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Sale 52
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Lot 256
Jefferson Davis Endorses Remington & Co. For Rifle Manufacture. Correspondence between E[liphalet] Remington & Sons, Chief of Ordnance Col. H.K. Craig, and Jefferson Davis, who was Secretary of War. The first letter, 2 pages from E. Remington & Sons to Col Craig, is datelined Washington, February 26, 1854, and is secretarily penned and signed; the recto is silked. The arms manufacturer had devised a plan for applying the Maynard Primer, a roll cap priming system, to small arms and wanted to alter arms for the U.S. Government to fit that system. In part: "As we understand from the decisions on our recent applications, for a continuance of our contract for rifles that no more are to be made except at the National Armories. And as we are desirous of employing our work, tools and machinery, we would like to do any other work for your Department which may be required. Understanding that the 'Maynard primer' will be applied to a large number of arms, we have undertaken to devise a mode for applying it which we submit for examination. If our mode should be approved we would like to take an order for altering all the arms to which the 'Maynard primer' may be applied….charging no more than enough to pay us a fair profit--the rate for arms to be settled when the manner of making the alteration shall be decided….we think the manner in which we executed all our orders for your Department is such as has established for us a character for skill as workmen and fidelity as contractors….We may remark likewise that we were the first to introduce the successful manufacture of Steel Barrels for Carbines and Rifles…."
On March 13, 1854, Col. Craig refers the letter from Messrs. Remington to Secretary of War Jefferson Davis, acknowledging that the Remingtons had been the first to successfully use steel for the manufacture of rifle barrels and that they "have executed their contracts with this Department faithfully and satisfactorily, and they have had less work than the other private armories." Jefferson Davis pens a long autograph endorsement below Craig's referral., "If it should be found necessary to make further contracts for the manufacture of Rifles, it would in my opinion be advisable and proper to give the Messrs. Remington due credit for the advantages they have conferred. Jeffer. Davis, Sec. of War, 13th March 1854." Some fold toning and bureaucratic markings. Remington & Sons were one of the top firearms manufactureres during the 19th century, responsible for many important innovations within the arms industry. Col. Craig fought for the Union during the Civil War (he was breveted Brigadier General), and Jefferson Davis, of course, would become president of the Confederacy. An outstanding association.
Estimated Value $5,000 - 7,500.
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