Pittsburghunter
50 Cal.
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- Apr 28, 2005
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In my 8th grade history book they showed a pic of a rifle that had one instead of a patch box. Was this really done?
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Coffee grinder
- Thread starter Pittsburghunter
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Hey Hunter
yea this was common in the American civil war (the second one). It was done on sharps rifles also. It is true the idea was to give one to each, troop or platton so that they could have fresh ground coffee. Best regards loyalist dawg :hatsoff:
yea this was common in the American civil war (the second one). It was done on sharps rifles also. It is true the idea was to give one to each, troop or platton so that they could have fresh ground coffee. Best regards loyalist dawg :hatsoff:
About the Sharps:
Flaydermans Guide (6th ed pp 170-171) says:
COFFEE-MILL SHARPS: A very famous and rare variation of Sharps carbines is the so-called "Coffee-Mill" model. Built into the buttstock is a unique grinding device (with a removable handle) and various slots for same. Recently discovered documentary evidence in the National Archives has shown that the device was actually intended for grinding coffee beans for cavalry troopers while on extended campaigns in the field. The device usually appears on New Model 1859 and 1963 carbines and is also known (and correct) on the model 1853. The device was designed and fitted to the carbines by a private New Jersey firm (McMurphy) for government trial purposes only. A very limited number of condemned carbines (those unfit for service issue) and selected at random from arsenal inventory were sent by the Ordnance Department from the St. Louis Arsenal in 1863 to McMurphy. The trials of the device were believed to have taken place (c.1863-1864) in New Jersey. No further documents have been uncovered to indicate Ordnance Department acceptance or rejection.
Extreme caution should be exercised in purchasing any example of this model as not a few spurious specimens have been made over the years and are in circulation:
Values Good $8500.. Fine $20,000. [These are 1994 prices].
Flaydermans Guide (6th ed pp 170-171) says:
COFFEE-MILL SHARPS: A very famous and rare variation of Sharps carbines is the so-called "Coffee-Mill" model. Built into the buttstock is a unique grinding device (with a removable handle) and various slots for same. Recently discovered documentary evidence in the National Archives has shown that the device was actually intended for grinding coffee beans for cavalry troopers while on extended campaigns in the field. The device usually appears on New Model 1859 and 1963 carbines and is also known (and correct) on the model 1853. The device was designed and fitted to the carbines by a private New Jersey firm (McMurphy) for government trial purposes only. A very limited number of condemned carbines (those unfit for service issue) and selected at random from arsenal inventory were sent by the Ordnance Department from the St. Louis Arsenal in 1863 to McMurphy. The trials of the device were believed to have taken place (c.1863-1864) in New Jersey. No further documents have been uncovered to indicate Ordnance Department acceptance or rejection.
Extreme caution should be exercised in purchasing any example of this model as not a few spurious specimens have been made over the years and are in circulation:
Values Good $8500.. Fine $20,000. [These are 1994 prices].
arcticap
54 Cal.
I saw a show on PBS several years ago about women in the Civil War and how some of the cooks dealt with the logistics of feeding the large marching Northern armies. They specifically mentioned how large amounts of coffee beans had to be smashed using rifle butts and just how strong of a brew they made. 
I could see it now! Cmon soldier, their shootn at us! Just a minute sir I am just finishing making up my cappuccino. :crackup:
I read some where that the idea for the grinder in the stock was to reduce damage to firearms. Troops were causing a great deal of damage to stocks in the field
mashing beans. This was most likly the result of some government study. If the war had of gone on much longer they would have had seat belts on wagons.
:redthumb:
redwing
mashing beans. This was most likly the result of some government study. If the war had of gone on much longer they would have had seat belts on wagons.
:redthumb:
redwing
Very few were made though back in the '70s numerous replicas were made by reenactors who bought aftermarkets and attached them to their gun. If you would like to see an authentic one, go to Springfield Armory National Historic Site in Springfield, Massachusetts. They've got one on display there.
I, um, take it these were not issued for LH use. Hey, soldier, how did your face get so messed up? Ground up by my rifle stock...
Regards,
Ivery
Regards,
Ivery
Some years back I remember reading an article that debated that the original intention of these was actually to grind coffee. If memory serves they were actually intended to grind corn for meal, food being a bigger necessity than coffee.
From all of my reading about the Civil War, I can say Coffee, to the Northern Troops was the mainstay of life.
Without food, there would of course be some grumbling but without Coffee, the grumbling was much more vocal and wide spread.
For instance in the book "Marching Thru Georgia" by F. Y. Hedley (Adjutant Thirty-Second Illinois Infantry) Copyright 1884, M.A.Donohue and Co. Publisher, many times he describes how the first order of business when the men stopped for more than 5 minutes was to make a little fire and brew some Coffee.
Without food, there would of course be some grumbling but without Coffee, the grumbling was much more vocal and wide spread.
For instance in the book "Marching Thru Georgia" by F. Y. Hedley (Adjutant Thirty-Second Illinois Infantry) Copyright 1884, M.A.Donohue and Co. Publisher, many times he describes how the first order of business when the men stopped for more than 5 minutes was to make a little fire and brew some Coffee.
