By
Cpl. Stu Richards
Harpers Ferry
muskets, Austrian muskets, Enfields, Towers, and
Springfields were all used by the 96th Pennsylvania
during its three years in the Army of the Potomac. All of
these arms are written about in diaries, letters, and
company ordnance returns. When and where each of these
arms was utilized is another interesting aspect of the
history of the 96th.
According to Bates,
the 96th received their first arms at the arsenal in
Washington where the regiment was encamped at Kendall
Green outside of Washington. Sgt. Lewis Luckenbill wrote
in his diary on Thursday, November 14, 1861: "We was
marched to the arsenal to receive our arms." In another
interesting account from David Ward's thesis on the 96th,
an observer states: "The regiment received Harpers Ferry
muskets, but could only take them if they promised to use
the arms for drill only. Later they could exchange them
for the latest approved muskets." This statement creates
some interesting speculation. Were these muskets so old
and dangerous that they posed a serious danger to the
shooter if fired, or were they just incapable of firing?
I guess we will never know for sure. This musket was
probably the old 1842 as was also issued to the 5th
Wisconsin in Washington in early August. Pvt. James
Anderson remembers "We received old Harpers Ferry
muskets, the first arms we received. Many of the men were
disappointed and refused to take them and got into the
guard house for their pains." Needless to say the 96th
used their Harpers ferry muskets for 55 days until they
turned them in for the latest approved musket, the
Austrian rifle musket. On January 7, 1862 at Camp
Northumberland, Sgt. Luckenbill again penned in his diary
a short note: "Received new Austrian muskets." This
Austrian musket was probably the Austrian "Lorenz" rifle
musket. The Lorenz, or 1854 model, was the most widely
used of the Austrian imports and was probably .54
caliber, being the most common of calibers used. Its
weight was eight pounds and it was almost 53 inches long.
Another mention of the Austrian rifle comes again from
David Ward's thesis, stating that the Schuylkill
Countians exchanged their old Harpers Ferry smoothbores
for new Austrian made rifle muskets. Although the men
liked the appearance of the new weapon, they believed
that only a test in battle would prove their worth. That
test would come on May 7, 1862 at West Point on the
Peninsula, where the 96th would have its first major
engagement, and then again on June 27, 1862 at Gaines
Mill in a fierce battle. In all of these engagements, the
Austrian rifle musket was used. After these battles, the
96th was employed in picket and fatigue duties. When on
the 21st of July, 1862, Sgt. Luckenbill wrote: "Today we
received our new arms the English rifle." And Ward's
thesis gives the location of the exchange: "The regiment
moved their camp at Harrison's Bar, there the Schuylkill
Countians exchanged their Austrian muskets for new
Enfield rifles." From mid July on through the engagements
at Crampton's Gap, Antietam, Gettysburg, Salem Heights,
Spotsylvania, and finally their muster out on September
22, 1864, the 96th used the Enfield rifle.
While looking over
some ordnance returns for Company C, I came across an
invoice for two Springfields, 30 Enfields, and four
Towers dated October 1, 1862. I mentioned this to Sgt.
John Morrow at one of the Roundtable meetings, and it
brought up some interesting questions as to what type of
musket was a Tower. Were they just another issue of the
Enfield, or some other type of weapon? Sgt. Morrow
thought the Towers were the short two band Enfields, and
would be carried by NCO's because of their ease of
carrying at shoulder arms. Well, apparently Sgt. Morrow
was correct, because on further examination of later
ordnance returns from March 1863, the four Tower muskets
previously mentioned were now called Short Enfield rifles
.577 caliber. Also I found a statement of losses for
Company C after the fight at Salem Heights. It states
that six Enfields and two Towers were lost in battle.
Both Towers (short Enfields) were charged to two NCO's
who were killed in the fight.
Finally to put the
Tower, short Enfield story to rest, the remaining two
Towers in Company C were exchanged on June 12, 1863,
making all arms on hand Enfields. As for the two
Springfields carried on the returns, who knows, maybe
they were picked up on the field, or even issued for some
reason. I have yet been able to find out. However, they
were also turned in on June 12, 1863.
