About Those Toy Civil War Muskets

From the December 2021 Civil War Times Magazine "Firing up interest."

The editor of the magazine, Dana B. Shoaf, went to Gettysburg with friends and one of them had his two sons  each a toy musket and forage cap (Union sadly) and they had a ball with them.  

That reminds me of the great fun my brother and I had with out muskets growing up.  We fought many battles against neighbor boys and Yankees with those.  It was always funny to "shoot" someone point blank and be told you missed.

Anyway, it brought back some good memories.  I have no idea what happened to my musket.  Perhaps the victim of one of Mom's garage sales.  Hope some other boy is still getting enjoyment from it.

Wondering if Southern boys are even allowed to play "Rebel" anymore?  Believe me, when I was growing up, nobody wanted to be Union soldiers.  Of course, you could "shoot" a pal point blank and he'd say you missed.

--Old Secesh

Pvt. Stockwell's Rifle Musket

From the September 2013 Smithsonian Magazine "From the Castle" by G. Wayne Clough.

This 1863 Springfield rifle musket was once owned by Private Elisha Stockwell Jr, who lied about his age and enlisted in the Union Army at age 15. He took a cannister shot in the arm and a bullet in his shoulder at the Battle of Shiloh in 1862.

He recovered and was around for General Sherman's campaign to capture Atlanta.

Then, at age 81 and nearly blind, finally got around to writing about his wartime experience. As to the wounds at Shiloh, he wrote: "I thought my arm was gone, but I rolled on my right side and...couldn't see anything wrong with it."

Spotting ripped flesh, a lieutenant ordered Stockwell to sit out a charge which possibly saved his life.

Private Stockwell's rifle is part of the Smithsonian's American History Museum's 5,700 firearm collection.

--Old Secesh

Civil War Weapons With Dick Stilling-- Part 6

MUSKETS AND RIFLES

Muskets were referred to as smoothbores.  Rifles had special grooves which caused the bullets to spin and increase distance and accuracy.

The Minie Ball which was widely used by both sides was a particularly nasty bullet that was concave in the rear and made of soft lead which resulted in horrific wounds.

One of his was an 1826 Springfield flintlock that had not been rebored for rifling.

SWORDS

He had several, one of which was an artillery short sword that closely resembled those used in ancient Rome.

A NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY CONNECTION

Mr. Stilling is a graduate of NIU and was at the recent Army-NIU game, and despite his military background, pulled for the good old Huskies.  I had wanted to go to the game if for nothing else, but to see first-hand, the tremendous amount of tradition that accompanies West Point (and, of course, the Fort Fisher Armstrong Gun).

One incident he related was that he was doing some research and when he got out of his car was approached by a full-bird colonel who, after seeing his cane, wanted to know if he could help.  Dick said no, but the colonel assigned two cadets to assist him anyway.

An Interesting Talk.  --Old Secesh