U.S. Civil War Imported Pattern 1853 Socket Bayonet for the Enfield Rifle

Description

U.S. Civil War Imported Pattern 1853 Socket Bayonet for the Enfield Rifle
This is an original U.S. Civil War Imported Pattern 1853 Socket Bayonet manufactured for the P1853 Enfield rifled musket used during the Civil War. At the onset of the Civil War both the Union and Confederate governments were importing the P1853 rifled muskets from England. By the end of 1862, early part of 1863 the Springfield Armory was producing enough weapons that the Union no longer needed to import them. The Confederacy, however, did not have that luxury. Throughout the entire war the Confederates imported arms and accoutrements from England and elsewhere. This is one of the socket bayonets that was imported during the course of the war. The bayonet has an overall length of 20-3/4", with a blade length of 17-3/4". The blade still has a nice finish that is slowly aging to a steel gray patina. There are some spots of oxidation on the blade. The locking ring and tension screw are still in place and operate normally. The flat part of the blade near the socket is stamped with an arrow and WD below the arrow, then a Crown /E/12. The brown leather Scabbard and Bayonet Frog are in nice untouched condition. This bayonet could have been purchased by the Confederate government do to the brown leather scabbard and frog. This is a nice example of a P1853 Enfield bayonet that was certainly around and used during the Civil War.