The accompanying Colt factory letter states that this revolver left the factory on April 9, 1861, with an 8 inch, 44 caliber barrel, blue finish, brass trigger guard and wood stocks. It was part of a 750 gun shipment to Kittredge and Folsom of New Orleans, Louisiana. The date and shipping address undoubtedly indicates Confederate use (Colt's shipping of revolvers to the South at the outbreak of the Civil War has been a source of debate for years). This revolver is one of only about 4,000 Colt Model 1860 Army revolvers manufactured with the full fluted cylinder. These revolvers appear in the first 8,000 serial numbers and have a four-screw frame with recoil shields cut for an attachable shoulder stock. The barrel has the one-line New York address, the frame has "COLTS/PATENT," a cylinder flute has the patent marking, and matching numbers are found on the barrel, frame, trigger guard, back strap, cylinder, wedge and arbor pin.