This is an example of a Civil War production Allen & Wheelock Army revolver that was manufactured in Worchester, Massachusetts in 1861-62. Some estimates suggest Allen & Wheelock only manufactured approximately 700 of these center hammer revolvers and the Ordnance Department purchased 536 Allen revolvers in 1861; all are presumed to be .44 Army revolvers. The left side of the part octagon barrel is stamped with "ALLEN & WHEELOCK. WORCHESTER. MASS. U.S./LEN'S PT'S. JAN.13.DEC.15.1857.SEPT.7.18." The serial number is stamped on the inside of the trigger guard, the rear face of the cylinder, left side of the grip frame and underside of the grips. It has no government markings. Many revolvers sold on the civilian market during the Civil War were still used during the war as privately purchased sidearms; some may have even been snatched up by Confederate agents and issued below the Mason-Dixon Line.