If only this rifle musket could talk! It started life as a U.S. Model 1840 flintlock 69 caliber smoothbore musket. It appears that it must have been in a Southern arsenal at the start of the Civil War as it is altered to percussion using the Belgian cone in barrel method. However, the alteration is not up to U.S. arsenal standards as neither the ""bump"" in the barrel nor the cone placement are of US arsenal quality. In addition, at some point the barrel was shortened to approx. 29.25"" and the stock was shortened to one band. A wood ramrod replaces the original steel rod. The barrel has a smooth brown patina with roughness around the cone. The lock has the eagle over US at the center and SPRING/FIELD/1841 at the tail. It also has small almost unnoticeable CSA below the pan. This appears to be of the period. The lock and hammer have a smooth brown patina with the hammer nose having three ""blown out"" pieces. The triggerguard is brown with very light roughness. The US-marked buttplate has light pitting. The cut down stock has ""that look"". It has a crude nailed on brass plate repair at the upper wrist, cracks on the left flat, to the rear of the barrel tang, and in the buttplate area, and a missing chip at the front of the lock. The right side of the butt has the initials LAH crudely carved in it. The right side is better marked: T.J. WELSH/D CO Ist S C VOL. The First South Carolina participated in many battles including Second Manassas, Sharpsburg (Burnside Bridge), Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Wilderness, and Petersburg. According to the National Park Servicesite on Civil War soldiers Thomas J. Welch served as a corporal in Company D of the 1st South Carolina Infantry. Identified Confederate firearms are rarely seen, especially one used by an infantry corporal.