Creation Date

Materials

Description

Smith & Wesson Model No. 2 Army revolver, serial number 28925, barrel and cylinder number 996. .32 caliber. Verified to be period accurate by Andy Ebling. Allegedly found after James-Younger raid. Steel, with a rosewood stock. Minor scratching. Engraving on the barrel reads “5 APRIL [unreadable] 5. JULY 1859 & [unreadable] 318 [unreadable] 6)”

Along with this object are two documents. The first is a document describing Smith & Wesson Model No.2 Army Revolver, accession 2024.46.01. Document reads: 

"SMITH & WESSON; SPRINGFIELD, MASS;

SERIAL NO. 28925 BARREL & CYLINDER NO. 996

MODEL NO.2 - OLD MODEL - PATTEN ON CYLINDER JULY 5, 1859

32 CALIBER, RIMFIRE CARTRIDGE

76,502 MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 1861 TO 1874

FRAME - SQUARE BUTT MADE OF STEEL, IRREGULAR SHAPE SIDEPLATE, SOLID STRAIGHT GUARD FOR SINGLE ACTION TRIGGER, FINISHED IN BLUE AND NICKLE'

BARREL- OCTAGON SHAPE WITH RIBBED TOP JOINTED TO FRAME WITH TOPSTRAP LATCHING THE FRAME AT TOP STRAP. RAMMER PIN EXTRACTOR, FRONT SIGHT DRIVVEN IN NO PINNED, MADE OF STEEL' FIVE AND SIX INCH LENGTHS, FINISHED IN BLUE NICKLE'

CYLINDER - PLAIN OUTSIDE DIAMETER, 6 CHAMBERS, SOLID RATCHET WITHOUT GAS RING'

HAMMER - STRAIGHT SIDE THUMB PIECE. SOLID RECTANGULAR SHAPED NOSE, HAND PIVOTED TO LEFT SIDE. LUG AT TOP TO OPERATE SPLIT SPRING STOP INSERTED IN TOP STRAP OF FRAME FULL COCK NOTCH ONLY.

STOCK - ROSEWOOD."

Writing in pencil reads “UN 10 B” and “36,000”. Document is folded, ripped in places, taped together, and yellowing.

Based on the font and the presence of whiteout on the document, it can be assumed that this document was typed between 1950 and 1985.

The second document (affidavit) describes what is known of the Smith & Wesson Revolver. Document reads:

            "Affidavit

                  of

Helen Lucille (Peterson) Egbert

     Hannibal, Missouri

This is what I know about the old gun (Smith & Wesson, serial number 28925, barrel and cylinder number 996). My dad, Christ Peterson said that a cousin of his found the gun on the streets of Northfield Minnesota after the Jesse James and Cole Younger gangs robbed the Bank of Northfield. It was properly  PROBABLY dropped by one of the men that was killed or it may have belonged to Jesse James himself. 

Christian P. Peterson                                                          Helen L. Egbert

Born 1874 Died 1940                                                          Helen L. Egbert

Buried in Osakis MN.                                                          Sept. 18, 1995

POB. New Mexico -                                                                    Date"

Related People and Organizations

Contact the Northfield Historical Society for more information