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VERY RARE CONFEDERATE USED MISSISSIPPI RIFLE “GATE

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:2,000.00 USD Estimated At:4,000.00 - 6,000.00 USD
VERY RARE CONFEDERATE USED MISSISSIPPI RIFLE “GATE

CITY GUARDS” ATLANTA, GA. Cal. 58. NSN. . Bbl. 33”. The Gate City Guards have a long & illustrious military history. By the 1850s Atlanta was becoming an important city in Georgia due to the railroad. Atlanta was becoming known as the “Gate City of the South” due to Atlanta being the terminus of 3 major railroads. The Gate City guards would form a militia company in Jan. 1857 & receive a charter from the Gov. In 1859. The Gate City guard was the only militia formed in Atlanta at the time w/ most members being a part of the Atlanta Fire Dept. Larger GA cities at the time such as Macon, Savannah, Augusta & Columbus such as these had militia units dating back decades. Early in 1861, when GA voted to secede from the Union, the guard was the first militia company from the state to offer their services to Gov. Brown. They joined the first GA Regt. April 1st, 1861 in Macon, GA. The unit already had their First National battle flag which was made by the ladies of Atlanta & is part of the Atlanta History Center today. In February 1861 the GA Adjutant General had procured as many arms for the upcoming war as possible before secession. Among that inventory were 370 Model 1841 US “Mississippi” rifles, this no doubt being one. The Gate City Guards were 100 men strong at the beginning of the war & were thought to have been armed w/ the Mississippi rifles from state inventory. This rifle is stamped on top of buttplate “G C G” over rifle number “14”. Rifle has been armory re-rifled from .54 to .58 caliber, possibly by Georgia Armory. There has got to be another survivor out there somewhere, but to date this is the only example known. At least 2 Atlanta made Bowie Knives are also stamped “GCG” for identified members of the Gate City Guards & are pictured in Confederate Bowie Knives by Milton, Phillips & Sexton. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: record sheet by Dr. Fred Novy along w/ sm. File of research. CONDITION: good to very good overall, original & authentic, “as found”. Missing sling swivels as noted. Bbl. & lock have smooth mottled gray iron patina, lock markings are clear as are unit markings on butt. Brass has light mustard patina. Stock is sound w/ handwork patina w/ about 1” piece of wood missing behind bbl., right of tang. Inspection cartouches visible in outline online. Remnants of 2 pins, opposite lock, which once possibly attached plaque or tag, only remnant of one pin & pin hole remain. A carved area on left side of buttstock about 1” square have been purposely obliterated. We wonder what was removed from between the plaque & the carving telling more of the history of this unique marked rifle. Stock is lightly refinished w/ remnants of old varnish. Mechanically fine w/ discernable rifling in well used bore. PROVENANCE: from the collection of Dr. Fred Novy, ASAC. (01-20116/JS). ANTIQUE. $4,000-6,000.