Civil War Gallager Carbine

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Civil War Gallager Carbine – This Gallager carbine remains in overall very good condition. The Gallagher was a .50 caliber, breech loading, percussion weapon that was utilized extensively by Union cavalry troops. Although developed by a South Carolina native, just prior to the onset of hostilities, the production rights to manufacture were purchased by the Philadelphia business, Richardson and Overman, which obtained multiple contracts with the U.S. Ordnance Department. The firing mechanism consists of a trigger guard that also functions as a lever, that when depressed, allows the barrel to move forward and tilt upward; the brass, paper covered cartridge was then inserted into the breech of the upward tilted barrel. Although the manufacturers maintained that the design would facilitate the extraction of the spent cartridge, numerous difficulties were reported by soldiers armed with the Gallagers, with extracting the spent cartridges. This Gallager is completely iron-mounted, with these additional features: dark-oiled walnut butt and fore stock; iron patchbox; folding single leaf, rear sight; iron bladed, front sight; round barrel; sling bar and saddle ring; serial no. 12255. The lock plate is marked as follows:

“GALLAGER’S PATENT

JULY 17^TH 1860”

“MANUFACTD BY

RICHARDSON & OVERMAN

PHILADA.”

“12255”

The carbine, as mentioned, is in very good condition; it has an overall smooth, plum-brown finish, with some minor pitting around the breech area of the barrel. The bore is clean with rifling remaining. The firing mechanism functions well. There are no inspection cartouches on the stock, although there are these two sets of war period, carved initials and a number, in the left side of the butt stock:

“J  W”

“1  P”

This is a nice example of a carbine that was one of the heavily used weapons of the Federal cavalry during the Civil War.