South Carolina Contract Model 1842 Musket / SOLD

Description

South Carolina Contract Model 1842 Musket

Model 1842 smoothbore musket produced by Benjamin Flagg for the State of South Carolina.

The musket retains a deep dark patina across the metal components and the buttplate is clearly stamped “S.C.” indicating state ownership. Both sling swivels remain intact and the musket retains its trumpet-shaped ramrod. An “E” is carved into the underside of the stock.

State-marked muskets were commonly purchased by Southern states in the years immediately preceding the Civil War as tensions between North and South increased and states began preparing their own arsenals.

State-marked muskets have a distinct appeal because they document the important role of state procurement before and during the opening months of the Civil War. Southern states in particular acquired arms aggressively in the late 1850s and early 1861 period as sectional tensions rose and federal supplies appeared uncertain. A rare Confederate arm from the arsenals at the time of the firing on Fort Sumter.

Inventory Number: RIF 307