Manufactured in 1896. The accompanying factory letter lists this revolver with a 7 1/2 inch barrel in .38 Colt, blue finish and wood stocks when shipped to A.L. Babcock in care of John R. Miller, Billings, Montana, on January 15, 1896. The barrel is stamped with the one-line Hartford address on top and "38 COLT" on the left side. The frame has the two-line patent dates marking along with a circled Rampant Colt. The left side of the grip is hand marked "MAJ/John R. Miller/1 MONT INIY." the right side of the grip is hand marked with the initials "BMK." Faint markings are on the bottom of the grip. Matching serial numbers are on the frame, trigger guard, and back strap. Albert L. Babcock (1851-1918) was an influential Billings, Montana merchant and banker. A native of Albany, New York, Babcock settled in Montana in 1882 and started the hardware store Babcock & Miles Hardware in Billings that was later converted into the stock company A.L. Babcock Hardware Co. He organized the Yellowstone National Bank where he was president until his death in 1918 and built the Yellowstone Valley flouring mill. He served as Yellowstone County Commissioner from 1885 to 1889 and State Senator from 1894 to 1898 as well as served on the military staffs of Montana Governors Benjamin White, Joseph Toole and John Rickards with the rank of colonel. He personally financed the building of the Babcock Theater after the Opera House in Billings burned down in 1906. John R. Miller was from Helena, Montana, served in the First Montana Infantry during the Spanish American War with the rank of major (see The Spanish American Centennial Website, www.spanamwar.com/1stmontanaroster.htm). The First Montana Infantry was the only Montana regiment to take part in the Spanish-American War. The unit was mustered in at Helena in early May 1898 with 48 officers and 976 enlisted men, arrived in Manila in August, and remained in the Philippines to fight the Philippine-American War before returning to the U.S. in September 1899. The regiment participated in the defence of Manila and operations against insurgents north of Manila. Engagements included Caloocan, Tuliajan River, Polo, Marilao and Meycauayan, Guiguinto and Bocaue, Malolos, Bagbag River, Calumpit, Apalit, Santo Tomas and San Fernando. Miller was wounded in the shoulder (see "Annual Reports of the War Department for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1899" on page 427). He fully recovered from his wound that was described as "severe" by a local report and returned home to a hero's welcome "with a record which is as brilliant as that of any other officer of his rank in the army," proclaimed a local newspaper. In 1900, adventurous spirits Miller and fellow Helena resident Orrin Jackson successfully traveled from the Klondike to Helena on bicycles, but would "not recommend the bicycle as a means of conveyance in the wilds of Alaska." At the time, Miller was a partner in the Holmes Hardware Co.

Fine, retaining 70% original blue finish, strong traces of original case colors in the protected areas on the frame and 50% original case colors on the hammer, otherwise the revolver has a smooth brown-gray patina. The grip is also fine with high edge wear, some minor handling marks and most of the original finish remaining. Mechanically excellent.