Merrill carbine
Union cavalry breechloader designed by James H. Merrill.
The Merrill carbine was a single-shot, percussion breechloader created by James H. Merrill, a gunsmith and inventor from Baltimore, Maryland. During the U.S. Civil War, Merrill produced or modified several firearms under contracts with the Union government, and this carbine was one of them. It was primarily issued to Union cavalry units.
The weapon fired .54 caliber Minie balls using paper cartridges. To load it, the user lifted the top of the breech lever. It had a round barrel measuring 22 1/8 inches, held in place by a single barrel band. Known regiments that received the carbine included the 1st, 5th, and 18th New York; the 11th, 17th, and 18th Pennsylvania; the 1st New Jersey; the 7th Indiana; the 1st and 3rd Wisconsin; the 27th Kentucky; the 1st Delaware; and the 6th Michigan.
Two versions were produced. The First Type featured a brass patch box in the stock and a flat, knurled latch to secure the breech lever. The Second Type lacked the patch box and used a rounded, button-style latch instead.
Beyond the carbine, James H. Merrill produced or altered other firearms, including the Jenks-Merrill carbine, the Merrill rifle, and the Merrill, Latrobe, & Thomas carbine.
The Jenks-Merrill carbine was a modified firearm, also .54 caliber, single-shot, and percussion breechloading, with a 24 1/4-inch round barrel and two barrel bands. About 300 of these were altered for the U.S. Navy, incorporating the action from the Merrill carbine.
The Merrill rifle was manufactured between 1862 and 1865, with an estimated total of over 800 produced. It was a .54 caliber, single-shot, percussion breechloader with the same action as the carbine, but a 33-inch barrel, two barrel bands, and a lug for a bayonet. It also had a brass patch box like the First Type carbine. Serial numbers fell in the 5000–14000 range. Of these rifles, 770 were bought by the Union government during the Civil War, mostly issued to infantry regiments, with small numbers going to sharpshooters.
The Merrill, Latrobe, & Thomas carbine was designed by James Merrill and manufactured by Samuel Remington of E. Remington and Sons in 1855. It was a .58 caliber, single-shot breechloader with a 21-inch round barrel and a single barrel band. The U.S. Ordnance Department purchased 170 of these for trial use.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- United States
- Is Ranged
- yes
- Is Uk
- no
- Service
- 1863–1865
- Used By
- United States / Argentina (Limited)
- Wars
- American Civil War
- Designer
- James H. Merrill
- Design Date
- 1858
- Manufacturer
- Merrill & Thomas, Baltimore, MD
- Unit Cost
- $20 (1861)
- Number
- 14,500
- Part Length
- 24.5 in
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Merrill carbine was produced in two versions: the First Type and the Second Type. The First Type included a brass patch box in the stock and had the breech lever secured by a flat, knurled latch. The Second Type was produced without the patch box and had the breech lever secured with a rounded, button type latch. The carbine used .54 caliber Minie balls with paper cartridges, loaded by lifting the top of the breech lever.
Known regiments where the carbines were issued include the New York 1st, 5th, and 18th; Pennsylvania 11th, 17th, and 18th; New Jersey 1st; Indiana 7th; Wisconsin 1st and 3rd; Kentucky 27th; Delaware 1st; and Michigan 6th. James H. Merrill also produced or altered several other firearms, including the Jenks-Merrill carbine, the Merrill rifle, and the Merrill, Latrobe, & Thomas Carbine.
Reader's Guide
The Merrill carbine represents one of several breechloading designs adopted by the Union during the Civil War, reflecting the period's transition from muzzleloaders to more efficient breechloaders for cavalry use. Its issuance to multiple regiments across several states indicates a notable, though not universal, distribution among Union cavalry units. The two distinct production types—First Type with a brass patch box and flat knurled latch, and Second Type without the patch box and with a rounded button latch—show incremental design changes during manufacture. The carbine's action was also adapted for the Jenks-Merrill carbine modified for the U.S. Navy, and its mechanism was shared with the longer Merrill rifle, of which 770 were purchased by the Union government. The Merrill, Latrobe, & Thomas carbine, a separate design by Merrill manufactured by Samuel Remington, was purchased in small numbers for trial use. Together, these firearms illustrate James H. Merrill's contribution to Union small arms procurement and the broader experimentation with breechloading systems during the war.
Did You Know?
- The Merrill carbine was designed by Baltimore gunsmith James H. Merrill.
- It was a .54 caliber single-shot percussion breechloader using Minie balls with paper cartridges.
- The First Type had a brass patch box and a flat knurled latch; the Second Type omitted the patch box and used a rounded button latch.
- The carbine was issued to Union cavalry regiments from New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Delaware, and Michigan.
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