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Unprecedented and Historic Civil War Time Capsule
"The sharpshooters were known throughout the Corps for their daring and effective work."
- author John Nesbit, General History of Company D, 149th Pennsylvania Volunteers
“Remained all last night on picket - had no sleep - a most disagreeable duty we lay on the Battlefield with dead and dying on all sides- the suffering of the wounded was terrible... This morning the enemy opened on our lines with their [artillery] - very soon they got their answer and more - the nearest Reb Battery was only about 500 yds. in front of us where we lat at the picket line....we lay under the fire of both lines of artillery for nearly two hours - our own guns came very near ruining us several times - dropping shells within a few feet of us...”
Sharpshooters during the war are known to have brought their own privately owned target rifles rather than use issued rifles. In many instances, they were already very experienced using their custom built target rifles which were more accurate than a standard rifle-musket or most of the other arms the men would have been issued
by the government, but in some instances, they also purchased new rifles for use in the war. Excepts from May’s diaries are included and indicate he was selected for sharpshooter duty and ordered and received a “Telescope rifle” while stationed at Petersburg. In an entry on July 19, 1864, “In front of Peter’g, Va.” he said, “Wrote to Will concerning those Telescopic rifles. . .” (his brother William May), and the following day wrote, “This morning more names were taken for the sharp-shooting Battalion. Wrote to Will this evening ordering two ‘Target rifles’ -one for Ustick Rothrock.” Rothrock was a comrade from Company D who served with May and the sharpshooters. A letter from May to his brother in August of 1864 notes that “U.R.” liked his gun, and another to May from Rothrock in November 1865 is included discussing their friendship. Further entries from Petersburg in August include: August 7: “I last night rec’d a letter from Will containing express rec’pt for two gun...”August 12: “I am getting impatient for my Telescope.” August 15: “...four of us went to our captn of Sharpshooters to report to duty...” August 17: “I rec’d my Telescope Rifle yesterday evening & so did some others - I am well pleased with my gun.” On September 1 at “P & W. R.R. Va.” he wrote, “eight of us - with our Telescopes, went nearly a mile [and a quarter] toward Petersburg along the R.R. and took position. The Johns honored me with a few shots while I was crossing the road [wagon] pretty soon we opened on them at about 700 yards - in about an hour two rebs came out signifying a desire for a talk, one of our pickets met them. It was agreed there would be no firing, except an advance should be attempted by either party...” One the 10th, he noted having an accidental discharged that damaged his wiping rod and required him to pull a ball. On the 17th at “The Yellow House, Va.” he “was busy making a Powder horn” and on
the 20th he notes “I worked at a horn Powder-flask during spare time.” On the 5th of October, he shipped the case home from City Point. Other entries note the success in the sharpshooters such as a report on October 9, 1864 at “Pegram place” of a Confederate deserter telling them they had killed 7 gunners and 6 horses of the Confederate battery. On November 24, 1864, May “cleaned up my Telescope and made a new wiping-stick”, He notes of practicing in January 1865.
The gunmaker, William Craig (c. 1820-1877), is listed as born in England and
as working as a gunmaker in Pittsburgh, P.A. c. 1844-1847 before moving to
California from 1857 to c. 1860. He returned to Pennsylvania during the Civil
War. This rifle gunsmith in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1844-1847. He moved
to California in 1857 and is still in the 1860 Census in Sonora. Shortly after 1860, he returned to Pennsylvania.
The barrel is signed “Wm CRAIG/PITTSBURGH.” on top ahead of the breech and has a turned down muzzle with
a textured band and post holes for the included false muzzle as well as small holes in the breech section for use with a rest and a thin dovetail near the muzzle for the front scope mount. The rear scope mount fits into the upper tang. The scope is 35 1/2 inches long and is marked “M JAMES/UTICA” for well-known early scope and rifle maker Morgan James of Utica, New York. The ramrod ferrules are mounted to the underside of the barrel using dovetails. The massive breech plug has a cleanout screw and is marked “Wm CRAIG” on the upper left. The back action lock has a scene of a dog chasing a pheasant and scroll and border engraving. The rifle has double set triggers, and
the trigger guard is spurred. The half-stock has coarse diamond checkering and a crescent iron buttplate and toe plate. The case contains a wide variety of shooting and maintenance accouterments. The powder flask is missing the top which is notable since the powder horn made by May has an “AM. FLASK & CAP CO.” top fitted to the mouth with an adjustable spout. The horn is an interesting design between a normal rounded horn and a flat horn. It is flattened at the base and has a base plug shaped almost like the sole of a boot with a staple surrounded by crosshatching on the “heel” and “R.J. May” inscribed in the “toe” section.
CONDITION: Fine with 50% of the original plum brown finish remaining on the barrel blended with smooth brown patina. The breech plug has light original case colors, and the balance has a silver-gray to pewter-gray patina and mild overall wear. The lock engraving and markings remain crisp. The hammer is a repaired period replacement. The stock has a clean repair above the hammer and is otherwise also very good with crisp checkering, minor scratches and dings, and smooth finish. Mechanically fine. The scope has fairly clear optics, a slightly deformed crosshair, and most of the period reapplied finish. The case is very good and has mild age and storage wear. The powder horn is very good and has minor age and storage related wear, aged patina on the spout, and a crisp “R.J. May” inscription on the base. The other accessories range from very good to fair. This is a very rare and desirable Civil War sharpshooter rifle owned by a marksman who kept detailed records of his service, including the purchase and use of his “telescope rifle.”
Estimate: 35,000 - 55,000
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