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Title:	CARBINE -  U.S. CARBINE MODEL 1896 KRAG-JORGENSEN .30-40 SN# 30023
Maker/Manufacturer:	KRAG-JORGENSEN
Date of Manufacture:	05/01/1895
Eminent Figure:
Catalog Number:	SPAR 1906
Measurements:	OL:104.7CM 41 1/4" BL: 55.8CM 22" 8 lbs.

Object Description:

U.S. CARBINE MODEL 1896 KRAG-JORGENSEN .30-40 SN# 30023
Manufactured by Springfield Armory, Springfield, Ma. in 1895 - Early production (1895 dated) Model 1896 Krag carbine with 5-round magazine feed. Has sight protector on barrel band. One piece walnut stock with straight handguard, held by one band. Forearm is approximately half the barrel length. Equipped with two sections of a cleaning rod plus an oiler in butt trap. Weapon weighs approximately 7.75 lbs. unloaded. Metal has 95% original bluing.

Markings:
Receiver: U.S./1895. SPRINGFIELD ARMORY. 30023.
Stock: No visible cartouche on stock.

1909 Catalog #3035 - "Carbine. U.S. Magazine Carbine. Cal..30. Mod. 1896. No. 30023. Band raised to protect rear sight in front."

Exhibit label: "M1896 Krag Carbine Variant - This is a very early pre-production model, dated 1895."

Springfield Republican, May 5, 1896 - "FACTS ABOUT THE NEW RIFLE - WHOLE ARMY NEARLY SUPPLIED. Interesting Information About the New Model, its Projectory and the Changes in the Armory Equipment - By the end of this week the plant at the United States armory will have completed the furnishing of the cavalry department with the new magazine rifle of the pattern of 1896. This will supply the entire army with these guns, as the cavalry were the last to be furnished. After the present contract for the army is completed the guns will be manufactured and stored until needed. As has already been described in The Republican, the 1896 model differs materially from former models, the principle change being in the sighting. Owing to the fact that the velocity of the smokeless powder, which is used, is seriously affected by atmospheric variations, it was necessary to adopt a sight allowing a fine adjustment of elevation. This was accomplished by substituting for the old form in which the sight was governed by catches and could be changed only for 100 yards elevation at a time, a screw adjustment, which allows the sight to be regulated for elevation as small as one yard at a time. The peek of the sight is also changed slightly from its semi-circular shape to prevent shadows form being thrown when aiming in the sunlight.
The butt plate of the new gun is strengthened and curved to prevent splitting, and contains a cap covering a hole in which a three-jointed ramrod is placed, or, for the carbine, a ramrod in two sections. This enables the stock to be made shorter, and the relative lengths of the stock and barrel go back to the proportion in the old .45-caliber gun. In order to prevent burning the hand in rapid-fire, the handguard is extended back an inch farther than in the old model, and the heads of the rivets are sunk into the wood. The extractor, when drawn to the rear, is held open in place by a catch, until a gentle blow releases it, thus enabling the gun to be loaded with the muzzle down. A safety lock also prevents the opening bolt from being thrown by accident, which is of especial service in the cavalry, where the gun is carried in a pouch at the right-hand side of the rider. In the new rifle also a special mechanism to prevent clogging with snow or ice and sand has been found by careful experiment to be unnecessary.
It is thought that the new model is in every respect far superior in structure and mechanism to any model before manufactured. The projectory of the gun was found on the ice at the Water-shop pond last winter, but has not before been made public. Under normal conditions of the atmosphere it highest point was found to be about 30 feet. The accuracy of the gun was tested, and the radius of the circle containing a group of shots fired from a fixed aim was found to be about 25 per cent less that the same radius with the old model. This means that the 1896 gun, which is a .30-caliber rifle, is 25 per cent more accurate than the former, which was a .45-caliber gun. On account of the lightness of the bullet the accuracy of the gun is affected by the wind from 15 to 20 per cent more than that of the old guns. In this connection it is interesting to note the comparison between these rif barrel about 3000 rounds, which the rifle manufactured at the armory works has been tested to over 18,000 rounds, and would probably serve for 25,000 rounds.
Several new machines for the manufacture of the guns have been added to the equipment of the plant during the past few days and more are expected during the week. The machines are increasing constantly the capacity of the various departments and should the appropriation for new equipment now before Congress be passed, it is probable that some of the machinery now on hand will be kept in reserve and the new and improved machines be substituted for it in actual use. The experimental gallery of the plant has also been arranged recently for the taking of velocities. The Gatling guns of the pattern of 1894 are at present being repaired and brought up to date."

Notes: "Knowing you are interested in the new carbine, or rather, in knowing how it works, I want to give you some further account of my experience with it. My troop belonged to the squadron which marched to Hot Springs and return, in September last.
I gave orders to the men that any carbine failing to work on account of dust should be brought to me for inspection before any attempt was made to clean it.
The march was about 214 miles in all. The road was very dusty. I have seen worse, but it was bad enough. Some of the men had protected the breech mechanism, but wrapping cloths about it, before putting the carbine in the scabbard - but the majority of them did not protect it in any way. I explained to them that I wanted to see what effect the dust would have, and that I wanted them to treat the carbine as usual, neither attempting to prevent dust getting in, nor to unduly expose the mechanism.
We used none of the shields which the Ord. Dept. Now issues. During the trip three carbines were brought to me, at different times, which would not work.
I found, in each case, that a little gentle moving of the bolt, and slapping the carbine with the open hand, so as to jar it, removed the dust, or released the mechanism so that it would work - and applying a little oil made it all right. It did not take more than twenty seconds, in either case, to have the carbine in good working order.
Also, each of the carbines failing, was perfectly dry - that is the bolt had not been slightly oiled before hand. I do not mean that they must be oiled each day. The requirement seems to be that the mechanism should not be allowed to become perfectly dry - a very little oil suffices.
The men, naturally perhaps, seemed to think that the oil would cause dust to adhere and increase the likelihood of failure - but I didn't find it so. The perfectly clean dry bolt appears to be the one that is soonest clogged by dust. This, of course, is not an exhaustive test, but it is a pointer - 3 carbines, failing to work for a space of 20 seconds, out of 50 in l11 days marching on dusty roads - that is the summary." - Captain E.A. Godwin, 8th Cavalry, November 10, 1897

"The longarm used by the Rough Riders and other U.S. cavalry troops in the Santiago Campaign was the .30 caliber Model 1896 Carbine. This arm was derived from the rifle submitted by two Norwegian, Capt. Ole Herman Joahannes Krag and Erik Jorgensen, to the U.S. magazine gun board of 1890. The Krag-Jorgensen pattern is characterized by a five-round, horizontal box magazine with with loading gate on the right side. One advantage of the Krag-design over the Mauser and most other arms submitted to the 1890 board is that it has a magazine cutoff that allows the arm to be used as a single-loader while retaining the magazine in reserve, in compliance with the infantry firing doctrine of the time. The Krag suffered in comparison with the competing Mauser design from the fact that there was no provision for clip-loading; cartridges were inserted into the magazine one at a time by hand from a so-called thimble cartridge belt. This was not considered a significant factor by the Uartment due to the aforementioned firing doctrine and the fact that a loaded round could be kept ready to fire in the chamber of the Krag while the magazine was being recharged....
Wood and Roosevelt had to put forth some effort to obtain the Krag carbine for the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry; this was the first-line cavalry weapon, and it had been in service only two years when the Spanish-American War broke out. All the carbines issued to the Rough Riders were new, unused weapons, even though many of them were manufactured in 1895. The mechanism of the Model 1896 Carbine had been improved in a number of respects over that of the Model 1892 Rifle, many of which were in the hands of regular infantry troops at Santiago." - Franklin B. Mallory

Norm Flayderman writes: "Variant Carbine. Known to collectors as the Model 1895 carbine and almost identical to the above except dated 1895 and 1896 on the receiver without the word MODEL. Made prior to the official adoption of the 'Model 1896.' Serial number range 25000 to 35000. Thumb safety smaller; trap in butt not cut for oiler; no fillet at junction of body and heel of extractor (rounded in the Model 1896 and square shaped in this early variant."

"The Model 1896 Carbine was approved May 23, 1895, but the first issue to troops occurred on March 10, 1896. By May of that year the entire cavalry was armed with the Model 1896 Carbine....Because the assembly of M1896 carbines started in 1895, early receivers of this model are marked 1895, for the year of manufacture." - William S. Brophy

"The Model 1896 carbine gave good service throughout the Spanish-American War and Philippine Insurrection; in fact, judging from the condition of surviving specimens, these carbines must have seen harder service than any other Krag model....Among other colorful users of this arm were the Indian Scouts at Ft. Huachuca, Ariz., who were issued magazine carbines in 1897.
In July, 1901, Springfield recommended that Model 1896 carbines be withdrawn from active service because the supply of spare stocks for them was exhausted. While it appears that no order was actually given for this turn-in (perhaps because the development of a new magazine rifle was well underway at this time), no more Model 1896 carbines were issued to regular units after 1901. They were subsequently used by militia units, prison guards (for example, at Fort Leavenworth, Kans., from 1901 to 1905), and a few were converted to Philippine Constabulary configuration. Nine thousand carbines were sold to the Rural Guard of Cuba in 1912." - Mallory & Olson

"John Hay, the US Ambassador in London wrote to Roosevelt: 'It has been a splendid little war; begun with the highest motives, carried on with magnificent intelligence and spirit, favoured by that fortune which loves the brave.' As such it survives in American history. For the historian of the art of warfare it has at least this distinction: that it was in almost all respects a classic example of how things should not be done. The senior officers had not even learnt the lessons of their own war." - McElwee

"The longarm used by the Rough Riders and other U.S. cavalry troops in the Santiago Campaign was the .30 caliber Model 1896 Carbine. This arm was derived from the rifle submitted by two Norwegians, Capt. Ole Herman Johannes Krag and Erik Jorgensen, to the U.S. magazine gun board of 1890. The Krag-Jorgensen pattern is characterized by a five-round, horizontal box magazine with loading gate on the right side. One advantage of the Krag design over the Mauser and most other arms submitted to the 1890 board is that it has a magazine cutoff that allows the arm to be use as a single-loader while retaining the magazine in reserve, in compliance with the infantry firing doctrine of the time. The Krag suffered in comparison with the competing Mauser design from the fact that there was no provision for clip-loading; cartridges were inserted into the magazine one at a time by hand from a so-called thimble cartridge belt. This was not considered a significant factor by tht due to the aforementioned firing doctrine and the fact that a loaded round could be kept ready to fire in the chamber of the Krag while the magazine was being recharged.
The principle arm used by the Spanish at Santiago was the clip-loaded Spanish Mauser Model 1893 rifle (others used in significant quantity were 11mm. Remington Rolling Blocks and 7.65mm Argentine Mausers). The .30/40 Krag as well as the 7mm Mauser used smokeless powder, but the muzzle velocity of the Mauser bullet was higher than that of the Krag (2300 ft. secs. vs. less than 2000).
As mentioned in Part I, Wood and Roosevelt had to put forth some effort to obtain the Krag carbine for the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry; this was the first-line cavalry weapon, and it had been in service only two years when the Spanish-American War broke out. All the carbines issued to the Rough Riders were new, unused weapons, even though many of them were manufactured in 1895. The mechanism of the Model 1896 Carbine had been improved in a number of respects over that of the Model 1892 Rifle, many of which were in the hands of regular infantry troops at Santiago.
Presumably most of the volunteer officers, like their regular counterparts, were armed only with the revolver. Teddy Roosevelt states in his book 'The Rough Riders' that he had taken with him a '(Model 1895) Winchester, which carried the government cartridge'; but owing to the shortage of Krag carbines at Tampa, he had given it to Bob Wrenn of Troop A. He states in the same book that during the battle at Las Guasimas, he picked up a Krag carbine from the field and fired it at the enemy, with unknown effect. Roosevelt did draw blood at the latter battle in the trenches atop San Juan Hill, shooting a Spanish soldier with his Colt .38 revolver.
A board of officers was convened at Montauk Point, Long Island, following the Santiago Campaign to review the performance of U.S. ordnance material. Although they found that the Krag rifle had performed generally well in battle, they made several recommendations that led initially to modification of the Krag and eventually to the development of the Springfield Model 1903 rifle.
The first of these recommendations concerned the rear sight; the Model 1896 and earlier Model 1892 sights used on the Krag had no provision for windage adjustment, and it was recommended that this be incorporated in the sight. Another recommendation was that the muzzle velocity of the service round be increased to make it competitive with Mauser-class cartridges. The most significant recommendations was that the service rifle be adapted to loading from some type of clip. The Rough Riders and others complained about the difficulty they experienced in loading the Krag while on the run; they also reported that hundreds of cartridges had been dropped and lost during the rush up San Juan Ridge.
One significant change in the U.S. magazine carbine that occurred following the Spanish-American War concerned the 'saddle ring' (i.e., sling ring). The use of the shoulder sling to carry the carbine when mounted had been virtually abandoned in favor of the carbine scabbard during the late 'trapdoor' period; a scabbard for the Krag carbine was developed in mid-1896. In late 1898, the Ordnance Dept. finally recognized that the swivel bar and ring was useless, so it was abandoned on subsequent (i.e., Model 1899) carbines; thus, the Model 1896 is the last in a long line of 'saddle ring carbines' in the U.S. cavalry service.
As noted in Part I, the Rough Riders were not given the opportunity to purchase their weapons before being disbanded at Montauk Point; several of them wrote to the Chief of Ordnance in later years to try to purchase the same carbine they had carried in Cuba, but none of these could be found. (It is perhaps indicative of the relative esteem with which the Rough Riders held their weapons that none tried to purchase his revolver; how times have changed!) The records of Springfield Armory show that 140 carbines had been reported by the Rough Riders ordnance officer to 1896 arms were given very hard service during the Spanish-American War and Philippine Insurrection, it is very difficult to find one in the condition favored by most collectors.
The accompanying table lists the Rough Rider carbine for which documentation is available. This information is not from Ordnance records, which contain very little serial number data for arms issued or sold before 1922; rather, it is from the company and regimental records of the 1st U.S.V. Cavalry, which are preserved at the National Archives under Record Group 94, Entry 116; the extant documentation only covers the arms of troops G (which was one of the first up San Juan Hill) and I (most of whom were left behind in Tampa). I was informed of the existence of this information by John Spangler of the Company of Military Historians and its location by Mike Musick of the Archive's Military Reference Branch. Mike has asked me to make it clear that they are not in a position to furnish information on any additional arms. Subsequent to my publication of this information in Springfield Research Newsletter of U.S. Martial Arms in 1983, there have been only a few requests for documentation on these weapons; so if can be concluded that their survival rate is very low. Hopefully, more will be recognized as a result of publication of this article.
KRAG CARBINES OF THE ROUGH RIDERS:
SERIAL TROOP NAME
26784 I William A. Fennell
27010 G James E. Adkins
27017 G Sgt. Jacob S. Mohler
27020 G Sgt. James Brown
27044 I Horton A. Bennett
27057 I Harry Peabody
27088 I Joseph H. Crockett
27138 I Walter Hickey
27266 I Harry B. King
27282 I Evan Evans
27283 I Edw. J. Spencer
27295 I Charles M. Armstrong
27375 I Franklin H. North
27453 G Farrier George V. Haefner
27471 I 1st Sgt. John B. Wylie
27508 G Jos. H. Beck
27543 I Cal Jopling
27586 G Sgt. Ed. Armstrong
27588 I Hyman Rafolowitz
27614 G Trumpeter Willis E. Somers
27626 I Wm. H. Tritz
27630 I Henry C. Davis
27635 G Edw. B. Arnold
27641 G Cpl. Luther L. Stewart
27669 I Henry J. Arendt
27652 G 1st Sgt. Fred P. Myers
27694 G Sgt. Raymond Morse
27701 I Louis Larson
27719 G Cpl. Columbus H. McCaa
27735 G Blacksmith Wm. S. Reid
27748 G Robert Brown
27755 I Wm. Cloud
27786 G Waggoner Thomas O'Neill
27825 I John H. Tait
27841 G Cpl. John McSparron
27886 I Wagoner Everett E. Holt
27892 G Alvin C. Ash
27903 G Wm. H. Brumley
27906 I Daniel J. Zigler
27931 G Cpl. Henry Kirch
27959 I Carl J. Schornhorst, Jr.
28004 G Grant Travis
28011 G Eustace E. Van Horn
28029 E Davic A. Hadden
28043 I Cpl. Hiram T. Brown
28051 G James C. Lyle
28059 I Percy A. Geiger
28070 I John H. Edmunds
28099 G Coid Camp
28125 G Albert Johnston
28127 G Sgt. Rolla A. Fullenweider
28135 G J. Knox Green
28148 I Howard G. Young
28160 G Michael H. Coyle
28204 G Clarence Wright
28213 G Saddler Frank A. Hill
28234 I Sgt. Wm. R. Reber
28244 I Michael Saville
28246 I Thomas C. Williams
28252 G Samuel J. McMullen
28253 G Anthony M. Welsh
28256 G Cpl. James D. Richie
28260 I Edward Pierce
28273 I Stewart R. Price
28289 G Samuel P. McCullogh
28308 I Wm. H. Jones
28314 G Wm. F. Cody
28315 G Charles M. Simmons
28317 I Joseph L. Bawcome
28323 I Frank C. Brito
28324 G Archibald Petty
28337 I John T. Torbett
28357 I Wm. W. O'Dell
28366 I Cpl. August Roediger
28368 I Morris J. Storms
28379 G Eugene A. Lutz
28380 I John McCoy
28390 G John Neish
28423 I Cpl. Abraham L. Bainter
28424 I Cpl. Wm. J. Nehmer
28450 I Cpl. Numa C. Freuger
28457 G Cpl. Nicholas A. Vyne
28458 G George Swan
28461 I Sgt. Percival Gassett
28484 I Wm. H. Bates
28489 I Thomas P. Dolan
28505 I John P. Rogers
28536 I Saddler Leo G. Rogers
28537 I Edwin H. Miller
28537 I Sgt. Schuyler C. Morgan
28588 G Henry Faupel
28610 G Henry A. King
28619 G Henry Hafner
28620 I Geo. Shafer
28626 I John Martin
28670 I Oliver McKinney
28670 G U.S. Grant Morgan
28699 I Lee Sennett
28700 I Wm. Cloud
28700 I Sgt. John V. Morrison
28702 G Sgt. Thomas F. Cavanaugh
28704 I Blksmith Chas. A. Nehmer
28705 G Cpt. Raleigh L. Miller
28706 G George Roland
28725 I Cpl. George M. Kerney
28729 I Farrier Hayes Donnelly
28730 G Trumpeter Edw. G. Piper
28733 I Michael Hogan
28751 G Oliver McKinney
28754 G Cpl. Frank Briggs
28776 H Unknown
28793 I Harry B. Wiley
28704 I Ernest H. Hermeiser
28795 I Cpl. George M. Kerney
28799 G John J. Beissel
28803 G Marion Camp
28819 G Winslow Clark
28819 G Frank M. Thompson
28821 G Antonio Larson
28851 G Charles W. Shannon
28859 I Sgt. James S. Cate
28876 I Cpl. Wm S. Sullivan
28879 G John Henderson
28885 G Robert C. Ragland
28889 G Louis B. Bishop
28895 G Wm. Radcliff
28896 G John Goodwin
28936 G Robt. W. Reid
28937 G Daniel Morgan
28942 I Jos. Brito
28955 G Richard Whittington
28976 G Louis Gevers
28980 G H.E. Williams
28982 G Frank P. Miller
28987 K Francis B. Crowninshield
28995 G Eugene Martin
35164 I Wm. H. Waffensmith
35741 G Robert G. Ragland
68013 G Arthur T. Anderson
68031 G Earl Stillson
68034 G George H. McCarthy
68035 G Wm. C. Andrews
68061 G Wm. D. Wood
68119 68123 G Elias M. Littleton
68140 G Malcolm D. Lincoln - "Krag carbine serial no. 68140 was issued to Private Malcolm D. Lincoln on 9 July 1898. Lincoln was 32 years old when he enlisted at Santa Fe, New Mexico, on 25 June 1898. Lincoln was born in Lucknow, India, but the Descriptive Book lists his place of birth as the 'W. Indies' and his service records lists Indian Territory, now Oklahoma. Lincoln's civilian occupation was as a 'cow man.' He was single at the time of enlistment. The Descriptive Book shows him as being 5'9" tall with blue eyes, light complexion and brown hair. Probably recruited in anticipation of a longer war, Lincoln joined too late to participate with his company in the Cuban campaign. The records showing his issue of arms and equipment is titled 'New Recruits.' Lincoln joined his company after its return to the States and was mustered out of service with the rest of the regiment on 15 September 1898. The records show that Lincoln was also issued 'Six Shooter' (Colt SAA revolver) serial number 50487." - Charles Pate, MAN AT ARMS, February, 2006.
68175 G Lyman F. Whithead
68267 G Archibald Petty
68276 G Louis B. Bishop
68298 I Cpl. Errickson M. Nichols
68316 I Max Reisig
68342 I Charles Raulett
68344 G Richard Whittington
68344 G Geo. H. Quigg
68352 G Sgt. Jacob S. Mohler
68398 I Cpl. Abraham L. Bainter
68401 G Henry G. Rayburn
68414 G Frank P. Healy
68496 G Eustace E. Van Horn
68499 G Antonio Larson
68631 G Frank P. Miller
68706 I George D. Alexis
68723 G Sherman Detweiler
68726 G Thomas W. Phipps
68743 G Walter D. Quinn
68754 G Fred Fornoff
68758 G Bert Kelley
74097 G Frank W. Chopetal
74178 G John S. Kline
74644 G Frank W. Cotton
74756 G Alfred J. Conover
74962 G Wm. C. Gibson
77086 I David R. Miller
77133 I Alfred C. Giller
77166 I John Reidy
77167 I Roy O. Wisenberg
77186 I Robert W. Denny
77194 I Roscoe E. Moore
77198 I Benj. F.T. Morris
77210 I Joseph F. Flynn
77217 I Geo. Thompson
77243 I Geo. M. Coe
77269 I Charles H. Brush
77355 I Henry K. Duke
77364 I Frank M. Clark
77370 I Albert C. Bassage
77375 I Frank Temple
77376 I Jacob H. Miller
77447 I John L. Twyman
77587 I Joseph R. Adkins
79499 I Oscar W. Groves
Unlike the Rough Rider's revolvers, whose serial numbers cover the entire martial range, their carbines fall into several fairly well defined ranges. If the numbers listed here comprise a valid sample, most of the Rough Rider carbines were from the lot manufactured in 1895 and completed in 1896; these (serial numbers in the 20,000 range) will all have the 1895 receiver marking. The two numbered 35164 and 35741 were manufactured in 1896 and would have the relatively rare '1896' receiver marking. Those in higher number ranges, from 1897 production, would have the 'Model 1896' marking. As I have noted in my serial number books and elsewhere, these arms were not issued in serial number order, so you cannot assume that a carbine number consecutive with one of the Rough Rider arms would also have been used by that illustrious unit. Perhaps some more data will turn up in the future, but this is all we have now." - Frank Mallory, MAN AT ARMS, July/August, 1989.

In 1987, Ralph Waldo Taylor died at the age of 105.
References:
Ball, Robert W.D. SPRINGFIELD ARMORY: SHOULDER WEAPONS 1795-1968. Antique Trader Book. Norfolk, Va. 1997.
Brophy, William S. THE KRAG RIFLE. 2nd Ed. The Gun Room Press. Highland Park, N.J. 1995.
Flayderman, Norm. FLAYDERMAN'S GUIDE TO ANTIQUE AMERICAN FIREARMS...AND THEIR VALUES. 6th Ed. DBI Books, Inc. Northbrook, Il. 1994.
Mallory, Franklin P. & Ludwig Olson. THE KRAG RIFLE STORY. Springfield Research Service. Silver Spring, Md. 1979.
Mallory, Franklin P. & Ludwig Olson. THE KRAG RIFLE STORY. 2nd Ed. Springfield Research Service. Silver Spring, Md. 2001.
McElwee, William. THE ART OF WAR: WATERLOO TO MONS. Indiana University Press. Bloomington, Ind. 1974.
Poyer, Joe. THE AMERICAN KRAG RIFLE AND CARBINE. North Cape Publications, Inc. Tustin, Ca. 2002.
Traxel, David. 1898: THE BIRTH OF THE AMERICAN CENTURY. Vintage Books. N.Y., N.Y. 1998.