M1841 "Mississippi" Rifle procurement

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Gentlemen,

In April of 1861, when the Richmond Sharpshooters enlisted in the Confederate Army, 23rd VA Regt. Co. H, they did so with "new" privately purchased M1841 Rifles, and Saber Bayonets.

The question, where would a company of men in 1861 purchase a bulk lot of martial weapons? Could these be purchased directly through the Federal owned facilities, Harpers Ferry? Or would these have to be purchased through "Contract" firms...such as Colt, Whitney...etc?

It sure would be nice to narrow down the origin of said "Mississippi" Rifles for this company...at least if able to come up with an exclusionary list from where they wouldn't have purchased these from.

Thanks,

Paul B.

[Jimmayo]

More M-1841s were made by contract manufactures than the government arsenals. Company G of the 9th Va. had Remington M-1841 previously purchased sometime prior to the war. I had always assumed they ordered them from Remington or a gun supplier. In April of 61 guns could probably still be purchased from the North as were other supplies such as buttons and Colt pistols.

[David Fox]

No one had manufactured M.1841s for some years prior to the War. States acquired them from the Federal government through the mechanism of the 1808 Militia Act and disposed of some by public sale, I believe. Thousands otherwise floated about, bought, sold, upgraded and resold to militia units, various groups, and individuals.