S#: NSN | Mfg. Date: 1853 | 42” Smoothbore Barrel | .69 Caliber smoothbore percussion musket manufactured at the U.S. Springfield Armory. Features an 1853-dated lockplate with U.S. eagle and Springfield markings, full-length walnut stock, three barrel bands, sling swivels, U.S.-marked buttplate, and accompanying socket bayonet with stamped markings. The stock features numerous carved initials and inscriptions, including prominent “W.E.H.” and “S.B.” markings on the buttstock, along with additional faint carvings. The opposite side shows carved letters which look like “D.B.B…”. This could lead to the Darlington Brave Blues or something else worth looking into. The Model 1842 was the first regulation U.S. military musket manufactured with fully interchangeable parts and saw extensive service during the Civil War. This musket is accompanied with a nice standard US M1842 Socket Bayonet stamped “US” |||| HISTORY: Strong evidence points to this musket having ties to Private W. E. H. Owens of the 1st South Carolina Regulars. He formally enlisted in the army on March 30, 1863, in Walhalla, South Carolina. While his initial service profile connects him to Company D of the 1st South Carolina Infantry (Provisional Army / McCreary's), his record shows an interchangeable connection to the 1st South Carolina Regulars. This would make sense for the "S.R." carving on the stock. The Regulars were specifically tasked with garrisoning the crucial harbor defenses of Charleston. Private Owens' unit was stationed directly inside Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie after the initial bombardment in 1861. Smoothbore Model 1842 muskets were the standard infantry weapon for these harbor troops in 1861 and 1862 |||| CONDITION: Very good. Metal surfaces exhibit an aged gray patina with a nice smooth surface and legible crisp markings. Walnut stock shows scratches, dents, handling marks, and wear consistent with age. Some wood chipping below the lockplate and around the tang. Mechanically functions with a nice tight working action both in full and half cock. Bore looks to be good. The bayonet is excellent with a matching aged patina.