POTD: The Civil War Ugly Duckling – The Joslyn Revolver
Sam.S 05.11.21
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have a photo of the ugly duckling of the American Civil War, the Joslyn revolver. The Joslyn revolver was a five-shot .44 caliber revolver that is famous for being disliked, but also for being the only .44 caliber revolver adopted by the Navy (Navy revolvers were usually .36 and Army would be .44). These were used by the Ohio Cavalry at the battle of Shiloh and were reported to be basically useless and unreliable.
“The Joslyn revolver was patented prior to the Civil War and the US government purchased 3,000 of the guns in the beginning of the conflict. These guns didn’t get more orders though, after initial use by some Ohio Cavalry the guns were turned in and eventually sold as surplus after the war. Troops that used the guns considered them worthless. The Joslyn company also made a breechloading carbine during the Civil War, which did better than the revolver.
The unlucky troopers of the 6th Ohio Cavalry had the distinction of being issued both the Joslyn Revolver and the Gallagher Carbine. The former was withdrawn from service altogether and the latter was unfavorably compared by some troopers to a bar of iron.”
Back to an unusual Civil War firearm today, this time a revolver. [Photograph found in Photos, Cody Firearms Museum’s Facebook]. (2017, June 8). Retrieved May 8, 2021, from https://www.facebook.com/CodyFirearmsMuseum/photos/2291993524358147
