Henry lever action rifle manufactured by the New Haven Arms Company circa April 1864. The left side of the receiver is inscribed: "HENRY FRANKLIN/Co. H. 160th REGT. N.Y.I.N" in two-lines The rifle is accompanied by a letter from author R.L. Wilson, copies of Henry Franklin's service records, and a brief history of the 160th New York Infantry Regiment. Wilson's letter indicates this rifle will be featured in future editions of "Winchester Engraving" and "Winchester An American Legend." The brass receiver and buttplate are silver plated. The barrel and integral 15-shot magazine are blued, and the hammer, lever and trigger are color casehardened. The stock is straight grain American walnut. The rifle has the typical mid-late production features which include: (1) straight-back, nickel-silver, front sight blade, (2) larger, second style barrel legend with all serrifed letters, (3) folding leaf rear sight with "900" marked below the sight notch at the top of the leaf, (4) large diameter magazine follower and beveled follower cut in the receiver and (5) second pattern receiver which lacks the alternate rear sight dovetail that was present on Henry rifle through about serial number 3000. The buttplate is the first pattern with rounded heel that is found on Henry rifles below serial number 5100. The rifle is fitted with a sling swivel on the left side of the stock and a screw fastened loop for a sling hook on the left side of the barrel. Sling swivels and hook loops were standard features on Henry rifles in this serial number range. 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" in two-lines ahead of the rear sight. The serial number, "4975", is located: (1) on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the receiver, (2) inside of the buttplate below the trapdoor, (3) on the shanks of both the hand-fitted buttplate screws, (4) on the left side of the lower receiver tang beneath the stock and (5) in the upper stock tang inlet. The tang screws are correctly not serial numbered. All of the visible serial numbers match. The history and records included with this rifle indicates that Henry Franklin enlisted in the 160th New York Infantry at Alma, New York, on September 5, 1862, and mustered out of the service in Savannah, Georgia, on November 1, 1865. Notes in the service records state that Franklin was wounded in the Third Battle of Winchester, Virginia, in September 1864. The 160th New York was assigned to the Department of the Gulf in December 1862, served on gunboats, participated in the Siege of Port Hudson and was part Red River Expedition where it saw action at Pleasant Hill and Sabine Crossroads. In July 1864, the regiment was re-assigned to the Army of the Shenandoah where it fought in the battles at Opequan, Cedar Creek and Winchester. The regiment lost 47 officers and enlisted men killed in action or died of wounds. One officer and 159 enlisted men died of disease. The National Archives records indicate Franklin was almost among the latter; he was not present for service for the first half 1863 and was in and out of the hospital due to illness. Due to the fact that this rifle was manufactured in April 1864, Henry Franklin probably carried it in action at Opequan, Cedar Creek and Winchester. The Federal government purchased a total of 1,730 Henry rifles between April 1863 and May 1865. Nearly 900 of these rifles were purchased to arm the 1st D.C. Cavalry Regiment. A further 627 Henry rifles were purchased to arm the 3rd U.S. Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment but were issued too late to see service in the Civil War. However, experts believe that most of the approximately 8,000 Henry rifles manufactured between April 1862 and February 1865 were privately purchased by individual Federal soldiers like Henry Franklin who wanted the most advanced rifle available.

Good as period, possibly jeweler, plated. The inscription is not a factory inscription as stated in the R.L. Wilson letter. The silver plated finish was applied after the rifle was engraved and is not factory plating. The barrel has a brown patina with scattered spots of age discoloration, several dents on near the muzzle and some traces of pin-point pitting. The barrel legend and serial number are sharp. The rear sight appears to be original to the rifle. The receiver and buttplate retain about 70% of the sliver plated finish. The plating is worn on contact points and has scattered spots of flaking. The side plate joints are in good overall condition with some removal marks, particularly on the engraved left side plate. The engraving is well executed, period, ".20 Cent Engraving" but is not factory work (good quality engraving was inexpensive and readily available during the Civil War era). The stock has been revarnished and is in good overall condition with moderate handling wear. This is a good looking example of a Civil War production Henry rifle with an inscription that indicates it was probably carried by a Federal soldier in the Shenandoah Valley during the summer and fall of 1864.