Like many of the guns made by Eli Whitney Jr., the "Whitney Enfield" was a product of parts and pieces purchased "second hand" and combined with other parts produced at Whitney's to create a functional musket. The project began when Whitney purchased a large number of parts and machinery from the defunct Robbins & Lawrence firearm manufacturing company. Robbins & Lawrence had recently gone bankrupt after investing a fortune to tool up and produce Enfield muskets for sale to Great Britain during the Crimean War. Unfortunately for Robbins & Lawrence, the Crimean War ended before the company had produced enough weapons to cover its costs; leading to Robbins & Lawrence's eventual insolvency.
Among the items purchased by Whitney were at least 5,000 sets of solid Enfield pattern barrel bands, several thousand Enfield pattern rifle stocks that “would not pass Government inspection,” as well as many pieces of small work (butt plates, screws, escutcheons, etc.) in both finished and rough states of production. Whitney also acquired at least one rifling machine at the auction. It appears that he also obtained at least some stocks and barrels that were in the unfinished rough state, in addition to some condemned barrels. This interesting assortment of parts would become the basis for Whitney’s “Enfield” series of long arms. Armed with both machinery and parts to create Enfield muskets, Whitney set out to produce his own Enfield-style arm, which could be sold directly to state militias in order to maximize profits and avoid the strict Federal requirements of interchangeable parts.
Like most Whitney arms not produced for a U.S. government contract, there were often small variations in furniture, hardware, and sights, as Whitney utilized parts on hand, changing components when the supplies of one particular part were used up. Between 1860 and 1863, Whitney produced somewhere between 3,300 and 3,500 “Enfield” rifle muskets. Other than having a general appearance similar to the Enfield, the guns were really an amalgamation of the “Enfield” and “Springfield” patterns, using parts that were immediately available to Whitney.
The Whitney Enfield Rifle Muskets had 40-inch long, .58 caliber barrels that generally resembled those of the U.S. M1855 and M1861 muskets. The barrels were batch or serial numbered with an alphanumeric mark on top of the barrel, behind the front sight. The barrels hand no proof marks or markings; other than this alphanumeric number coding behind the front sight. Most of the Whitney Enfields featured a Whitney-design ladder sight, but some later examples have been observed with simpler leaf sights.
The locks were also designed by Whitney; and bare little resemblance to the British Enfeild. They were flat and were flush mounted in the mortise with a rounded rear, and an odd projection between the bolster and the hammer. The hammers were similar to U.S. M1855 and M1861 hammers in profile, but again, distinctly Whitney. The lock plates were simply marked "E. Whitney" with no "US" or Federal Eagle.
The Enfield-style barrel bands purchased from Robbins & Lawrence required no modification, and the rest of the furniture was designed at Whitney's including a trigger assembly that was loosely copied off of the US Model 1855; but differed in its use of iron plate and brass trigger bow (the Federal version was all iron).
The stocks were modified P1853 Enfield stocks from the Robbins & Lawrence auction that were altered to fit the components that Whitney installed in them.
Whitney produced about 3,300 Whitney Enfields between 1860 and 1863. His largest customer was the state of Maryland, which ordered 2,000 immediately after the John Brown raid on the Harpers Ferry Arsenal. Various sources note that the guns were delivered in 1861 and used to arm the Maryland Volunteer Militia. According to Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Arms, some 370 of those guns were captured by southern sympathizers during the April 19, 1861, riots in Baltimore. In November 1860, the state of Georgia contracted for 1,700 guns, but it is believed that no more than 1,225 were actually delivered. In late 1860, the Clarke County, Miss., militia (known as the Enterprise Guards) purchased 75 Whitney Enfield rifle muskets. The “Enterprise Guards” eventually became the core of Co. B, 14th Miss. Vol. Inf. The U.S. Ordnance Department acquired 100 guns on the open market through Schuyler, Hartley & Graham of New York, purchasing them on Aug. 10, 1861. Despite its official classification as a "second class arm" the Whitney Enfield saw extensive service during the Civil War with considerable numbers of them being acquired by both sides of the conflict during the early part of the war.
This particular Whitney Enfield is in excellent all original condition. It features a full length stock with no cracks spits or chips, as well as a very old, enigmatic carving which reads "CAPTURED AT THE". This appears to be a commemoration of the gun's apparent seizure as a "trophy" taken during the war. Unfortunately the original owner of this "war prize" never had the chance to finish his inscription, so the battle in which this Whitney was collected remains a mystery. Still the inscription remains an interesting talking point on this rare rifle.
The lock and all the rest of the metal components have a beautiful even patina - a wonderful indicator that this gun has never been sanded or refinished. This gun is as honest as the day it left Connecticut! The hammer holds solid on both half and full cock and features a good, legible "E. WHITNEY" stamp on the lock plate.
The barrel is full length and features no markings other than Whitney's alphanumeric code stamped behind the front sight. Both the front and rear sight are intact an in excellent condition. The bore is quite good and features sharp rifling throughout.
The furniture is all original and in great shape. The ram rod is full length.
