US Model 1816 Musket shortened for cavalry use and identified to Confederate soldier Virgil M. Ramey of Mosby's Rangers, NSN, .69 caliber, 24" barrel with a dark, lightly pitted bore. This started out as a Type III Model 1816 musket made by Springfield Armory in 1839, but was converted to percussion via the cone/Belgian method at some point prior to the Civil War. Additionally, the musket was shortened to carbine length with the original ramrod also shortened to match. The metal of this musket would have originally been finished armory bright, but has since faded to a mottled gray patina with dark patches of plum-brown freckling and pitting throughout. The lock markings are still quite crisp and clear, and the armory proofmarks are faded but still visible on the left side of the breech, however the date is no longer visible on the barrel tang. The walnut stock is in good shape with some raw wood where the forend was shortened, and numerous small handling marks scattered about the old added oil finish. The ghost of a US inspector cartouche is present on the left side of the stock opposite the lock, as well as some crudely carved initials: "V.M.R." A series of stable drying cracks are present on the left side of the buttstock running forward from the buttplate which has an added "CS" marking on the tang. The stamp is probably post-war, but the ghost of an earlier "CS" stamp can be seen beneath it.
The musket is accompanied by a copy of a July 8, 1937 dated letter written by a Celia Ramey certifying that the "Confederate short musket Springfield 1839 was carried by my grandfather Virgil M. Ramey in the War of Southern Independence while serving with Col. Mosby’s Rangers." While there is no record of a Virgil M. Ramey in the rolls of Mosby’s Virginia Partisan Ranger Regiment during the war, there was a Private "M. Ramey" who served in Co. E and this is probably Ms. Ramey’s grandfather. This is a very interesting unofficial carbine, with a connection to both a listed Confederate cavalry trooper and a famous unit.
This is an antique firearm and transfers with no federal restriction.
The Collection of Dr. Joseph Matheu.
