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Colt "Fluck" Dragoon, Steptoe Disaster
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| Accession #: | 1469.1 |
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| Title: | Colt "Fluck" Dragoon, Steptoe Disaster |
| Object Type: | Revolver |
| Participants: | |
| Physical Description: | Percussion Cap and Ball, Six-chamber First Model Dragoon, .44 caliber; ferrous metal barrel with a brass grip frame with bullets in chamber. Square-back trigger guard indicates United States Cavalry contract although the brass grip frame appears to have been nickel-plated - a contract variance. Wood grip appears to be a later replacement. |
| Description: | The Battle at Steptoe in May 1858 can be described from two different perspectives: 1) as a victory for Northern Plateau tribes resisting the steady intrusion of non-Indian farmers, miners and militia into their homelands. The tribes fought to defend their land and their way of life after seeing earlier agreements ignored, promises broken and their rights disregarded. But victory at Steptoe was short-lived. The Army, led by Colonel George Wright, used its technologically advanced weapons to carry out a campaign aimed at making the Indians fully capitulate to U.S. demands or face extermination. 2) Following the Battle of Four Lakes in September 1858, U.S. Army Captain John Mullan wrote in his report that the Inland Northwest "was thrown open to settlement before any preparation was made for [settlers'] reception, before the Indian title was extinguished, and hence alone, in my judgment, the cause for most of our Indian troubles in this region.... A temporizing policy has been tried, and now the inaction of Congress and dire necessity compel us to drive, with powder and ball, our enemy before us." Mullan's views reflected the dominant assumption of his time: This land would be settled by Americans; Indians must adapt or perish. A local resident recovered this handgun soon after the Steptoe battle near Rosalia, Washington. Issued to Army troops before the battle, the gun was almost new and fully loaded when it was abandoned. |
| Category: | History |
| Subjects/Topics/Concepts: |
Firearms (Tools & Equipment), Military & Warfare (Military & Warfare)
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| Geographical Reference: | Steptoe (Washington->Whitman County); Rosalia (Washington->Whitman County) |
| Dimensions: |
Object H x W x L 5 1/2 x 2 x 14 1/4"
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| Materials/Techniques: |
wood (plant material) (Material)
brass (alloy) (Material)
metal (Material)
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| Marks/Inscription: |
Stamped with serial number "2238" Stamped with date, "1849" Barrel marked on top, "ADDRESS SAML COLT NEW YORK CITY," read with barrel pointing right - at variance with later models.
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| Related Exhibits: | |
| Credit Line: | Gift of Mrs. Mattie Anderson, 1952 |
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