University of New Mexico Press Remington Army and Navy Revolvers 1861-1888

Immediately following the Civil War, the United States Ordnance Department reported it had purchased 128,575 Remington revolvers during the conflict. During the Franco-Prussian War in 1870-71, Samuel Remington acted as an agent to acquire arms for the French War Ministry. Fifteen to twenty thousand Remington New Model Army revolvers were purchased from the Ordnance Department and sent to France. Donald Ware devoted twenty-five years of research in the Ordnance Department archives, the Remington factory's records, and Army and Navy records to assemble this detailed examination of the development and evolution of Remington revolvers from the beginning of the Civil War through the end of the Indian wars. In addition to information about the revolvers themselves, Ware shares tidbits that he uncovered along the way. For example, part of the equipment issued the Civil War soldier was a bullet mold for his revolver. During the War, the Ordance Department issued combustible ammunition for revolvers, making the mold a superfluous appendage. To avoid carrying the extra weight, the mold was usually tossed away. In 1863, the Ordnance Department notified Remington there was no need to furnish molds with the revolvers and therefore saved the government eighteen cents on each revolver.