Confederate Richmond Musket, c. 1863 Captured & Collected (C&R) Reissued Example

Description

Confederate Richmond Musket, c. 1863

Captured & Collected (C&R) Reissued Example

 

Fine example of a Confederate States–manufactured Richmond infantry musket, dated 1863, retaining very good overall condition. The lockplate is crisply stamped “C.S. / RICHMOND” with a bold 1863 date, exhibiting strong legibility and an even, undisturbed patina consistent with authentic wartime use.

 

The iron barrel and furniture display smooth, dark, Confederate-typical surfaces, free from major pitting, cleaning, or post-war alteration. The mechanism remains fully functional with a strong, correct action.

 

Produced at the Richmond Armory, these muskets represent the principal shoulder arm manufactured by the Confederacy during the middle years of the war. Examples dated 1863 are particularly representative of weapons issued during the height of Confederate field operations, including the major campaigns in Virginia and the Western Theater.

 

This musket is further distinguished as a Captured and Collected (C&R) reissued arm, bearing a bold “Q” inspection stamp on the underside of the stock just forward of the triggerguard tang. This marking is now recognized as the final inspection stamp of a Confederate ordnance inspector associated with the Cleaning and Recovery service responsible for reissuing arms that had been “captured and collected.”

 

Although the individual inspector has not been identified, researcher Steven Knott, who first identified and cataloged these markings in his 2019 study “Captured and Collected” Confederate Reissued Firearms, associates the Q stamp with the Richmond Arsenal / Artillery Workshop, based on the frequency and distribution of these marks. Knott estimates that approximately 200,000 firearms passed through the C&R system after battlefield recovery—primarily in the Eastern Theater where Confederate forces often retained possession of the field—with an additional 50,000 arms turned in by Confederate units. These were processed at facilities including Richmond, Danville, Staunton, and Lynchburg. Knott’s original catalog identified the letters A, F, Q, T, and Z, later expanded to include additional symbols, including an ampersand (&), indicating that the stamps do not necessarily correspond to an inspector’s initials.

 

This 1863-dated Richmond evidently saw limited service prior to its return to Confederate control and was well cared for both during and after reissue, suggesting a late capture. The stock was manufactured at a C&R facility and is impeccably fitted to the lock, correctly relieved for the raised lockplate hump, and retains sharp edges throughout. No cartouches are present. The musket is fitted with a Springfield buttplate, while the barrel bands and ramrod appear to be Richmond-produced. The rear sight is the correct Whitney-style, mounted during its period of field service.

 

A remarkable, honest, and untouched example of one of the most important Confederate longarms, enhanced by documented C&R reissue characteristics. An exceptional acquisition for an advanced Civil War arms collection or institutional display.

 

Inventory Number: RIF 280