This Henry lever action rifle was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Company in November 1863 as part of an 800 rifle order by the Ordnance Department. The Ordnance Department purchased 800 Henry rifles from the New Haven Arms Co., to arm the 1st D.C. Cavalry regiment on December 30, 1863. The Henry rifles in this 800-gun order were in the 3000-4000 serial number range, inspected by Ordnance Sub-Inspector Charles G. Chapman and stamped with his "C.G.C" inspection mark. The 800 C.G.C. inspected rifles were the only Henry rifles stamped with Ordnance inspection marks and the 1st D.C. Cavalry was the only Federal unit completely equipped with Henry rifles during the Civil War. This rifle has the distinctive Henry brass receiver and octagon barrel with integral 15-shot magazine. The barrel has a nickel-silver, square-back front sight blade, folding leaf rear sight with 900 yard center notch and elevation bar stop screw and thick brass magazine follower. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the first style, two-line legend: "HENRY'S PATENT. OCT. 16. 1860/MANUFACT'D BY THE NEWHAVEN ARMS CO. NEWHAVEN. CT" ahead of the rear sight. This first style legend, utilized until around serial number 4000, is slightly smaller than the second style legend and uses block letters for "NEWHAVEN" in the address. The second style brass receiver lacks the rear sight dove-tail found on earlier Henry receivers. The bottom of the receiver has the beveled magazine follower cut-out typical of Henry receivers in this serial number range. The hammer has coarse, hand-cut, knurling on the spur. The straight grain walnut stock has a varnished semi-gloss finish and is fitted with the first style buttplate with rounded heel. The buttplate has a hinged trap door. The left side of the stock and barrel are not fitted with the sling swivel and screw-fastened loop for a sling hook which were extra cost items for Henry rifles in this serial number range. The Ordnance "C.G.C." inspection mark is visible on the right barrel flat at the junction with the receiver. The "H" factory sub-inspection mark of B. Tyler Henry is stamped on the barrel flat immediately below the "C.G.C." stamp and on the edge of the receiver adjacent to the barrel inspection marks. A "C" Ordnance sub-inspection mark is stamped on the right corner of the buttplate heel. The encircled, script, "CGC" final inspection mark usually stamped on the right stock wrist of U.S. contract Henry rifles is not visible. The serial number "3422" is stamped on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the receiver and on the lower left barrel tang beneath the stock. The serial number "3424" is stamped on the inside of the buttplate below the lower screw hole, in the upper tang inlet of the stock and on the shanks of the hand-fitted buttplate screws. The cap screws on the receiver tang are, correctly, not serial-numbered. The two-digit variation in the barrel and receiver serial numbers and stock, buttplate and buttplate screw serial numbers probably indicates that the stock was switched at the factory during the Ordnance inspection and re-assembly process. The top of the receiver is neatly hand-stamped: "W.F.GILBERT. 1870." in block letters. The bolt has been period converted to a center-fire firing pin and the magazine follower is a period replacement. The 1st D.C. Cavalry originally served as the provost force for the District of Columbia responsible directly to Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. The regiment was subsequently ordered to suppress Confederate partisan rangers operating in Northern Virginia commanded by Lieutenant Colonel John S. Mosby. In the spring of 1864 ,the 1st D.C. Cavalry was assigned to the Army of the Potomac and participated in the Overland Campaign and Siege of Petersburg. Significant numbers of 1st D.C. Cavalry Henry rifles were captured and re-issued by Confederate forces during the final months of the Civil War. Experts believe that most of the Henry rifles manufactured by the New Haven Arms Company between April and 1862 and April 1865 were privately purchased by individual Federal soldiers who appreciated the advanced design and superior firepower of the Henry rifle. However, the Ordnance Department purchased only 1,731 Henry rifles during the war. Of these rifles, only the 800 Henry rifles purchased to arm the 1st D.C. Cavalry in December 1863 were fully inspected and marked with the Ordnance "C.G.C." inspection mark. At least 127 of the Henry rifles issued to the 1st D.C. Cavalry were purchased by discharged veterans when they mustered out of Federal service at the end of the Civil War.