New Approved Arms

Fall 2021

John Holland SmallArms Staff Officer Chairman, Small Arms Committee

The Small Arms Committee was recently made aware of two arms that they felt should be added to the N-SSA Approved Arms List for the convenience of those members who may want to use them. These two arms are the Pedersoli reproduction Remington 1863 Rifle, aka “Zouave”, and the Henry RepeatingArms Company reproduction of the Henry Model 1860 Rifle with an iron frame. By adding these arms to theApprovedArms List the membership can purchase them and begin using them without having to go through the individual arms approval process. After communicating with Pedersoli directly in Italy, and Dixie Gun Works in Tennessee, it quickly became apparent that getting a sample of the Pedersoli “Zouave” was no small feat! Very simply, there were none available in the entire country! As it turned out one of our own N-SSA members had one and was willing to lend it to the SAC to use to inspect and submit to the Board for a Production Approval. At the September 2021 Board meeting, the Board accepted the SAC’s recommendation that the Pedersoli Remington 1863 Rifle be given a ProductionApproval.

The next arm submitted for Production Approval was the Henry Repeating Arms Company’s reproduction of the Henry Model 1860 Rifle with an iron frame. Their brass frame version had already been given a Production Approval some years ago, but being made in iron requires another approval. Because of the difficulty of time required, and the cost involved with using FFL dealers, the SAC located a N-SSA member who was willing to let the SAC use his example for inspection purposes and submittal to the Board for approval. The sample lent to us had absolutely gorgeous case hardening colors on the frame and fancy grade wood for the stock! This arm was also presented to the Board at the September 2021 Board meeting.Again, the Board accepted the SAC’s recommendation that it be given ProductionApproval. This iron frame Henry Rifle is approved in both .44-40 and .45 Long Colt calibers.Although it is currently only available in .44-40 caliber, our understanding is that it will also be available in .45 LC sometime in the future. This is how the company originally presented their brass frame Henry Rifle, first in .44-40 and then later on it became available in .45 LC. This approach is a pre-emptive approval done in order to save future time and effort of not only the SAC, but also the Board of Directors.

Both arms will be added to the Approved Arms List and will be shown as having been submitted by the Small Arms Committee, rather than by an importer or manufacturer.

So, there you have it, two additional arms which you can purchase and take straight to the range!

May you all Winter well, and I’ll see you in the Spring!

John Holland Small Arms Committee

N-SSA Northwest Territory members again help “Save the Flags”

By: Bruce Miller Every year the unit commanders of the North-South Skirmish Association’s Northwest Territory (NWT) select a historically-based project and donate $1,000 to that cause. Past donations have gone to organizations like the Gettysburg Foundation, Civil War Trust and Detroit’s Historic Fort Wayne where many Michigan regiments were mustered into service. For the past several years the NWT selected the State of Michigan’s Save the Flags Project and donated for the preservation of a regiments flag based on N-SSA seniority. However, what happens when the first Confederate unit comes up for a donation? With his usual skill and perseverance, Dr. David Mandy located the original regimental color of the 15th Virginia Cavalry. The intrepid commander of the NWT unit hunted down the flag in the collection of Confederate standards housed in the American Civil War Museum in Richmond, Virginia. He contacted Chief Curator, Robert Hancock, and told him of the pending donation. Working together, they set a date for a visit by members of the N-SSA unit to view the original flag and to present their donation. On Friday, October 1, today’s 15th Virginia Cavalry made the trip to Richmond, met with Exhibit Curator Chris Graham, viewed the original flag and made the $1,000 NWT donation and even matched it with an additional $1,000.

Today’s 15th Virginia Cavalry mustered into the North-South Skirmish Association in 1958. The flag they carry is a reproduction created by David Mandy in 1994 using reference obtained from “Emblems of Southern Valor” by Joseph H. Crute, Jr. As you can see in the accompanying photos, the flags are virtually a perfect match. The dedication on the flag “The Princess Anne Cavalry” refers to Company C raised in Princess Anne County, Virginia. Virginia’s 15th Cavalry Regiment was formed in September 1862, by consolidating the 14th and 15th Battalions, Virginia Cavalry. The 14th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry was organized in May 1862, with four companies. It included three companies from the 5th Regiment Virginia Cavalry in the Provisional Confederate Army. The unit served under General Daniel at Malvern Hill, then was assigned to Robert Ransom›s Brigade. Major Edgar Burroughs was in command when it was consolidated. The 15th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry was also organized during the spring of 1862 with four companies. Attached to the Army of Northern Virginia, the unit served under J.E.B. Stuart. It was active in the Chancellorsville Campaign, Bristoe Station, Mine Run, The Wilderness and Cold Harbor. It moved to the Shenandoah Valley and on November 8, 1864, was absorbed by the 5th Virginia Cavalry, Consolidated.