The American Civil Conflict introduced with it a flood of innovation in firearms design, and few weapons higher illustrate the period’s mechanical ambition than the Savage 1861 Navy revolver. Its double-trigger design, unconventional profile, and mass manufacturing at a time of nationwide emergency mark it as one of the crucial intriguing—and misunderstood—sidearms of the battle.
One of the notable sidearms of the Civil Conflict was the Savage 1861, which performed a novel position within the fingers of the Union cavalry.
The distinctive options of the Savage 1861 revolver catered to the particular wants of troopers in the course of the tumultuous instances of the conflict.
Produced in restricted numbers by a short-lived agency, the Savage Navy noticed actual battlefield use, principally within the fingers of Union cavalrymen. Its mechanical quirks, heavy construct, and distinctive look have earned it each criticism and admiration. And whereas it might not have had the battlefield legacy of the Colt or Remington revolvers, it stays an enchanting testomony to wartime innovation.
Understanding the origin of the Savage 1861 Navy revolver is essential for appreciating its historic significance.
Essential Clarification: The corporate that produced this revolver—the Savage Revolving Firearms Firm of Middletown, Connecticut—is fully unrelated to the fashionable firearms producer generally known as Savage Arms, which was based in 1894 by Arthur Savage in Utica, New York. The 2 share a reputation solely by coincidence.
Origins: From North to Savage
The progressive design patent awarded to Edward Savage laid the groundwork for manufacturing the Savage 1861 revolver. As tensions rose, the Savage 1861 revolver emerged as a key participant within the market for army firearms.
The Savage 1861 Navy revolver was the product of a household partnership between Edward Savage, an inventor with a aptitude for mechanical programs, and his father Henry S. North, a seasoned arms maker descended from the North household of presidency contractors. Their early work below the identify Savage & North produced a number of ingenious revolvers, together with one collector-nicknamed the “Determine-8” mannequin, on account of its uncommon set off guard form. That revolver launched the foundational components of what would develop into the Savage Navy’s core mechanism.
In 1859, Edward Savage was awarded U.S. Patent No. 23,581 for a brand new kind of motion—one which used a decrease ring set off to rotate the cylinder and cock the hammer, whereas the higher normal set off discharged the weapon. This intelligent mixture of operations was meant to streamline firing, permitting single-handed manipulation and a safer cylinder lock-up.
Recognizing the business potential of this design—particularly as nationwide tensions turned towards conflict—the companions included a brand new agency: the Savage Revolving Firearms Firm, headquartered in Middletown, Connecticut.
Design and Mechanical Options
The Savage 1861 Navy revolver was a six-shot, single-action, cap-and-ball revolver chambered in .36 caliber, in keeping with the Navy-standard bore measurement of the time. Its most distinguishing characteristic was the double-trigger system:
The decrease ring set off superior the cylinder and cocked the hammer.
The higher normal set off launched the hammer and fired the weapon.
This configuration allowed for optimistic indexing of the cylinder, enhancing alignment and lock-up. It additionally theoretically allowed one-handed operation in a extra fluid movement than Colt-style revolvers, which required guide cocking of the hammer for every shot.
The progressive double-trigger system of the Savage 1861 Navy revolver exemplified the creativity of arms manufacturing in the course of the period.
Troopers discovered the Savage 1861 revolver to be each a formidable weapon and a major a part of their army arsenal.
Different specs included:
The demand for the Savage 1861 revolver was indicative of the Union’s pressing want for dependable firearms.
In the end, round 20,000 Savage 1861 revolvers have been produced, making it a notable entry in army historical past.
The revolver was sturdy and visually imposing, with a big body, a particular sloped hammer, and an enormous cylinder. Whereas it appeared formidable, its weight and complexity proved burdensome within the area.
Army Contracts and Manufacturing
On the outset of the Civil Conflict, the Union was determined for arms. The Ordnance Division started awarding contracts to smaller producers prepared to scale up manufacturing rapidly. Savage Revolving Firearms Firm was amongst them.
Between 1861 and 1862, roughly 20,000 Savage Navy revolvers have been manufactured:
11,284 items have been bought by the U.S. authorities below two main contracts (starting in late 1861).
The rest (roughly 8,700) have been offered to state militias, business sellers, or by personal channels.
These revolvers have been primarily issued to Union cavalry items, notably:
1st and 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry
seventh Kansas Cavalry (“Jennison’s Jayhawkers”)
third, fifth, and sixth Indiana Cavalry
fifth, sixth, and ninth Illinois Cavalry
2nd New York Cavalry
Ordnance data and regimental returns affirm area distribution to those items throughout 1862–63. The revolvers have been typically seen as acceptable however not superior. Cavalrymen appreciated their stable lock-up, however many criticized their weight, the lengthy and heavy set off pull, and the mechanism’s sensitivity to fouling from black powder residue.
Within the Subject: Union and Accomplice Use
The Savage Navy revolver was issued and used nearly completely by Union forces. Its distribution was centrally managed by the U.S. Ordnance Division and supplemented by state purchases within the North. There is no such thing as a documented Accomplice procurement of the revolver, and only a few verified examples turned up in Accomplice fingers in the course of the conflict.
That stated, a restricted quantity have been captured in battle and will have seen secondary use by Accomplice cavalrymen as private weapons. Nevertheless, there isn’t a proof of Southern manufacturing, contracts, or wide-scale use. The Savage Navy was logistically tied to Union provide chains and produced solely in Middletown, Connecticut.
The Savage 1861 revolver was primarily related to the Union forces, marking its significance within the conflict.
Briefly: whereas remoted Accomplice use through seize is feasible, the revolver was not a weapon of each side—it was a Union firearm, by origin, contract, and deployment.
This revolver was not merely a sidearm however an emblem of Union dedication in the course of the Civil Conflict.
Finish of Manufacturing and Decline
By the point manufacturing ceased, the Savage 1861 revolver had left an indelible mark on firearms historical past.
The decline of the Savage 1861 revolver’s manufacturing mirrored the shifting priorities in army armaments.
By late 1862, the Conflict Division had shifted its procurement focus to extra dependable and fewer mechanically advanced arms—particularly the Colt Mannequin 1860 Military and the Remington New Mannequin Military revolver. Each have been less complicated, simpler to coach with, and extra sturdy below harsh area circumstances.
Savage Revolving Firearms Firm acquired no new federal contracts after early 1863. With out authorities backing, the agency folded shortly thereafter, and manufacturing of the Savage Navy ended. No different firearms have been produced by the corporate, and each Edward Savage and Henry North pale from the historic document when it comes to arms improvement.
The identify “Savage” wouldn’t return to American arms manufacture till 1894, when Arthur Savage launched a totally separate enterprise, Savage Arms Firm, recognized later for the enduring Mannequin 99 lever-action rifle and a number of contemporary searching and army arms.
Collector Worth and Legacy
Right this moment, the Savage 1861 Navy revolver is a prized artifact of Civil Conflict historical past. Its manufacturing run was comparatively small in comparison with Colt or Remington, and its advanced motion makes it mechanically fascinating. Values differ considerably based mostly on situation and configuration:
Prime greenback goes to examples with matching serial numbers, U.S. inspector cartouches, and authentic end.
Early fashions with low serial numbers and private-marked variants additionally draw sturdy curiosity.
Totally useful examples with crisp motion are rarer nonetheless, given the complexity of the mechanism.
Collectors in the present day worth the Savage 1861 revolver not only for its rarity however for its distinctive position in historical past.
Due to the revolver’s intricate internals, no main business reproductions have been made. In contrast to Colt or Remington black powder revolvers, the Savage Navy has not been replicated by Uberti, Pietta, or different Italian companies. A number of fanatics have crafted one-off scratch builds, however these stay uncommon and prohibitively costly.
Conclusion: A Union Oddity That Endures
The Savage 1861 Navy revolver was a daring experiment—an ingenious, if imperfect, reply to the Union’s demand for revolvers. Its double-trigger motion, heavy body, and futuristic look set it aside on the battlefield and within the collector’s cupboard.
Although not probably the most profitable or beloved revolver of the conflict, it stands as a testomony to American mechanical creativity below the pressures of battle. It additionally marks a novel second in historical past the place a short-lived firm made a long-lasting impression by a single, putting design.
And whereas its identify would possibly mislead the informal observer into linking it with trendy Savage Arms, the 2 corporations share solely a reputation. The Savage Navy revolver stands alone—distinct in origin, design, and repair.
The American Society of Arms Collectors has an in depth historical past of the Savage Revolving Firearms Firm that may be discovered right here.
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