This Dragoon was manufactured under the 9th Ordnance Department contract for 932 revolvers in fiscal year 1859 (July 1, 1858-June 30, 1859). The majority of the 9th contract revolvers were issued as replacement firearms for the 1st and 2nd Dragoon regiments and the Regiment of Mounted Rifles. Some of the officers from the Mounted Rifles units broke off and joined the Confederacy, including "Fighting Joe" Wheeler, John G. Walker, and George B. Crittenden. The Dragoon units became the 1st and 2nd U.S. Cavalry during the Civil War and primarily fought in the Eastern Theater. G and D Companies of the 1st Dragoons, however, were left in the Southwest where they fought the Confederate from the west. It has the "ADDRESS SAML COLT NEW YORK CITY" barrel address, "MODEL/U.S.M.R." marked cylinder, "COLTS/PATENT" on the frame, small ordnance sub-inspection marks, inspector cartouches on the grip, and all matching numbers including on the grip.