Civil War Battle Damaged .69 cal. 1842 French Musket

Chickamauga dug, CS usage relic

 I purchased this battle damaged relic from Dalton, Ga. relic hunter/dealer Lawrence Christopher in the 70's. Reported as being found by a Union veteran after the war that picked it up off Snodgrass Hill at Chickamauga where the Union Army ran out of ammunition and began their retreat towards Chattanooga. Military records reveal the Confederacy imported a few of these and had the barrels rifled. Often favored by Confederate cavalrymen after shortening the barrel and packing it with a load of .69 cal. buck and ball.

 All metal parts on this butt stock are iron and have a thin protective layer of clear lacquer. The lockplate mainspring operates when I pull back the hammer. Trigger guard is loosely held in place by it's single screw but the screw holds firm. The butt plate is securely held in place by it's two screws but the plate itself is slightly loose. The wood stock displays advanced weathering but the wood is rock solid, solid enough that I can't find a single spot that my thumb nail can score it. Would look awesome inside a wall mounted shadow box display with other early battlefield pick-up relics like the old Civil War veterans use to put together and display in their early war museums.