This is an example of a Henry lever action rifle that was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Company in late 1863 or early 1864. The rifle serial number, "3864" is close to the serial number range of the approximately 900 (3000-3900) Ordnance Department inspected Henry rifles purchased to arm the 1st D.C. Cavalry regiment in late 1863. Experts believe that most of the Henry rifles manufactured between 1862 and 1865 were purchased by individual Federal soldiers who wanted the obvious advantages of a 15-shot repeating rifle. Henry rifles were especially popular with soldiers from midwestern regiments. By 1864, at least two Illinois regiments (7th and 66th Illinois Volunteer Infantry) were armed primarily with privately purchased Henry rifles. The rifle has the distinctive octagon barrel with integral 15-shot magazine, brass receiver and crescent buttplate. The barrel has a nickel-silver front sight blade and a dovetail mounted, folding leaf rear sight. The rear sight has a 1,000 yard center notch. The second style receiver lacks the rear sight dovetail found on Henry rifles with serial numbers below 3,000. The first style brass buttplate has a rounded heel and a spring loaded brass trap door. The left side of the straight grain walnut stock and the left side of the barrel are not fitted with the sling swivel and sling loop which were special order items until 1864. The brass magazine follower is the larger second style and the rifle has the second style loading lever with spur to engage the half-moon-shaped loading lever latch on the lower tang. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped with the two-line legend "HENRY'S PATENT. OCT.16.1860/MANUFACT'D BY THE NEWHAVEN ARMS CO.NEWHAVEN.CT" with all serifed letters. The serial number, "3864" is stamped on the top barrel flat behind the rear sight, on the left side of the lower receiver tang, in the upper receiver tang inlet of the stock, on the inside of the buttplate and on the shank of both hand-fitted buttplate screws. All of the visible serial numbers match. The later style cap-head tang screws are correctly not serial numbered.

Very good. The rifle shows wear typical of Civil War Henry rifles that saw combat. The rear sight is a replacement that was installed backwards with the range graduations facing the muzzle. The barrel has a very attractive plum brown patina with sharp edges and smooth metal surfaces. The New Haven Arms legend and the serial number are crisp. Wear is limited to a number of small, scattered, dents along both sides of the barrel. The brass receiver and crescent buttplate have a very attractive, un-polished patina. The receiver is also in very good condition with typical handling wear consisting of some minor edge wear on the side plate joints and scattered dents and scratches. The buttplate has similar handling wear. The case-hardened hammer and loading lever have a mottled silver brown patina. The walnut stock has been light sanded and re-oiled but remains in good condition. The cartridge follower and spring are both period replacements. This is a solid representative example of a Civil War production Henry lever action rifle.