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Incredibly Rare and Historic CONGRESSIONAL PRESENTATION Hall Model 1819 Breech Loading Flintlock Rifle with Bayonet, Presented to Ethan Everist for Gallantry as a Young Man During the Siege of Plattsburgh During the War of 1812, One of the Only Firearms Ever Presented by Congress for Gallantry - NSN, 52 cal., 32 5/8 inch round bbl., brown finish, walnut stock. This incredibly historic rifle is one of just seventeen Model 1819 Hall rifles authorized to be presented by a resolution of the U.S. Congress to a group of men who, mostly as teenagers, fought along side other American forces under General Alexander Macomb during the siege of Plattsburgh in northeastern New York on September 11, 1814, during the War of 1812. These presentation rifles are the only firearms presented directly by Congress for gallantry/ valor. Several of these important rifles are in museum collections, and approximately
ten are reportedly known today. Captain Aiken’s rifle is on display at the Kent-Delord House Museum in Plattsburgh, and Gustavous A. Bird’s
rifle is part of the collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History (accession number 25598). The distinctive and original silver plaque on the right side of the butt reads “BY RESOLVE OF CONGRESS/Presented to/ETHAN EVERIST/For his GALLANTRY at the/SIEGE OF PLATTSBURGH” and is engraved with olive branches.
The original shield silver wrist inlay is inscribed “E.E/
SEP.11th/1814”. Unlike the usual Model 1819 Hall rifles, the rifling on this rifle extends all of the way to the muzzle. It has the usual off-set blade and notch sights found on Hall rifles. The breech block is marked “J.H. HALL” and the stock has the inspector’s mark “WB” on the bottom behind the trigger guard. Hall Model 1819 congressional presentation rifles are described on pages 466-467 of George D. Moller’s book “American Military Shoulder Arms Volume II”, in which the book indicates that only eight of these historic rifles were known to survive at the time of the book’s publication in 1993 but does not list this rifle or Smith Bateman’s rifle sold by our auction company back in December
of 2020, indicating at least ten are extant. Aiken’s Volunteer Riflemen were a group of teenage boys from the Plattsburgh Academy that were too young to enlist but fought as volunteers with Martin James Aiken (1791-1828) as their captain and Azariah Flagg (1790-1873) as their lieutenant. They were among a smaller force of 1,500 regulars and around 2,500 militia under General Alexander Macomb that faced off against a British army of 14,000 soldiers under Sir George Prevost, the Governor in Chief of Canada. During the battle, the volunteers defended the Bridge Street Bridge, retreated across the bridge pulling up planks along the way to slow the British advance, and then fought from the far side of the Saranac River at the stone mill. The battle was decided by the American naval victory over the British fleet, which forced the enemy to abandon
their attack on Plattsburgh. These volunteers were recognized by General Alexander Macomb for their orderly conduct in the face of British soldiers during the siege, while many grown men were routed easily or shirked their duty entirely throughout the war. They were reported to be excellent scouts and marksmen. They also lost a fourteen year-old boy during the fighting. Macomb tried to get the boys military issued rifles but was told he did not have the authority to do so, but also did not forget his promise. In 1822, newspapers reported on Macomb’s effort to fulfill his promise and listed Ethan Everist and the other 16, and noted that Congressional authorization was required. The House of Representatives passed a resolution that year, but the procurement of the rifles was stalled in the Senate, ultimately gaining approval on May 20th, 1826. Congress authorized seventeen rifles: fifteen for the boys (grown men by this time), including Ethan Everist, and their two officers. The resolution appears in the records for the first session of the 19th Congress under the heading “Resolution authorizing the delivery of Rifles promised to Captain Aiken’s volunteers, at the siege of Plattsburgh” and directed President John Quincy Adams to present “one rifle, promised them by General Macomb, while commanding the Champlain Department, for their gallantry and patriotic services as a volunteer corps during the siege of Plattsburgh. On each of which said rifles there shall be a plate containing an appropriate inscription.” Little has been discovered about Ethan Everist’s life. General Macomb was promoted to commanding general of the U.S. Army in 1828. The Battle of Plattsburgh was an important victory for the United States in a war that was full of all too many embarrassing defeats including the burning of the nation’s capital only a few weeks prior. The victory helped the position of the American
peace negotiators and prevented the United States from losing any territory when the conflict ended late that year. Includes a socket bayonet, leather sling, wood tampion, a DVD recording of an Antiques Road Show segment featuring this rifle, and copies of the House of Representatives Congressional documents authorizing the delivery of these rifles. Included documentation states that this rifle was kept in possession of the Everist family until it was purchased from them in 2002 by the owner before George Moller.
General Alexander Macomb
Collector’s Fact
Some of these historic rifles are on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and the Kent-Delord House Museum in Plattsburgh.
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