Over 140 years ago, a dark cloud settled over America.
When it was obvious that debate and dialogue would not settle the
differences between the North and the South, a bloody and prolonged
contest erupted that divided the country – the War Between the States.
The Confederate citizen-soldiers were outnumbered,
outgunned, and short on resources – but long on honor and pride. Against
nearly insurmountable odds, they fought valiantly for four years. They
fought for the preservation of liberty. They fought for freedom. They
fought because they believed it was their duty to protect their homeland
and their way of life.
For four long years, our country became a battlefield.
Fighting raged in the city streets and small towns, across the rolling
hills of family farms and in the deepest parts of the wilderness. State
waged war against state, friend opposed friend and brother took up arms
against brother. By war’s end in 1865, the epic struggle had claimed the
lives of more Americans than any other war in history.
Today, all the brave Confederate soldiers and leaders are
gone. But history will never forget them. Their names have become part of
the American story. Their dedication to duty and the Confederacy is
legendary. They put their fortunes and their lives on the line to protect
the Southern way of life – and often paid the ultimate price.
To
honor the legacy of all the dedicated Confederate soldiers and leaders,
America Remembers is pleased to introduce "A Tribute to the Confederacy"
Spencer Carbine. For the Tribute, we selected the legendary Spencer
carbine, an engineering breakthrough in an era of single shot rifles, and
a respected and coveted weapon on both sides of the conflict. This
handsome working Spencer Carbine is decorated in elegant 24-karat gold and
nickel, and is officially authorized by the Sons of Confederate Veterans –
VA Division.
Issued in a strictly limited edition of only 300 Tributes,
this remarkable Tribute is available only from the United States Society
of Arms and Armour, the Antique Arms Division of America Remembers. Each
Tribute is a detailed working recreation of the Spencer carbine produced
by the old-world craftsmen of Armi Sport in caliber .56-50. Each Tribute
is elegantly decorated by craftsmen commissioned specifically for this
issue by America Remembers.
The Tribute features two milestone events from the Civil
War – Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg and the Last Meeting of Generals Lee
and Jackson captured in a combination of gleaming 24-karat gold and nickel
decoration with special blackened patinaed highlights. Only 300 Tribute
Carbines will ever be produced, and each Tribute will be individually
numbered from 001-300.
In 1896, in Richmond, Virginia, the Sons of Confederate
Veterans was formed. According to a magazine article: "Its aims, objects
and purposes are not to create or foster, in any manner any feeling
against the North, but to hand down to posterity the ‘story of the glory
of the men who wore the gray’." Today, more than 100 years later, the Sons
of Confederate Veterans continue to preserve the legacy of their
forefathers who so valiantly served during the War Between the States.
The War Between the States remains a fascinating era in
American history. "A Tribute to the Confederacy" Spencer Carbine is a
handsome memorial to the sacrifice and dedication of those who fought
bravely for the Confederate cause.
Perhaps General Stephen D. Lee said it best when he told
the Sons of Confederate Veterans, "To your strength will be given the
defense of the Confederate soldier’s good name, the guardianship of his
history, the emulation of his virtues, the perpetuation of those
principles he loved…" You can preserve the legacy of these American
heroes by reserving your exclusive Tribute today.
The right side highlights one of the most memorable
battles in the War Between the States, a historic charge known as "Longstreet’s
Assault," but often referred to today as "Pickett’s Charge." The charge
included 48 regiments and 2 battalions, and included units from Virginia,
North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida and Mississippi. When the men
in gray attacked the Federal forces on July 3, 1863, they marched into
immortality. During the battle, General Armistead and a handful of
soldiers actually broke the Federal line, climbing a low stone wall to
engage the Federal defenders in fierce, close-quarters fighting. The
Confederates were unable to widen the break in the Federal line, and were
turned back. This courageous assault is often referred to as the "high
water mark of the Confederacy," and this fateful battle represents a major
turning point in the war.
The left side of the receiver features a handsomely
detailed rendering of the last meeting between General Robert E. Lee and
General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson in Chancellorsville. Here the
preeminent Confederate military leaders meet on horseback, surrounded by
their loyal troops, prior to the Battle of Chancellorsville. The May 1863
conflict, while known as "Lee’s greatest victory," also marked the last
stand of the great "Stonewall" Jackson, a major loss for the Confederate
army.
Elegant gold scrollwork frames the images and adorns the
lock plate. The barrel band, lever, hammer, trigger, swivel sling,
buttplate, and tubular magazine are also polished and finished in lustrous
24-karat gold.
