General W. S. Rosecrans' Pistol

Image Courtesy Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield; WICR 30545

Although Rosecrans was leading troops in western Virginia in 1861 when General Price led troops to a Confederate Victory in Wilson's Creek, Missouri, Rosecrans may have visited the battle site while he was in charge of the Department of the Missouri in 1864.  Today the National Park Service maintains the Wilson's Creek Battlefield National Battlefield and its Museum in the Visitor's Center. 

Rosecrans' gun shown above is on display in their museum.
 

"This English Tranter .44 caliber revolver bears scroll engraving on both sides and a silver presentation butt cap engraved “Major General W. S. Rosecrans from O. H. Geoffrey, Rich Mountain, Fairfax Ferry, Gauley Bridge, Iuka, Corinth, Murfreesboro.”

The Tranter revolver was a double action cap and ball revolver invented around 1856 by English firearms designer William Tranter. It was originally produced in six calibers, with the .36, .44, and .50 calibers being the most popular. With the start of the Civil War, Tranter exported the revolvers to the Confederates through New Orleans."

One may visit the virtual museum at  http://www.civilwarvirtualmuseum.org


Many thanks to Deborah Wood, Curator for the National Park Service at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, for sending me the photos to use on this website. 

Other photos of the General are in Part 2 and Part 4 of this work..

General William S. Rosecrans' Gun
WICR 30545 in the collection of
Wilson's Creek National Battlefield.
Image courtesy of the National Park Service
 

Learn more about Wilson's Creek National Battlefield at http://www.nps.gov/wicr
 
Return to Part 4 Rosecrans Biography  

(06/07/2013)