Custer Carbine

So I wonder what it will sell for....

https://jamesdjulia.com/item/52694-1-397/

Andy

Frankly, its' priceless.

Surprise that either the NRA Museum or the USMA museum isn't bidding.

Poster child for why NOT to use Naval Jelly on a collectible firearm.

Very interesting... I love those old carbines (and the rifles as well). Back in 1997, one of my customers had a 1873 rifle that had supposedly never been fired. It was complete including matching bayonet. His great granddaddy had been a member of a drill team in Chicago around 1890 and the gun had no firing pin. I could have bought the gun for $700 but didn't have the money. I should have gone to the bank and borrowed it.

That's pretty interesting and a good write-up. The N*tive guy who had the gun did a smart thing, taking off that noisy saddle ring. Martin also served in the Nez Perce War and was lucky to survive. The Nimiipu had a habit of shooting the bugler first. I think I'll do some digging on the man since he also served in the Spanish American War.

jn

Giovanni Martino (John Martin) was still with the 7th Cavalry in 1877 (which had been reconstituted after the disaster at Greasy Grass) and saw some action in the final phases of the Nez Perce War. By that time many of the leaders and strongest warriors were dead; and (Nelson Miles) Sturgis, with forces including the 1st and the 7th, kind of shouldered Howard to the side so as to be in on the finish. (It was Miles who rolled in after a forced march and claimed the glory at Bear Paw)

Martin reenlisted in the 3rd Artillery Regiment and and was stationed out of Fort McHenry. He was in the 4th regular Artillery and in 1898 went with Battery D of that unit to Tampa. Batteries G and H went to Cuba but D apparently remained in Tampa until hostilities were over. Martin did serve in the occupation. His last hitch he was with the 90th Coastal Artillery at Fort McHenry, still a bugler. He was promoted to corporal (finally!) and was given a last-minute rank of master sergeant before he mustered out in 1904.

Meanwhile an Indian in Montana was probably using Martin's carbine to feed his family.

http://tapsbugler.com/john-martin/5/

jn

Almost forgot: Martin/Martino served with Garibaldi, first joining up when Garibaldi's "Thousand" marched from Palermo. Garibaldi's force passed through Salerno Province where Martino was originally from, on their way to depose the King of the Two Sicilies in Naples. Martino was with Garibaldi in the fighting against Austria in the northern provinces and then was with Italian forces that supported the French during the Franco-Prussian War.

His is by no means an unusual life story for a professional soldier in those days.

jn

Ironic that there were at least two veterans of fighting in Italy with Custer. Myles Keogh had also fought in one of the Papal armies, but I don't recall the specific details. He returned to the US in the early '60's and was at Gettysburg with Buford's cavalry.

Thanks 70. I didn't know that. I did look it up a bit and found that Keogh and martin/Martino, who were on opposite sides, were probably on the same field at the fight at Castelfidardo, and perhaps at the siege of Ancona. By then the Thousand were a pretty small part of the force, which was dominated by Sardinian troops of Victor Emmanuel. I wonder of the two men ever talked?

jn

I'm glad I said 'at least two' because while reading a book the other day, I was reminded of another fighter from Italy. Although he was a veteran of a prior period (he had run to the US prior to the start of the Civil War), Charles De Rudio was also an Italian and was even, apparently an aristocrat. In addition he had a particularly active resume including a time at Devil's Island. At the time of the Little Big Horn, he was officially a 1st Lieutenant with Company E, but apparently Custer wasn't particularly fond of him so transferred him from Company E to Company A thereby saving his life. He traded spots with Algernon Smith who became commander of Company E and died with Custer. De Rudio joined Company A as second in command and survived the fighting with Reno (another story as well). De Rudio wasn't especially liked by many of his fellow officers.

70, thanks for bringing that up. Those were the days when soldiering was a profession that could take you 'round the world.

jn