*** Photos Added *** Anyone come across engravings like this?

[Ibgreen]

Memorial or presentation engraving.  Neat to find this under the grime!

[Two Flints]

Ibgreen,

I still have eye problems . . . I don't know about anyone else, but I don't see the engraving you are posting about . . . maybe a better photo would help (me) to see what you want me to see.

Two Flints

[Ibgreen]

Hello SSS,

Here is a better look at the engraving . . .




                                             (Pphotos Posted by Two Flints)

Ibgreen

[Snakeeater]

Do you know anyone with a infrared camera that can take pictures using a Wratten 89B filter? That should pull up the maximum detail of the engraved image. If all you have is conventional silver-halide firm, you might try a 25 ruby red filter in conjuction with a polarizer filter with Kodak Tri-X 100 ASA B&W film. The ruby red filter will help enhance contrast, while the polarizer will help reduce any oblique reflections in the metallic surface.

If you know how to use the Zone System, I suggest you meter using Pentax 1-degree spot meter at the darkest area with texture and then stop down three f-stops. If you can develop your own B&W film, you can also extend the film's development time another 30-secs or so, and rather than using acetic acid for the stop bath, just use plain tempered tap water for the stop bath to extend the development and develop up the mid-tones before pouring in the fixer. This should help pull more of the fine detail out of the image.

[Ibgreen]

Alright, I used a red light and can 100% say that the lower engraving says 5th Tenn Cav.  Anyone know anything about them?

[Snakeeater]

5th Tennessee Cavalry "U.S.A" or "C.S.A"? Unfortunately, that is the question to be resolved. Seems like the 5th TN CSA while under Wheeler's command (1864-65) may have liberated some Spencer carbines and used them judiciously, much to Kilpatrick's shagrin. The 5th TN Cav U.S.A. were apparently comprised of Union supporters, who mustered in 1862 and then campaigned within the state throughout the Union action in and around Nashville, then later during the Union occupation, acted as counter-guerrilla fighters.

http://bruceteague.tripod.com/id89.htm

http://www.tngenweb.org/civilwar/usacav/usa5cav.html

What would be interesting, and perhaps equally meaningful, would be to decipher what is inscribed in the scroll above? That inscription might assist in unraveling whether this "5th TENN CAV" was the U.S.A. or C.S.A. regiment. Especially if the inscription in the scroll were to say something like: "The Union Forever"!

[Ibgreen]

Indeed!  Being that it is a rifle and not a carbine I was surprised to see Cav in the engraving.  It would make since if it was a capture weapon would it not?

[Octagonal Barrel]

Maybe this is a futile suggestion, but have you tried a rubbing?

[Snakeeater]

Indeed!  Being that it is a rifle and not a carbine I was surprised to see Cav in the engraving.  It would make since if it was a capture weapon would it not?

Not at all. Actually, most of the units that carried the Spencer rifle were mounted units. My rifle (#8226) was carried by a cavalry unit (possibly the 8th Indiana Vol. Cav), and not simply slung over the trooper's shoulder. The rear sling swivel is twisted and distorted, such that when I inserted a carbine sling swivel thru the rear swivel, this was found to have most likely caused the distortion, such that even the marks in the wood corresponded to the length of the link and the position of the roller rubbing against the butt-stock. Of course, not all units carried the rifles in the same manner as they did the carbine, but if you have ever tried to mount-up with your carbine not properly slung over your right shoulder, you will more likely pass right over the saddle seat and fall head first to the ground because the carbine will block you from straddling the saddle seat. Been there, done that... so know not to do it again!

[Ibgreen]

I may have it figured out.  The top scroll ends in URN.  There was a Capt. Joseph Blackburn in the 5th Tenn. Cav.  I can also make out an H at the end of the first word.  This rifle still sports a 6 groove rifled barrel and no armory markings, only Spencer inspection marks.  Private purchase maybe?

[Snakeeater]

Try filling in the inscription using a soapstone crayon.

http://www.truevalue.com/mobileProduct/Hand-Power-Tools/Levels-Measuring-Marking-Tools/Crayons-Pencils-Soapstone-Markers/3-Pack-Flat-Soapstone-Refill/pc/5/c/68/sc/593/23793.uts

[Ibgreen]

Short bio on Blackburn.
http://www.mygenealogyhound.com/tennessee-biographies/tn-dekalb-county-biographies/j-h-blackburn-genealogy-dekalb-county-tennessee-dowelltown-tn.html

[Snakeeater]

Myers E. Brown II (2008) Images of America: Tennesse's Union Cavlarymen

http://books.google.com/books?id=TJ0An1SwywUC&lpg=PA40&ots=WKugoKEnWv&dq=Blackburn%2C%205th%20Tennessee%20cavalry&pg=PA40#v=onepage&q=Blackburn,%205th%20Tennessee%20cavalry&f=false

Post-war photo of William Brickle Stokes, Colonel of 5th Tennessee Cavalry (page 22; July 22, 1866 presentation cane, bottom of page 116). Post-war photo of Joseph Blackburn (bottom page 40).


James Alex Baggett (2009) Homegrown Yankees: Tennessee's Union Cavalry in the Civil War

http://books.google.com/books?id=SLKGm_tT61kC&lpg=PA92&ots=EjOdcFWS0j&dq=Blackburn%2C%205th%20Tennessee%20cavalry&pg=PA155#v=onepage&q=Blackburn,%205th%20Tennessee%20cavalry&f=false

Page 146: Now with Hughs gone, Stokes knew he must leave Sparta due to the lack of horses and forage. "Over one-half of [his command," he reported, were "dismounted, having worn out their horses by constant duty." He once again pled for new mounts and for "Spencer rifles," believing that with those guns, "no regiment in the rebel service" could defeat his regiment.


Brian Dallas McKnight (2011) Confederate Outlaw: Camp Ferguson and the Civil War in Appalachia

http://books.google.com/books?id=UKJw6K85owYC&lpg=PA139&ots=Ja0zGLr7j1&dq=Blackburn%2C%205th%20Tennessee%20cavalry&pg=PR4#v=onepage&q=Blackburn,%205th%20Tennessee%20cavalry&f=false

Raid by Blackburn mentioned (page 139)


Andrew Johnson (1986) The Papers of Andrew Johnson: 1864-1865

http://books.google.com/books?id=VVEmbjpS418C&lpg=PA441&ots=wVEWSZwVKV&dq=Blackburn%2C%205th%20Tennessee%20cavalry&pg=PA441#v=onepage&q=Blackburn,%205th%20Tennessee%20cavalry&f=false

Letter from Joseph H. Blackburn, Nashville, Jan. 28, 1865 (page 441-42)


Other sources:

Robert K. Cannon (1995) Volunteers for Union and Liberty: History of the 5th Tennessee Infantry, U. S. A., 1862-1865. Knoxville, TN: Bohemian Brigade Publishers.

Frederick H. Dyer (1908) "(Tennessee Volunteers) 5th Regiment Infantry." In A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, 1636-1647. Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co., 1908. Reprint, Dayton, OH: The Press of Morningside Bookshop, 1978.

Goodspeed Publishing Co. "Federal Military History." In History of Tennessee, Vol. 1, 477-512. Nashville, TN: The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1887. Reprint, Easley, SC: Southern Historical Press, 1979.

Hedgecock, W. E. "W. E. Hedgecock Civil War Diary Record: 'Diary Which I Kept While in the Army Against the Rebellion, 1861-1863'" Tennessee Ancestors 16 (August 2000): 99-114.

Lawson, Lewis A. "The Hammontrees Fight the Civil War: Letters from the Fifth East Tennessee Infantry." Lincoln Herald 78 (Fall 1976): 117-124. (Note: The Hammontree family lived in Morganton in Blount County, Tennessee. The letters printed in this article were written during the Atlanta Campaign. This regiment participated in the fighting at Potato Hill, Buzzard Roost, and Rasaca.) (Note: The Tennessee Adjutant General's Report contains the muster rolls of the 5th Tennessee Infantry Regiment, but no regimental history.)

Hutton, Thomas Smith. Diary. Diaries, Memoirs, Etc. TSLA. Nashville. (Note: The diary covers the period from 1 January 1865 to 2 August 1865. Hutton discusses troop movements in eastern Tennessee, and mentions guerrilla activity in Greeneville, Tennessee and house searches in Jefferson County.)

Nikazy, Eddie M. Forgotten Soldiers: History of the 4th Tennessee Infantry Regiment (U. S. A.), 1863-1865. Bowie, MD: Heritage Books, 1995.

Tennessee Adjutant General. "Fourth Regiment." In Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Tennessee, of the Military Forces of the State, from 1861 to 1866, 75-99. Nashville

Wetherbee, F. W. Reports, Correspondence and Miscellaneous Records Concerning the 5th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, U.S.A. (Montgomery, AL: F. W. Wetherbee), 1992.
ille, TN: S. C. Mercer, 1966.

Wetherbee, F. W. The 5th (1st Middle) Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, U.S.A. (Carrollton, MS: Pioneer Pub. Co.), 1992. ISBN 1-885480-39-3

[Ibgreen]

Thanks for the info Snakeeater!

[Ibgreen]

Check this out.  My Spencer's prior owner, beat up Gen. Joe Wheeler in Nashville Tenn!
http://www.nytimes.com/1865/09/03/news/the-blackburn-wheeler-difficulty.html

[Ibgreen]

I have made contact with a member of the Blackburn family that has some papers belonging to the late Col. Blackburn.  I will let you know if they find anything.

[Two Flints]

Excellent Ibgreen, please let us know if the family member has any useful information.

Two Flints

[Ibgreen]

Seems my fellow was convicted under dubious circumstances!