The Le Mat Revolver

The Le Mat Revolver

The Le Mat Revolver was the most famous foreign pistol in service during the Civil War. It was invented by a French-born New Orleans doctor in 1856. The 'cap and ball' weapon is unique in that it has two barrels. A cylinder which held nine .40 calibre rounds fired through the upper barrel and revolved around the lower .63 calibre barrel which held a charge of buck-shot. By merely flicking his thumb, the shooter could re-align the hammer to fall on the lower barrel which acted as a small shotgun -- deadly at close range. Dr (or sometimes colonel) Jean Alexander Francois Le Mat produced about 300 of his weapon in New Orleans prior to the outbreak of the war. The weapons were noted as reliable and became well liked, so when the war began, Le Mat moved to France to set up mass production for the Confederacy.

The French made (manufactured by G. Girard & Co) revolvers, however, were found to be of poor quality, whole lots the pistol were condemned as unserviceable by Southern buyers in Europe. Le Mat moved his production and contracted through Belgian and English companies. As many as 3,000 of the pistol eventually found their way to the South. The handgun came with either a 18 or 20-guage shot barrel and one version could be fitted with a full length barrel. The Le Mat was carried by such famous Southern Generals as P.G.T. Beauregard and J.E.B. Stuart.