Dance Brothers

Name	Street	Town	State	From	To
Dance Brothers		East Columbia	Texas	1862	1864
Dance Brothers		Anderson	Texas	1864	1865

Patent	Date	Remarks

Contract	for

Product
In 1858, the Dances, originally from North Carolina, settled in East Columbia and opened a gristmill and cotton gin business. The three brothers named the company J.H. Dance and Company. When the Civil War broke out they began assembling cannons, repairing wagons and milling cornmeal. However, the Confederacy was in constant need of firearms, so J.H., G.P., and D.E. Dance began producing percussion revolvers for the Confederate States of America in mid 1862. In 1863 or early 1864, production was moved to Anderson, Texas. After the war, the brothers returned to their gristmill and cotton gin business. The revolvers were inspired by the 1848 Colt Dragoon in .44 caliber and the 1851 Colt Navy in .36 caliber. They are six-shot, made of iron, with a brass trigger guard and a backstrap and had no recoil shield. The .44 model has an 8" barrel and is 4 pounds, 6 ounces. Some had iron back straps as brass was rare in Texas. The .36 model has a 7 1/2" barrel and weighs 2 pounds, 8 ounces. Originally, a production of 50 units per week was planned, but this was never realized. On October 1862 eleven revolvers were sent to the San Antonio Arsenal. The last known shipment of Dance revolvers was on April 18, 1865, when 25 revolvers were sent from Anderson to the Houston Depot of Supplies. Approximately production did not exceed 350 pistols. Most of these were in the "Army" (.44 caliber) size. A limited number of "Navy" (.36 caliber) were also manufactured. No. 51 of these Navy's belonged to Charles Hiss, Corporal in Company H of Brown's Texas Cavalry. Several Dance Brothers employees were members of the Browns' 35th Texas Cavalry. James Henry Dance was one of the officers. .36 cal., right side .44 cal., right side Other one in .44 caliber in best condition right side top side number on left side cylinder left side cylinder right side Nearly all are distinguished by the absence of a "recoil shield" on the frame behind the cylinders.

Product

In 1858, the Dances, originally from North Carolina, settled in East Columbia and opened a gristmill and cotton gin business. The three brothers named the company J.H. Dance and Company. When the Civil War broke out they began assembling cannons, repairing wagons and milling cornmeal. However, the Confederacy was in constant need of firearms, so J.H., G.P., and D.E. Dance began producing percussion revolvers for the Confederate States of America in mid 1862. In 1863 or early 1864, production was moved to Anderson, Texas. After the war, the brothers returned to their gristmill and cotton gin business.

The revolvers were inspired by the 1848 Colt Dragoon in .44 caliber and the 1851 Colt Navy in .36 caliber. They are six-shot, made of iron, with a brass trigger guard and a backstrap and had no recoil shield. The .44 model has an 8" barrel and is 4 pounds, 6 ounces. Some had iron back straps as brass was rare in Texas. The .36 model has a 7 1/2" barrel and weighs 2 pounds, 8 ounces. Originally, a production of 50 units per week was planned, but this was never realized. On October 1862 eleven revolvers were sent to the San Antonio Arsenal. The last known shipment of Dance revolvers was on April 18, 1865, when 25 revolvers were sent from Anderson to the Houston Depot of Supplies.

Approximately production did not exceed 350 pistols. Most of these were in the "Army" (.44 caliber) size. A limited number of "Navy" (.36 caliber) were also manufactured. No. 51 of these Navy's belonged to Charles Hiss, Corporal in Company H of Brown's Texas Cavalry. Several Dance Brothers employees were members of the Browns' 35th Texas Cavalry. James Henry Dance was one of the officers.

.36 cal., right side .44 cal., right side

Other one in .44 caliber in best condition
right side
top side
number on left side
cylinder left side
cylinder right side

Nearly all are distinguished by the absence of a "recoil shield" on the frame behind the cylinders.