Virginia Manufactory Flintlock 1813

Virginia Manufactory Flintlock 1813 - Inventory Number: RIF 213

Rare Antique Richmond Manufactory Flintlock Musket, originally made in Richmond, Virginia circa 1813. This musket was part of the early run and made during the War of 1812 with Britain.

After the American Revolution, the young United States was busy trying to arm its militias in preparation for any foreign invasion. Relying on other countries to supply small arms for purchase was fraught with problems. With the supply being so low, many states attempted to import arms on their own through the open market in Europe. But this was expensive and shared the same risks. Some states relied on slow-moving federal armories, and waited for what they could get, when they could get it. Not Virginia, they didn’t have time to wait for gifts from the federal government. They built their own armory.      

In 1802 the first state-owned firearm factory began production under superintendent John Clarke. The factory produced not only firearms, but swords and bayonets all the way up until 1821 when production ceased. By this time, many other sources of firearms were being more readily produced, and the armory was no longer necessary. That and, according to Giles Cromwell in his book “The Virginia manufactory of Arms”, Virginia went through a period of stagnation due to economic factors in the state that lasted from about the time the Manufactory closed up to when the Civil War began.

Due to the shortage of percussion small arms at the onset of the Civil War, the bulk of Stonewall Jackson's divisions were armed with flintlocks at the start of the Valley Campaign, including many from the Virginia Manufactory arsenal. When the Civil War began, records show that virtually none of the Virginia Manufactory muskets had been converted at all. From October 1, 1859 to November 1, 1861 over 44,000 Virginian long arms were issued from stores, all still in their original flintlock configuration. No other flintlocks are recorded as having been distributed after this last date, and Cromwell suggests that this was the beginning of a campaign to cycle these muskets back through for update and conversion to percussion.   

There was a short revival period of the factory during the Civil War, but in 1865 a fire destroyed the interior, and it was never rebuilt. In recent years, a Federal Bank and a packaging company have completed construction over top of the Manufactory’s original site leaving no traces of the country’s earliest and only state-owned firearm factory. All we have left to remember this part of history by are a few public records and the products the factory produced. Luckily, we have one of those few muskets here!      

The overall condition is good. This piece is full length strong action. (Original Flintlock!) Good smooth bore. Solid stock with an expected amount of wear and “HEN” opposite side “IM” can be seen hand carved on the left side. “1813” is dated on the lock. The original mainspring was removed to deactivate but is included. This is a solid example of a very rare Virginia Manufactory musket likely used during multiple conflicts including the War of 1812. It is truly an amazing firearm that is yet available to be preserved as an artifact of the War of 1812, the Civil War and the State of Virginia.

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Inventory Number: RIF 213