POTD: Pettengill Army Revolver – The Civil War’s Failed Future
Sam.S 07.02.25
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! This Raymond & Robitaille Pettengill Army revolver represents one of the most radical experiments in Civil War firearms technology—and one of its most spectacular failures. C.S. Pettengill designed it in 1856, Edward Raymond and Charles Robitaille improved it in 1858. This .44 caliber revolver was the only hammerless, double-action-only service weapon of the Civil War era. What made the Pettengill revolutionary was its completely concealed internal hammer mechanism operated by a pepperbox-style double-action system. The hammer was L-shaped and operated entirely from within the frame, giving the revolver a low-profile appearance unlike any other Civil War sidearm. No external hammer meant faster draw times and no snagging on equipment—theoretically perfect for cavalry use.
The initial Army contract in January 1862 called for 5,000 revolvers at $20 each. When Rogers & Spencer delivered their first sample, the Ordnance Department found the double-action-only trigger unacceptable for military service. Worse, the revolver fouled quickly with black powder residue, completely locking up the internal mechanism with no external hammer to manually force the action to cycle. The contract got slashed to just 2,000 revolvers delivered in late 1862, basically to prevent Rogers & Spencer from going bankrupt after their massive tooling investment. These weapons went to several cavalry regiments including the 3rd Michigan and 3rd Missouri, but got yanked from service fast.
Soldiers hated them. The heavy double-action trigger was hard to control for accurate shooting. Black powder fouling jammed the internal mechanism solid. With external hammer revolvers, you could thumb-cock the hammer to clear a jam. With the Pettengill, you were holding an expensive club. Post-war, the government dumped surplus Pettengills at devastating losses—196 sold in 1876 for $1.75 each, and 525 more in 1882 for just 27 cents each. Technology ahead of its time, killed by black powder limitations and conservative military thinking that preferred proven single-action designs.
“Civil War Raymond & Robitaille Pettengill Army Revolver.” Rock Island Auction Company, https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/5012/56/civil-war-raymond-robitaille-pettengill-army-revolver. Accessed 23 June 2025.
