Product Details
* ENFIELD, ENGLAND
A RARE .704 PERCUSSION RIFLE, MODEL 'SERGEANT OF FOOT-GUARDS RIFLED MUSKET PATT. 1840', serial no. 122,
dated for 1840, with 32 15/16in. two-groove rifled barrel, applied blade fore-sight, provision for dove-tailed rear-sight (absent), knock-off breech with solid top-tang, borderline engraved back-action lock signed 'RL. MANUFACTORY ENFIELD' together with a 'VR' crown device and the date (cleaned, some pitting), walnut full-stock with exposed muzzle, brass furniture including large patchbox to the right hand side, heel-plate (marked as the 35th weapon of 'E' troop, 7th Dragoon Guards) and trigger-guard, iron saddle-bar fitted to left hand side, three barrel keys, brass nose-cap with provisions for a Hanoverian catch (absent) and correct iron under-barrel ramrod
Other Notes: Only 250 of these rare rifles were set up in 1840 with a further 50 being ordered specifically for use in the Cape in 1843 giving a total production of 300 pieces. All production was to end up in South Africa and these weapons saw action during the War of the Axe and at Gwanga Flats. Reference 'Buck Adam's Narrative', a reprint by The Van Riebeeck Society, Cape Town 1941 taken from 'The Narrative Of Private Buck Adams, 7th (Princess Royals) Dragoon Guards on the Eastern Frontier of the Cape of Good Hope, 1843-1848' and also British Military Firearms 1650-1850 by Howard L. Blackmore, pgs. 189-190 indicating numbers produced etc.
The 'War of the Axe', better known as the Seventh Xhosa War or Seventh Frontier War, of 1846-7 are now known as 'the Wars of Dispossession'. The Battle of Gwanga River (aka Gwanga Flats) was an action in this War, as was the Battle of Keikama River. The 7th Dragoon Guards were the only cavalry regiment of the British Army to serve in this war.
At Keikama River on 17th April 1846, the 7th DG were the front and rear guard of a 3-mile long baggage and ammunition column which was attacked for 6 hours before reinforcements arrived, causing the Xhosa to retreat. 52 of the 125 waggons were lost, including that carrying the regimental silver, which was never recovered.
At Gwanga River on the 8th June 1846, 2,000 Xhosa were surprised on the banks of the Gwanga River and attempted to escape across the flood-plain. The flat land was ideal for cavalry and a troop of Dragoon Guards led by Captain Sir Harry Darrell, together with the Cape Mounted Rifles, attacked. Some 400 Xhosa were killed. The 7th D.G. casualties were one dead and seven men wounded, plus two officers wounded, including Darrell himself. For the remainder of the war, the Regiment was used to round up Xhosa cattle and capture prisoners.
During the campaign, the 7th D.G. lost 2 officers and 29 other ranks killed and 30 wounded. Out of the original 309 men that came to the Cape, in addition to those who had died, 138 chose to leave the regiment and stayed in South Africa, leaving only 140 to embark on 13th April 1847, arriving back at Chatham on 7th June. They were awarded the South Africa Campaign Medal in 1854 and in 1882 the Regiment was awarded the battle honour 'SOUTH AFRICA 1846-47'.
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Estimate £1,500-2,500