The Enigmatic Devisme Revolver
The Enigmatic Devisme Revolver
Cleverly designed and possessing style to spare, this French Devisme percussion revolver is one of the most unusual revolvers of the 19th century.
(Photography by Jill Marlow and Phil Schreier) March 11, 2021 By Garry James
Sometime in 1863, the commander of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, General Robert E. Lee, was presented a magnificent sword from an anonymous donor. This ivory-gripped masterpiece had an etched blade and elaborate gold-plated hilt crafted by one of Europe’s premier makers of fine firearms and blades: Parisian Louis-François Devisme. Used by its owner only for special occasions, the sword was eventually proffered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant by Lee during the surrender of his forces at Appomattox, Virginia, on April 9, 1865. Grant generously allowed the fine piece to be retained by its owner.
Pettengill: The Civil War’s Only Hammerless Revolver Ammoland Inc. Posted on
Pettengill revolver actions were easily gummed up by blackpowder residue. (Rock Island Auction Co)
U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Countless revolver variations found their way into the hands of soldiers, both North and South, during the Civil War. From the diminutive Smith & Wesson Model 1 to the heavy-handed LeMat and everything in between, they all looked very similar to one another.
That’s what makes the revolvers designed by Charles S. Pettengill so unique.
In an era dominated by single-action revolvers with external hammers, the New Haven-based inventor created a double-action revolver with an internal hammer. Sure, there were other double-action models available (like those patented by Starr in 1860), but none of the others were what we would today call “hammerless.”