This Henry lever action rifle was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Company circa November 1863 and sold to the Ordnance Department as part of a contract for 800 rifles on December 30, 1863. These rifles were issued to the 1st District of Columbia Cavalry Regiment. Although the Ordnance Department purchased approximately 1,730 Henry rifles from the New Haven Arms Company between April 1863 and May 1865, only the 800 rifles purchased under the December 30, 1863, contract have Ordnance inspection marks. The 1st D.C. Cavalry was originally raised for police and provost duty in the District of Columbia and reported directly to Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. The regiment was subsequently assigned to suppress Confederate partisan rangers led by Col. John S. Mosby operating in Northern Virginia. In the spring of 1864, the 1st D.C. Cavalry was assigned to Kautz's Cavalry Brigade and saw action at Petersburg, Virginia. The regiment lost significant numbers of Henry rifles in combat around Petersburg. When Confederate President Jefferson Davis fled Richmond in April 1865, his bodyguard was partially armed with Henry rifles; possibly captured from the 1st D.C. Cavalry. This rifle has the distinctive Ordnance inspection marks found only on the 800 Henry rifles purchased by the Ordnance Department on December 30, 1863. These markings consist of the initials of Ordnance Sub-Inspector Charles G. Chapman (C.G.C.) stamped in block letters on the right side of the barrel at the junction with the receiver and the script initials "C.G.C." in an oblong cartouche stamped vertically on the right side of the stock wrist. A "C" sub-inspection mark is stamped on the right barrel flat between the "C.G.C." mark and the receiver. "H" and "C" sub-inspection marks are stamped on the right side of the receiver near the barrel, and a "C" is stamped on the right side of the buttplate heel. The rifle has the distinctive 24-inch octagon barrel with integral 15-shot magazine. The barrel has a flat back, nickel silver front sight and folding leaf rear sight. The rear sight has a 900 yard center notch and elevator bar with rounded ends. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the small first style legend "HENRY'S PATENT OCT. 16. 1860/MANUFACT'D BY THE NEWHAVEN ARMS. CO. NEWHAVEN. CT." that uses all serif letters except for the second "NEWHAVEN" which is stamped in block letters. The barrel has the second style, large diameter, brass follower, and the receiver has the second style, beveled follower cut. The second pattern brass receiver lacks the rear sight dovetail that was eliminated around serial number 3000. The first style buttplate has a rounded heel and hinged trap door. The rifle, correctly, lacks the sling swivel on the left side of the stock and the loop for a sling hook on the left side of the barrel. At the time the government contract was executed the sling swivel and loop were special order items and are not found on most U.S. contract Henry rifles. The barrel and integral magazine were blued, the hammer, trigger and lever are color casehardened, the receiver and buttplate have the natural brass finish and the straight grain, American walnut stock is oil finished. The serial number is located: on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the receiver, on the lower left side of the receiver tang beneath the stock, in the stock upper tang inlet, on the inside of the buttplate below the lower screw hole and on the shanks of both hand-fitted buttplate screws. All of the visible serial numbers match. The tang screws, correctly, are not stamped with the rifle serial number. This rifle is pictured and identified in John Hamilton’s article “The Dilemma of the Martially Marked Henry Rifle” published in the included November 1986 issue of "The Gun Report". Also comes with Hamilton’s rough drafts of the article, collection of letters from fellow collectors recording the details of their Henrys, mostly written to Hamilton after the article was published and providing a wealth of desirable collector information, and letters from "The Gun Report" regarding publication of the article.

Very good. This rifle has all of the original components including the rear sight. The barrel/magazine has a smooth, silver-gray patina with sharp edges and crisp legend, serial numbers and inspection marks. The brass receiver and buttplate are in very fine condition with an attractive, un-touched patina. The receiver joints are perfect. The inspection marks on the right side of the receiver are sharp. Wear on the receiver and buttplate is limited to a few insignificant scratches and handling marks. The hammer retains traces of the original muted case colors. The case colors on the trigger and hammer have aged to a brown patina. The walnut stock has been sanded and refinished. The Ordnance final inspection mark stamped on the right stock wrist is faint but legible. The 15-shot Henry rifle was the most advanced firearm available during the Civil War. Most of the Henry rifles manufactured during the war were purchased by individual Federal soldiers. Only about 1,700 Henry rifles were purchased by the Ordnance Department. Only one unit, the 1st D.C. Cavalry was entirely armed with Henry rifles issued by the Ordnance Department. U.S. contract Henry rifles with "C.G.C." inspection marks on the stock and receiver are rare. A U.S. contract Henry rifle is an essential piece for any advanced collection of U.S. military firearms.