This fine original Henry Lever Action Rifle was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Co. in July 1864. The rifle has the distinctive Henry brass receiver and buttplate with octagon barrel and integral 15-shot magazine. The barrel/magazine and bolt are blued, and the hammer, trigger and lever are color casehardened. The straight grain American walnut stock is oil finished. The barrel has the late style, square back, nickel-silver front sight blade and a dovetail mounted, folding leaf rear sight. The sight leaf has an elevator bar with rounded ends, elevator bar stop screw and 900 yard center notch. The second style receiver lacks the alternate rear sight dovetail found on Henry receivers up to about serial number 3000. The bottom of the receiver has the late, beveled, magazine follower cut, and the magazine has the large diameter brass follower. The crescent buttplate is the second style with sharp pointed heel introduced around serial number 5100 and late, small diameter, buttplate screws. The buttplate has a hinged brass trapdoor. The left side of the stock and barrel have a factory sling swivel and screw mounted loop for a sling hook. The hook loop is fitted with a ring. The sling swivel and hook loop were originally special order features but were standard by early 1864. The top of the barrel is roll stamped with the second style legend: "HENRY'S PATENT. OCT. 16, 1860/MANUFACT'D BY THE NEW HAVEN ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN, CT." in two lines. The second style legend, introduced in the late 3000 serial number range, is larger with all serif letters than the smaller, first style legend that used a combination of serif and block letters. The serial number is stamped: (1) on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the receiver, (2) on the lower left side of the receiver tang, (3) in the upper tang inlet of the stock, and (4) on the inside of the buttplate. All of the visible serial numbers match. The buttplate and tang screws are, correctly, not serial numbered. The small "H" sub-inspection mark of B. Tyler Henry is stamped on the lower tang behind the lever latch. Experts believe that most Henry rifles made prior to 1865 were privately purchased by individual federal soldiers who wanted the unprecedented firepower offered by the 15-shot Henry repeating rifle. The Henry rifle was especially popular with soldiers in Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky regiments. Many of these soldiers purchased Henry rifles from dealers in Louisville, Kentucky, and other mid-west cities in 1864 using re-enlistment bounties.