These pre-War model 1855 rifle muskets in .58 caliber were the best weapons available at the start of the War. This is one of two hundred that were given by the State of Georgia to the Savannah, Georgia militia unit, the REPUBLICAN BLUES, in 1859. The BLUES was an elite militia unit, formed in 1808. Their prestige and political pull is shown by the fact that they got 200 of the only 260 Model 1855 rifle-muskets received by Georgia as part of Georgia’s allotment in the year 1859. The unit proudly marked the wood stock of the muskets they received with a bold REPUBLICAN BLUES mark, and the mark on this one is right as rain.

Now, I am probably not ready to sell this rare collectible. But I thought I would list it for a limited time so interested Confederate collectors can have a look at this rare item, and to spark viewers who like to do research to check out this most interesting unit, the Republican Blues.

The REPUBLICAN BLUES members were Savannah society’s elite, led by Captain John W Anderson, cotton merchant and older brother of a former Savannah mayor. They made a triumphal visit to New York City in July 1860, hosted by New York’s elite New York Guard, a trip designed to show the shared values of both North and South. Their visit, including parades, drill exhibitions attended by thousands of spectators, and banquets was well covered day by day in the New York Times newspaper! A song was composed in their honor for this visit, the Republican Blues March.

There is a good deal of written history available for this unit, which I have not yet dug into. The Blues served in the Savannah area until they went to oppose Sherman’s march through Georgia, and their last battle was the last major battle between Sherman and Confederate General Joe Johnston, the Battle of Bentonville, North Carolina, in late March, 1865. (One of the Union wounded in this battle was my great great uncle, Major George R. Ray of the 16th Illinois Infantry. I suppose it is possible this rifle-musket fired the shot that hit him.)

There are only a handful of these REPUBLICAN BLUES muskets still in existence. One of them is in the collection of the Atlanta History Center, part of the famous George Wray collection of confederate arms. I showed my musket to John Sexton when he visited Ohio for the Mansfield Civil War Show (he had owned one of these) and he blessed it and especially praised the fact that it was in such wonderfully untouched condition.

This musket also has stamped on the wood a rack number. Gordon Jones of the Atlanta History Museum wrote me that he believes this is a State of Georgia inventory marking; noting that “the font and size of the numbers stamped into the stocks are exactly the same as numbers stamped on a GA Armory bayonet (#32), which would suggest the same set of dies – probably applied at the state arsenal in Milledgeville.”

My REPUBLICAN BLUES rifle-musket is so much rarer than the Richmond rifle-musket, or even the South Carolina Palmetto muskets. I will likely keep this one for good. But if a collector wants it badly enough to meet my price, that collector can become the new custodian of this scarce collectible.

I may offer this locally, so consider using the Buy it now Feature.

There is no bid yet.