In the spring of 1862, Thomas Leech and Charles Rigdon began the manufacturing of revolvers for the Confederacy. The company, having relocated to Columbus, Mississippi, created revolvers on Samual Colt’s 1851 navy pattern. Approximately 350[i] of these revolvers were made in Mississippi before December of 1862. The company then moved from Columbus in January, 1863, due to pressure from the Union army. Beginning in early 1863, Leech and Rigdon manufactured revolvers in Greensboro, Georgia until the dissolution of their partnership in December, 1863. In total, just over 900 revolvers were made up until this dissolution.

This revolver, serial number 572, is among the last made under the original Confederate Government contract dated November 26, 1862.[ii] This timeline places this revolver’s manufacture, with its early pin and ball style rammer arm retainer, in the first months of 1863, at the Greensboro, Georgia factory.

The gun remains 100% original and totally complete, with very strong "LEECH & RIGDON” and "CSA” barrel markings. The gun’s serial number, 572, is found on the cylinder, arbor, frame, leg, trigger guard, wedge, butt strap, latch retainer, loading lever, and is penciled inside the grip. In addition, there is a cryptic ‘N’ stamped into both sides of the trigger guard. To find a better marked Leech & Rigdon revolver would be impossible.

The revolver retains large traces of blue in the less exposed areas. As can be seen by the extreme wear at the muzzle from riding against its holster, the gun was carried extensively, but clearly remains in the top 10% for condition and likely in the top 5% of all of the surviving examples.