During 2001 the Greensboro Historical Museum mounted an exhbition of the Confederate firearms collection of John M. and Isabelle F. Murphy. Among that collection were examples of weapons made by Bilharz, Hall, and Company of Chatham, Virginia.
In the photograph at right, the Bilharz, Hall weapons are among the display as follows:
Close-up photographs showing further detail are below.
This weapon was identified as “1. Bilharz, Hall & Co. Breech-Loading Carbine, Type I, Serial Number 60, showing ‘rising breech’ operation.”
“2. Bilharz, Hall & Co. Breech-Loading Carbine, Type II, Serial Number 70.
“3. Bilharz, Hall & Co. Muzzle-Loading Carbine, Serial Number 307, barrel marked ‘H.H.T., C.S.A.’”
“4. Bilharz, Hall & Co. Muzzle-Loading Carbine, Serial Number 61, barrel marked ‘C.S.A.’”
“5. Bilharz, Hall & Co. Muzzle-Loading Carbine, Serial Number 353, barrel marked ‘C.S.A.’, pewter nose cap.”
“6. Bilharz, Hall & Co. Muzzle-Loading Carbine, Serial Number 432, barrel marked ‘C.S.A.’ Unusual iron patch box on stock, pewter nose cap, ‘5th VA’ carved into stock on reverse side.”
On January 21, 2002, John V. Quarstein, Director of the Virginia War Museum in Newport News, delivered a lecture to the Pittsylvania Historical Society in Chatham on the subject of the “CSS Virginia: Mistress of Hampton Roads.” As a part of the lecture he displayed three pertinent firearms, one of which was connected to the Bilharz, Hall & Co. factory of Chatham.
From left to right: Richmond Musket, Richmond Musket with Bilharz stock, and Fayetteville rifled-musket.
From left to right: Richmond Musket with Bilharz stock, and Fayetteville rifled-musket.
This article is posted by Mitchells Publications and the Sims-Mitchell House as part of an effort to document the history of Pittsylvania County, Chatham, and Danville, Virginia.
Copyright © 2002–2005 Patricia B. Mitchell.