1851 Colt Navy Canadian Pistol Accesories

[CMichaud]

Can anyone tell me what (if any) accesories were issued with the 1851 Colts that Canada issued to its cavalry in 1855?

Am wondering if any of the accesories bore war department markings or any distinguishing features.

Thinking about

Case
Nipple wrench
Cap tins
Flask
Mold

and anything else that may have come with them.

This cased one was for sale at an auction site (Julia) some time ago but not sure how accurate the accesories are or if they were marked as being ordnance etc. Ther appears to be some differences at any rate

Thanks

 

[Sharps '63]

???

Are you sure that the item listed as a "nipple wrench" isn't a 'turnscrew'?

The item centred below the revolver is most likely a 6 pack of paper/foil cartridges.

 

[CMichaud]

I am not sure of any of it. The photo above from the Julia auction may be correct or not. ie who knows if the box and accesories accompanying the pistol are correct or if they were added later.

Essentially, I am trying to figure out if the pistols purchased by the Canadian Militia came with any accesories from the factory and if so, were they marked with any distinguishing marks etc.

Pretty sure that the Julia photo above has a colt niple wrench/screwdriver vice a turn screw though

 

[green]

From "Adjutant General's Office" Canada 1856
"one holster, one cleaning rod, one nipple wrench" for each Colt revolver.
No wood case.

 

[CMichaud]

From "Adjutant General's Office" Canada 1856
"one holster, one cleaning rod, one nipple wrench" for each Colt revolver.
No wood case.

Thanks for this. Makes me wonder then if the guys were on the hook for their own flask, caps etc.

I did find a site which refers to a Broad arrow marked bag flask. Will see if I can find the link to that.

Edit - the Spirit of the Old West site shows a photo with three flasks. As the descriptor, they state:

Colt Powder Flasks - Canadian Militia Bag type Powder Flask marked -> Broad Arrow issued with the Colt 1851 Navy London Factory.

 

[green]

Ammo was issued in cartridges , a skin powder container glued to the bullet enclosed in a tear off paper container. The protective paper was torn off and the cartridge inserted in the chamber and rammed home.
No mention of a flask in above quoted list of accessories. Ammo was issued as cartridges.
Flasks were used to prime artillery.

 

[CMichaud]

Were the issued items ie "one holster, one cleaning rod, one nipple wrench" marked in any way to distinguish them?

Thanks!

 

[GrantR]

Hopefully, this receipt for arms and accoutrements actually issued to one Cavalry Troop will flesh things out a bit:

Note that the additional items relating specifically to the revolver were a cartouche (i.e. cartridge) box and a belt for same. There is no mention of a separate pouch for percussion caps, but of course the prepared combustible cartridges of the day came with percussion caps in the packet of six rounds, and were presumably placed on the nipples at time of loading, so no other means of carrying caps would have been necessary. Frankly, I'm not sure whether the holster was worn on the sword belt or the cartridge box belt ..... indeed, one or the other of them may have been a cross-belt (i.e. worn over the shoulder) rather than a waist-belt ....

I am not at home at present, and thus can't access my reference library, but standard practice at that time was to mark the accoutrements the same as the firearm with which they were issued - a pouch and holster under the flap, or on the back, and a belt on the back.

To perhaps round out this topic even further, here is a copy of the Militia General Order relating to the newly acquired arms, as issued by the Adjutant General on 16 May 1856. Note that over half of it is given over to directions for loading and cleaning the newfangled Colt's revolvers .....