Interestingly “Sinclair Hamilton” marks seem to be confined to arms dated 1861 (1st Sinclair, Hamilton & Company Contract), 1862 (probably 3rd SHC contract) and a very few dated 1863 (end of 3rd or beginning of 4th contract). E. P____” is the best I can make out. Hill” had anything to do with the Civil War and were likely the sons or grandsons of the man who carried the musket. A government rifle will NOT carry the commercial marks of the London or Birmingham Gun Barrel Proof Houses with their usual marks and double 25 bore size marks. This is a very rare example of a Confederate-Purchased Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle with Caleb Huse inspection markings. Additional marks are present in the wood behind the triggerguard. The ramrods and the bayonets for these guns were also engraved with matching inventory numbers. The Enfield 1853 rifle-musket is highly sought after by black powder shooters and hunters, US Civil War re-enactors, and British Military firearms enthusiasts for its quality, accuracy, and reliability. No “Latham” with a first name staring with “O” served in the Confederate army that I can find, but three men with first initial “O” and the last name “Latham” served the Union. A-suffix guns represent about 19% of the recorded examples, while B-suffix guns represent about 7% of surviving examples that are recorded. The guns are inevitably dated 1863 or 1864 if they are Birmingham production, and the 1864 dated guns are scarce, … Heavy surface pitting is evident around the breech and bolster. This contract required the 30,000 Enfields to be delivered between October of 1861 and April of 1862. None of these remarks apply to commercial Enfields made for export or for the Volunteers or target shooters. Has original ramrod with thread end broken off. The P’53 went through four such changes before the Snyder breechloader was adopted in the late 1860s. The stock remains solid and complete, and shows no significant abuse. The stock bears the expected JS / (ANCHOR) inspection mark in the wood behind the triggerguard, along with a less legible (CROWN / B / S A / T mark, indicating that the maker was a member of the Birmingham Small Arms Trade. The protector is in very good condition and while a nice, original accessory; it is probably not original to the gun. It is complete with the exception of the elevating slide, which is missing. Not unlike most military equipment, changes were necessary almost from the first issuance of the rifle. The Confederate inventory number 5092 is neatly engraved on the tang. I believe that it was an S / 2, as found on the barrel and inside the lock of the musket. Here is a brief summary of the four distinctive models. The P53 Enfields capabilities were largely lost by the lack of marksmanship training by both the Union and Confederacy. The top edge of the lock plate bears the assembly mating mark, , and this mark is found throughout the musket, indicating that the major components (lock, stock and barrel) were all originally assembled together and belong together. This gun is an iconic piece of history, which was no doubt a witness to some of the most horrific moments in the American Civil War, and is just as Confederate as any Richmond made rifle musket, and at a much more reasonable price.