3014 IDENTIFIED CONFEDERATE AUSTRIAN RIFLE, WM. B.

Category Firearms & Military
Auction Currency USD
Start Price 2,000.00 USD
Estimated at 4,000.00 - 6,000.00 USD
MOSBY, 5TH MISS INFANTRY. Cal. 54. NSN. Rarely are finely carved Civil War long arms found in fine condition and this is as good as you will find for an Atlanta carried Austrian rifle, the workhorse of the Army of Tennessee. Standard configuration of a blockade run Austrian Lorenz rifle, 37" octagon to round barrel retained with three bands, fixed rear sight, brass tipped ramrod. Buttstock is professionally wartime carved on cheek peace "W. B. Mosby". There are only two WB Mosby's in Confederate service, a private in the 1st Virginia who was wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863 and captured July 4. Austrians were mostly used by Confederates in Western theater and the most likely candidate is William Blair Mosby from Natchez, Mississippi, who enlisted March 1, 1862 as 17 year old private in 4th battalion Louisiana infantry, was transferred to the 5th Mississippi infantry January 1st 1864 and would see action around Atlanta. Austrian rifles were numerous in the army of Tennessee during the Atlanta campaign. Mosby was wounded on July 15, 1864 by "gunshot wound, mini ball through inner edge biceps and triceps of left arm". He would rehabilitate at Okmulgee hospital in Macon GA and later furloughed home back to Natchez. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: copy of research materials including national archive service records. CONDITION: very good overall, complete and original, rear sight appears to be contemporary replacement made from folded and sculpted brass, mechanics are fine, rifled dirty bore. ANTIQUE. (01-24635/JS). $4,000-6,000.