Federal Issue of the Enfield Rifle

[cavohio1]

The Federal Issue of the Enfield Rifle P-53 3 band . Would the Federal Army issue the Enfield cartridge leather box or the Federal cartridge leather box 69 cal. or 58 cal. to the troops ?

Mike Willer

5th Ohio Vol. Light Artillery

[brown]

Re: Federal Issue of the Enfield Rifle

The most common combination I have seen in images is an English rifle musket with US style leathers (not obvious to me. 58 or. 69 from he image alone). There are a few US units that got English leathers and images reaffirm that, but these are less common than the US gear.

As for the. 58 or. 69 issue, looking at manufacturing records and surviving originals documented to units with Enfields might help paint the picture.

[Mississippian]

Re: Federal Issue of the Enfield Rifle

IIRC, the only U.S. troops who used the British style accoutrements were a few Massachusetts regiments who were enlisted for only 9 months. I think they had been sized from a blockade runner and bought by the State of Massachusetts. Perhaps there were a few others, but that example is what jumps to my mind.

Most if not all federals using the Enfield would have used the .58 box. Now if you are doing Confederate it gets just a little bit more interesting.....

Will MacDonald