The American Indian buried their Warriors on Scaffolds with their weapons and this is such a piece. It is fully loaded and ready to go into the Happy Hunting Ground with it's owner. Everything is frozen but the hammer still can be pulled slightly. The serial number on the trigger guard desinates this as a 1862 mfg.gun. It was U.S. issued as one grip still has a partial cartouche. The other grip is the one that was exposed to the elements and is very weathered.  It still has squire shanked tack shanks in it and the imprint of the tack heads.  In over 30 years I've only seen one other one of these and it went for over $12,000  in Julia's Auction about 8-10 years ago. 

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