R & W Aston marked Enfield... Confederate?

[GPM]

I just stumbled on a reference online that claimed an 1862 dated 3 band Enfield, with the stock marked R&W Aston behind the trigger guard was a Confederate purchased musket.
It claimed that the musket pictured on the site would be in an upcoming book on Confederate enfields. An 1863 purchase record of 3000 muskets from R&W is cited.
This is the first time I've heard of Aston having a Confederate association. Anyone else ever heard this?

[John Holland]

Can you provide a link to the site where you saw the information?

Thanks!

JDH

[GPM]

John, sent you a PM. I'm not sure it went through. e-mail me at gmyers14@charter.net

[John Holland]

GPM -

Yes, just got the PM. Been busy tending to some other BB issues.

I will contact you offline.

Thank you.

John Holland
Small Arms Committee

[GPM]

John, if you have PM'd me I never got it. Since you have seen the link do you think it would be OK to post it here?

[John Holland]

GPM -

Sorry about the lack of a reply to you. I have been trying to find some other references to the Aston, but without any success. You are more than welcome to post the link. Perhaps some of the others who see it here may be able to add to the information.

John

[GPM]

Thanks John, here is the link for anyone interested. It is the second enfield down, marked as sold.
http://www.rangercamprelics.com/civilwar.html

[John Gross]

Two questions need to answered on this "Confederate" Enfield, neither of which were (but should have been) addressed in the description.

Number 1, what is the source that states the Confederacy purchased 3,000 Enfields from R&W? And Number 2, how many total Enfields did R&W make /sell?

For example, if R&W made 50,000 Enfields, might this be one of the 47,000 that DID NOT go to the Confederacy?

I think the somewhat reasonable price reflected the fact that this particular specimen cannot be fully documented as "Confederate", but only as "possibly Confederate." A true, documented Confederate Enfield in the condition that one was in would have been twice the price.

John Gross

[John Holland]

Thank you, John. I agree.

JDH

[Enfield]

Agreed, John.

Just looking at the photos, and reading the description, I don't see anything at all to indicate this gun was any more Confederate than Federal. I have seen R&W Aston P53s with Federal markings, with Confederate markings, and with no marking to identify either side, like this one (the majority ... like the majority of P53s from any maker).

Geoff Walden

[Southron Sr.]

I was at the Shakertown, KY Skirmish in the late 1970's.

One Saturday afternoon a Skirmisher was going around the campground trying to sell an original P-53 Enfield with no luck.

Then one Skirmisher appeared and showed an interest in the arm. He examined the Enfield carefully and remarked:

"Why, if that Enfield had Confederate markings, I would pay you $1,000.00 in cash for it RIGHT NOW!

Replied the seller: "I will be back in 10 minutes and when I return, that Enfield will have authentic Confederate markings!"

[Timmeu]

Just to add another dimension. Many weapons were captured by both sides at different times in the war. I would make the assumption that many weapons were reissued if they were in good condition and were needed.