Reference # 405

Confederate States of America

Fayetteville Rifle Bayonet

Information about this bayonet

This bayonet was made at the Confederate Fayetteville Arsenal with the machinery captured at Harpers Ferry. Other than the hilt casting it is very similar to the US Model 1855 bayonet. The unique cast brass hilt is 123 mm long and has rows of feathers or scales on both sides of the grip. There is a forward swept round disk finial on the bottom of the guard and no finial on top of the muzzle ring. The press stud spring length is 40 mm in length and the press stud appears to be the same as those made by Harpers Ferry. There is a small steel rivet through the hilt and tang close behind the guard.

The feather/scale pattern is separated at the bottom of the hilt casting with what looks like a false tang.

The muzzle ring is flush to the hilt flat and the inside diameter is 22.2 millimeters.

The lug slot is chamfered on both sides leaving the stop end squared with no guide slot. This example is stamped with an inspector's proof of "L" on the hilt flat in front of the lug slot.

The curved blade is 554 mm long and has unstopped wide fullers. The blade is very similar to those found on the US Model 1855 Bayonets but the overall finish is not equal to those produced at Harpers Ferry. The ricassos are typically unmarked.

Almost identical bayonets

Information from other sources

Albert N. Hardin, The American Bayonet 1776/1964

The blade configuration of this arm matches exactly that of the M1855 rifle bayonet. There is sufficient reason to believe that the blades were some of those captured at Harpers Ferry Armory, for they they fit the M1855 rifle profile blade gauge perfectly. It is acknowledged that some are known to exist having a stud lead groove like the M1841 pattern.

The blade is 21.875 inches (556 mm) long, 1.0625 inches (27.0 mm) wide and .34375 inch (8.7 mm) thick.

The excellent all brass hilt is cast with an eagle's-feathered pattern as its grip design. The hilt is 4.8125 inches (122 mm) long. The guard is vertical on all surfaces, except that the terminating disk finial of the lower guard favors the forward edge. The bore is .875 inch (22.2 mm) in diameter. The lock-to-muzzle distance is 3.84375 inches (97.6 mm). The hilt is secured to the tang by a transverse steel pin just behind the guard. The hilt is marked only with a horizontal "L" just forward of the stud groove.

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Rollin Davis, US Sword Bayonets 1847 - 1865

With the capture of the U. S. Arsenal and Armory at Harpers Ferry, Va., on April 18, 1861, by Virginia Militia, the Confederacy shipped captured machinery to Fayetteville, N. C., where production began on the "Fayetteville Rifle", which was the Confederate model of the U.S. Rifle 1855. Production of sword bayonets at Fayetteville began in June 1861 and was discontinued in January 1864 by order of Adj. General Samuel Cooper. No production figures are available at this time.

Speculation and questions