Pres. Lincoln and the Spencer rifle

[jon_norstog]

It's kind of an old story, how Christopher Spencer took his rifle and a few boxes of shells to the White House to show it to the President, who then took the rifle, Spencer and acabinet member out to the Mall for some target practice. It happened 150 years ago yesterday, so the NY Times ran this article in its Civil War series

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com...th-mr-lincoln/

jn

[da gimp]

still worth re-reading, thanks jon.

[mannparks]

Great artical, but some were I seem to have read a similar story on the Henry repeater.

[jon_norstog]

Could be. In those days, you wanted to see the President you went to the White House, took a seat in the crowded waiting room and waited for him to show up. Spencer's visit was arranged apparently, so they knew he was bringing a firearm. Try THAT today!

jn

[dogtag]

And after firing the Spencer, he insisted that the Army adopt it.

[5MadFarmers]

Could be. In those days, you wanted to see the President you went to the White House, took a seat in the crowded waiting room and waited for him to show up. Spencer's visit was arranged apparently, so they knew he was bringing a firearm. Try THAT today!

jn

Not even in that age. James Gillespie Blaine. I cover it in the book....