Civil War style bayonet

[themick]

I picked this Civil War era bayonet up today through Craigslist. Not in the greatest of condition, but it is well marked. Under the US mark at the base of the blade are the letters WI . Does anyone know what they stand for? It is a 19 inch bayonet with a ring diameter of 7/8 " . Did all of these have locking rings? It's not on this one, and no sign it ever had one. Anyway, I'd love to hear what the WI might stand for.

 

Thanks,

Steve

[themick]

another pix

[SARGE]

Steve,

 

It looks like you have one of the Model 1816 variations. The markings under the US are the initials of the arms inspector. These T slot bayonets did not have a locking ring.

 

I hope this helps.

[101CH47]

That is probably a WL instead of WI. WL is listed as one of the known inspectors on page 44 in Reilly's American Socket Bayonets and Scabbards.

[themick]

First of all, THANKS to both Sarge and 101CH47. Your information was very useful. Armed with that, I was able to google Model 1816 bayonet and came up with great information - and mine conforms to all the characteristics of that model. I see that it was superceded by models 1835, 1842 and 1855. Would I be safe in assuming that with these newer models, the model 1816 wasn't much in use by the 1850s or so? Blades really aren't my thing, so I don't have the reference books for them.

 

Even though, as I stated above, blades "aren't my thing", if I actually have an item like that, the research is FUN!!! If this bayonet was actually made prior to 1835 when the new model came out, or even somewhat later, this will be the oldest piece of US militaria I've owned.

 

Once again Sarge and 101CH47, thanks much!!

 

Steve

[gunbarrel]

Congrats, Steve--that's very cool!

[VMI88]

Would I be safe in assuming that with these newer models, the model 1816 wasn't much in use by the 1850s or so?

Actually, the M1816 would have been one of the most common weapons in use at the beginning of the War Between the States. Most had been converted to percussion by this time, but some were still flintlocks. The state arsenals were full of these muskets and they were very common in both armies until imports and new production provided more modern rifle muskets.

 

Bill

[kabar44]

And in the latter stages of the Civil War, the 1816 style weapons were issued out to the militia. I've owned 3 originals ( down to one now) that were brought home by their Confederate owners who served in Col. Fletcher Archer's Battalion of Virginia ( Petersburg) militia who probably just went home as Petersburg fell. Additionally, I've dug many .69 roundballs from the area's of the famous battle of old men and boys.

[bayonetman]

Agreed, the Model 1816 saw a great deal of use, especially in the first two years in the east, and well beyond that in the west. It is reliably reported that Grant's soldiers exchanged a large number of smoothbore .69 caliber muskets for .577 Enfields after the fall of Vicksburg, and there are a number of reports of .69 muskets (some of which were undoubtedly Model 1842 as well as the converted Model 1816 muskets) at Gettysburg.

 

My Great Grandfather brought home a Model 1816 musket with the bayonet when he returned home in 1865. He had been part of the defenses of Washington (actually an Artilleryman). I still have the bayonet, the musket was "disassembled" while being used as a shotgun by my grandfather circa 1900 when he found the difference between black and smokeless powder. He was not seriously injured fortunately, but the musket was a mess, blew the lock plate assembly about 20 yards when the barrel let go.

[SKIPH]

Gary- That's an interesting family story. SKIP