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3326

IMPORTANT CASED CIVIL WAR TRANTER PERCUSSION

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:2,500.00 USD Estimated At:5,000.00 - 8,000.00 USD
IMPORTANT CASED CIVIL WAR TRANTER PERCUSSION
REVOLVER BELONGING TO UNION MAJOR GENERAL DON CARLOS BUELL OF THE ARMIES OF THE OHIO & THE CUMBERLAND. Cal. 54 Bore / approx. 44 cal. S# 12148T. Bbl. 5". An extremely historic example of an early model, 5 shot, 54 bore, dbl. trigger, triple action export model Tranter Patent percussion revolver. Documented family history states that this revolver likely belonged to Major General Don Carlos Buell who was born in 1818 near Marietta, Ohio. After 4 arduous years at Westpoint, Buell graduated in 1841 & served as a company officer in the Seminole War demonstrating remarkable administrative abilities. The strict disciplinarian served under Generals Taylor & Scott during the Mexican War being brevetted for bravery 3 times. Buell spent the following 13 years in the adjutant general's office. Then Lieutenant Colonel Buell was appointed to Brigadier General of Volunteers in 1861 at the outbreak of the Civil War & early in 1862 became a major general. Buell helped McClellan organize the Army of the Potomac & was subsequently sent to Kentucky to replace Sherman as commanding general. Buell then organized the Army of the Ohio which later formed the core of the Army of the Cumberland. Buell is credited w/ saving General Grant from annihilation at the Battle of Shiloh. While serving under General Halleck, Buell saw action at the Battle of Corinth & then was dispatched to capture Chattanooga. Buell did not believe in the philosophy of total war & was constantly at odds w/ his superiors about the treatment of civilians & their property in the South. This belief constantly brought him into conflict w/ politicians as well as his superiors & ultimately ended his otherwise brilliant military career. After the war Buell settled in Kentucky & died there in 1898. The revolver has a blued finish overall w/ the loading lever, dbl. trigger & hammer bright. There are engraved foliate designs near the breech of the bbl. & the muzzle. The frame, trigger guard, buttcap & loading lever also show a foliate engraved design. The top of the frame is not marked. The S# is on the right side of the frame just below the cyl. There is a sm. "HH" stamp on the frame just above the loading lever screw. Cyl. has several proof stamps located between each nipple. 1 Piece checkered wood grips. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: the original wooden lockable case measures 14 1/2" x 7 5/8" x 2 3/8". There is a brass, reeded edged, 1 1/4" diameter round escutcheon plate in the center of the hinged top. Compartmentalized case is lined w/ original green felt. Contents of the case include a wood & brass cleaning rod, a brass bullet mold marked "TRANTER'S PATENT" on the side w/ iron spur trimmer marked "54" on the top, a pistol flask marked "JAMES DIXON & SONS SHEFFIELD" on the charger, an ebony handled nipple wrench & screwdriver, a lg. tin w/ a paper label that reads in part, "W. TRANTERS Patent LUBRICATING BULLETS", a smaller tin w/ a paper label that reads in part, "W. TRANTERS Patent LUBRICATING COMPOSITION", a cap tin w/ 2 paper labels that read in part, "ELEYS Superior ANTI CORROSIVE CAPS" & "MADE EXPRESSLY FOR W. TRANTERS...REVOLVERS." & several Tranter bullets w/ paper wadding. Also included are a number of documents attesting to the provenance of the pistol including a 1940 & a 1947 letter from the Phifer family, whose letters were inside the revolver case when it was purchased around 1950. Provenance further includes documents from the Filson Society about Buell's papers including copies of photos of Buell's personal military items showing a pistol mounted on the wall & a case below on the floor, presumably the pistol & box offered here. There is biographic information about the General, along w/ items from a Buell relative. Rounding out the documentation is information on Tranter firearms & a letter from Douglas Nye, noted Tranter specialist. There is also a book by Stephen D. Engle titled "Don Carlos Buell Most Promising of All". Although the Tranter revolver, case & contents cannot be unequivocally tied to General Buell, the vast majority of documented family & photographic evidence indicates ownership & use by General Buell. CONDITION: frame & bbl. show 70% blued finish mixed w/ oxidation. Cyl. shows traces of blue in the nipple recesses otherwise, it seems to have been polished bright likely during its useful life. Trigger guard & buttcap show about 30% blue remaining. Grip is lightly worn w/ no notable damage. The action functions but the hammer will not hold cock when brought back by use of the lower trigger however, it will hold cock when brought back manually. Engraving is generally crisp & sharp throughout. Very fine bore w/ good rifling. Case shows moderate wear w/ scattered scuffs, scrapes & rounded corners on the base. Contents generally show light to moderate wear. (01-17216/BF). ANTIQUE. $5,000-8,000.
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