Early production New Haven Arms Co., Henry rifle with 1971 notarized statement (from a family descendent), that the rifle was originally the property of William Perry Finch of Farmersville, Indiana. Documents included with the rifle indicate that William Finch served with the 65th Indiana Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. According to the National Park Service website, William Finch is confirmed as having served with the 65th Indiana (Company A) and achieved the rank of First Lieutenant before he was mustered out. The 65th Indiana mustered into service in August 1862 and was part of the Army of the Ohio from 1863 until it mustered out of service in June 1865. The regiment saw action in East Tennessee in late 1863, in the Atlanta Campaign in the summer of 1864, in the Nashville Campaign, including the Battle of Franklin, in November-December 1864 and in the Wilmington Campaign in 1865. As noted the 65th Indiana participated in the Atlanta Campaign, a series of battles that ended with Union forces capturing Atlanta. Under the command of Major General William T. Sherman, Union forces successfully invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Confederate Army withdrew and was besieged in Atlanta which fell on September 2 1864. Afterwards the Union Army went off in two directions. The pursuit of General Hood’s forces in the northwest known as the Franklin-Nashville Campaign, which the 65th Indiana participated in and to the east with the famous Sherman’s March to the Sea. The 65th Indiana lost 254 Officers and Enlisted Men killed in action or died of disease. The rifle has the distinctive octagon barrel with integral magazine and brass gun metal receiver and buttplate. The stock is straight grain black walnut. This early production rifle was manufactured circa November-December 1862 and has the desirable early features that include receiver with alternative rear sight dovetail, straight follower cut in the receiver, small diameter brass follower, nickel silver half-moon front sight, serial numbered tang and buttplate screws and first style buttplate with rounded heel. The barrel dovetail is fitted with a folding leaf rear sight with 900 yard center notch. The right side of the stock and barrel are factory fitted with a sling swivel and screw-fastened sling hook loop. Most Henry rifles have the sling swivel and loop attached to the opposite side of the stock and barrel but a few early rifles, like this example, are documented with the fittings on the right side. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the two-line legend "HENRY'S PATENT OCT. 16. 1860/MANUFACT'D BY THE NEWHAVEN ARMS. CO. NEWHAVEN. CT." ahead of the rear sight. The First Style marking has all serifed letters except for the word "NEWHAVEN" in the second line. The serial number, "1242" is stamped on the top of the barrel between the rear sight and the receiver, on the lower left side of the receiver tang, in the upper tang inlet of the stock, on the inside of the buttplate across the top of the heel, on the shanks of the hand fitted buttplate screws and on the shanks of the two small tang screws. The lower receiver tang has a factory inspection mark that consists of a punch-mark stamped behind the rear tang screw. All the markings and serial number locations are correct for an early production rifle. The Henry rifle was the most advanced shoulder arm used in the Civil War. Most of the Henry rifles manufactured between 1862 and 1865 are believed to have been privately purchased by individual Federal soldiers who wanted the best weapon obtainable. Henry rifles were especially popular with Indiana and Illinois soldiers serving the Army of Ohio or the Army of the Cumberland. The Ordnance Department purchased fewer than 1,800 Henry rifles during the war, issue was limited to the 1st D.C. Cavalry and 3rd Veteran Volunteer Infantry regiments.

Good. The rifle is all original and shows the wear typical of a weapon carried in three major campaigns during two years of combat. The barrel has a dark patina with some scattered light pitting and handling wear on the edges. Both the front and rear sight appear to be original to the rifle. The barrel legend and serial number are sharp. The brass receiver and buttplate have an attractive untouched patina. The top and sides of the receiver, the upper side plate joints and adjacent areas of the receiver have shallow dents and scratches. There are a number of shallow dents in the bottom of the cartridge elevator. The buttplate has numerous light scratches and some patches of age discoloration. The hammer, trigger and lever have a mottled brown patina. The stock is good overall with scattered light handling marks. This is a good example of a combat carried Civil War Henry rifle documented to an Indiana soldier in a typical Federal Midwestern infantry regiment.