SCARCE 2ND CAVALRY AINSWORTH INSPECTED COLT CAVALRY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.

SCARCE 2ND CAVALRY AINSWORTH INSPECTED COLT CAVALRY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. SN 4450. Cal. 45 Colt. Usual configurations with 7-1/2″ bbl, full front sight and script letter address. Left side of frame has 2-line patent dates and a small “U.S.”. Mounted with 1-pc walnut grip that has SN in back strap channel and the outline and partially legible “OWA” (Orville W. Ainsworth) cartouche on left side. Right side cartouche is completely worn away. There is a small “A” stamped on bottom left edge of grip along with the top of back strap, cyl, bbl & trigger guard. Ejector rod housing is first type with bull’s eye ejector rod head and has the unusual feature of having the SN stamped in the left gullet just below the slot. According to Colt Cavalry & Artillery Revolvers…A Continuing Study, Kopec & Fenn, p. 18 lists 29 Ainsworth inspected revolvers with numbered ejector tubes. Page 234 of this publication, in table II-III, shows that this revolver would have been part of Lot 4 of 1,000 such revolvers that were received at Springfield in Jan. 1874 and shipped from Springfield on Jan. 31, 1874 to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment. Table II-V also shows that this lot of 1,000 revolvers were shipped to the 2nd Cavalry. The 2nd Cavalry Regiment is an incredibly historic & famous unit that was organized in 1836 by Pres. Jackson as the 2nd Regiment of Dragoons. They fought in the Seminole Wars in Florida, then were transferred to Texas where they served on the frontier against marauding Indians and local bandits. They then fought throughout the Mexican-American War and returned to Texas and participated in the early Indian Wars. Then to bleeding Kansas and afterward on to Utah for the war there. In Aug. 1861 they were re-designated the 2nd Cavalry and were transferred to the Eastern Theater of the U.S. where they participated in most major engagements throughout the American Civil War. At the end of the Civil War the regiment was reassigned to the Rocky Mountain West being mostly stationed in Wyoming & Montana where they participated in numerous major engagements with the Plains Indians and untold numbers of minor skirmishes. Some of their major engagements were the Powder River War, which occurred between 1866-1868 between the Northern Cheyenne, Arapaho & Lakota Sioux and the Army. This 2-year war included the Federman Massacre and several other major & minor skirmishes. Another fight was the Kidder Massacre in June 1867 wherein 2nd Lt. Kidder & Indian Scout and 10 enlisted men were ordered to take dispatches from Gen. Sherman to Custer but when they arrived at the designated area Custer had already left. Thinking that Custer had moved south they departed in that direction and were ambushed and all killed by a party of Cheyenne & Sioux warriors. In March 1876, Montana Territory, the 2nd was part of Gen. Crook’s Big Horn Expedition and participated in the Battle of Powder River. On March 16th Gen. Crook ordered 300 men and their officers to attack a large Indian village encamped on the Powder River. The village consisted of about 105 lodges with about 600 Northern Cheyenne, of which 225 were warriors, with an immense pony herd. The soldiers attacked with a pistol charge through the village but the commander of the force, Col. Reynolds, failed to support them with the remainder of his command and most of the warriors escaped as did the women & children. Several troopers were killed and Col. Reynolds was court-martialed and found guilty of negligence for his actions at the battle and after the battle. On June 17, 1876, Gen. Crook was advancing along the South Fork of Rosebud Creek when they were attacked by a large force of Lakota Sioux & Cheyenne warriors. Three troops of 2nd Cavalry under Capt. Noyes advanced toward the Sioux, along with other units of the 3rd & 5th Cavalry and engaged the Indians in what became a 6-hour battle in which the Indians finally quit the field allowing Gen. Crook to declare victory. The American forces and their Indian scouts had suffered heavy casualties so Gen. Crook ordered a withdrawal to Goose Creek to the South where he waited for reinforcements & supplies which ultimately led to his failure to support Custer at the Little Big Horn. While a 2nd Cavalry Colt may not be so glamorous as one connected to the 7th Cavalry under Custer, there can be little doubt that the 2nd Cavalry revolvers saw as much or more service in the Indian Wars as did the 7th Cavalry revolvers. The 2nd Cavalry remained on the frontier right up to the Spanish-American War and participated in numerous other smaller battles & skirmishes that are known only to history. That one of these 2nd Cavalry revolvers has survived intact in serviceable orig condition is truly a miracle. CONDITION: Fine, all matching including bbl, ejector housing, cyl & grip. Bbl retains traces of blue in the most sheltered areas, stronger under ejector housing. Frame retains dark case colors in sheltered areas being mostly a dark patina. Cyl is also a smooth dark brown patina. Grip frame is a matching smooth brown patina with traces of blue in the most sheltered areas. Hammer retains strong case colors on both sides. Grip is sound with moderate edge wear and shows a wonderful dark hand worn patina. Hammer is not solid in safety notch, otherwise mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore with a very few small spots of pitting. 4-42638 JR50 (7,500-12,500)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2011

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2066	$8,050.00	SCARCE 2ND CAVALRY AINSWORTH INSPECTED COLT CAVALRY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. SN 4450. Cal. 45 Colt. Usual configurations with 7-1/2″ bbl, full front sight and script letter address. Left side of frame has 2-line patent dates and a small “U.S.”. Mounted with 1-pc walnut grip that has SN in back strap channel and the outline and partially legible “OWA” (Orville W. Ainsworth) cartouche on left side. Right side cartouche is completely worn away. There is a small “A” stamped on bottom left edge of grip along with the top of back strap, cyl, bbl & trigger guard. Ejector rod housing is first type with bull’s eye ejector rod head and has the unusual feature of having the SN stamped in the left gullet just below the slot. According to Colt Cavalry & Artillery Revolvers…A Continuing Study, Kopec & Fenn, p. 18 lists 29 Ainsworth inspected revolvers with numbered ejector tubes. Page 234 of this publication, in table II-III, shows that this revolver would have been part of Lot 4 of 1,000 such revolvers that were received at Springfield in Jan. 1874 and shipped from Springfield on Jan. 31, 1874 to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment. Table II-V also shows that this lot of 1,000 revolvers were shipped to the 2nd Cavalry. The 2nd Cavalry Regiment is an incredibly historic & famous unit that was organized in 1836 by Pres. Jackson as the 2nd Regiment of Dragoons. They fought in the Seminole Wars in Florida, then were transferred to Texas where they served on the frontier against marauding Indians and local bandits. They then fought throughout the Mexican-American War and returned to Texas and participated in the early Indian Wars. Then to bleeding Kansas and afterward on to Utah for the war there. In Aug. 1861 they were re-designated the 2nd Cavalry and were transferred to the Eastern Theater of the U.S. where they participated in most major engagements throughout the American Civil War. At the end of the Civil War the regiment was reassigned to the Rocky Mountain West being mostly stationed in Wyoming & Montana where they participated in numerous major engagements with the Plains Indians and untold numbers of minor skirmishes. Some of their major engagements were the Powder River War, which occurred between 1866-1868 between the Northern Cheyenne, Arapaho & Lakota Sioux and the Army. This 2-year war included the Federman Massacre and several other major & minor skirmishes. Another fight was the Kidder Massacre in June 1867 wherein 2nd Lt. Kidder & Indian Scout and 10 enlisted men were ordered to take dispatches from Gen. Sherman to Custer but when they arrived at the designated area Custer had already left. Thinking that Custer had moved south they departed in that direction and were ambushed and all killed by a party of Cheyenne & Sioux warriors. In March 1876, Montana Territory, the 2nd was part of Gen. Crook’s Big Horn Expedition and participated in the Battle of Powder River. On March 16th Gen. Crook ordered 300 men and their officers to attack a large Indian village encamped on the Powder River. The village consisted of about 105 lodges with about 600 Northern Cheyenne, of which 225 were warriors, with an immense pony herd. The soldiers attacked with a pistol charge through the village but the commander of the force, Col. Reynolds, failed to support them with the remainder of his command and most of the warriors escaped as did the women & children. Several troopers were killed and Col. Reynolds was court-martialed and found guilty of negligence for his actions at the battle and after the battle. On June 17, 1876, Gen. Crook was advancing along the South Fork of Rosebud Creek when they were attacked by a large force of Lakota Sioux & Cheyenne warriors. Three troops of 2nd Cavalry under Capt. Noyes advanced toward the Sioux, along with other units of the 3rd & 5th Cavalry and engaged the Indians in what became a 6-hour battle in which the Indians finally quit the field allowing Gen. Crook to declare victory. The American forces and their Indian scouts had suffered heavy casualties so Gen. Crook ordered a withdrawal to Goose Creek to the South where he waited for reinforcements & supplies which ultimately led to his failure to support Custer at the Little Big Horn. While a 2nd Cavalry Colt may not be so glamorous as one connected to the 7th Cavalry under Custer, there can be little doubt that the 2nd Cavalry revolvers saw as much or more service in the Indian Wars as did the 7th Cavalry revolvers. The 2nd Cavalry remained on the frontier right up to the Spanish-American War and participated in numerous other smaller battles & skirmishes that are known only to history. That one of these 2nd Cavalry revolvers has survived intact in serviceable orig condition is truly a miracle. CONDITION: Fine, all matching including bbl, ejector housing, cyl & grip. Bbl retains traces of blue in the most sheltered areas, stronger under ejector housing. Frame retains dark case colors in sheltered areas being mostly a dark patina. Cyl is also a smooth dark brown patina. Grip frame is a matching smooth brown patina with traces of blue in the most sheltered areas. Hammer retains strong case colors on both sides. Grip is sound with moderate edge wear and shows a wonderful dark hand worn patina. Hammer is not solid in safety notch, otherwise mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore with a very few small spots of pitting. 4-42638 JR50 (7,500-12,500) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2011 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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