2020 September Premier, Volume I

The John Fox Collection
LOT 56
Historic and Well Documented Civil War New
Haven Arms Co. Henry Lever Action Rifle Inscribed
to Battle of Stones River Prisoner of War John Fox
of the 58th Indiana Infantry - Serial no. 2293, 44
Henry RF cal., 24 inch octagon bbl., blue finish, walnut
stock. Manufactured by the New Haven Arms Co. in
1863. The barrel is fitted with a German silver blade
front sight and a folding ladder rear sight graduated to
900 yards. The top of the receiver has an empty factory
cut sight dovetail. The top barrel flat is stamped with
the two-line Henry’s patent date/New Haven address
marking ahead of the rear sight and the serial number
at the breech. The brass buttplate has a trapdoor
(cleaning rod not included). The left side plate is
inscribed “John Fox/58th IND.” Matching serial numbers
are on the left side of the lower tang, all three tang
screws, stock inlet, both buttplate screws and buttplate.
This rifle is documented by serial number as inscribed
to John Fox in Wiley Sword’s “The Historic Henry Rifle”
on page 80. John Fox is listed on the National Park
Service Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database as
serving with the 58th Indiana Infantry Regiment, Co.
C, enlisted with the rank of private and mustered out
with the rank of corporal. Accompanying copies of Fox’s
military service records indicate he mustered in on
November 12, 1861 in the 58th Indiana Infantry, Co. C,
was captured by Confederate forces at Murfreesboro,
Tennessee, on December 31, 1862 (Battle of Stones
River), was a prisoner of war at a parole camp until
July 9, 1863 when he was restored to a combat role,
mustered out of service on January 1864 in order to
68
LISTED BY SERIAL NUMBER IN THE BOOK THE
HISTORIC HENRY RIFLE BY SWORD
THE BATTLE OF STONE RIVER
THE BATTLE OF SHILOH