Symmes, John Cleves

Name	Town	State	From	To
Symmes, J.C.	Worcester	Massachusetts	1857
Symmes, J.C.	Waterton Arsenal, Middlesex county	Massachusetts	1858
Symmes, J.C.	Berlin	Germany		1895

Patent	Date	Remarks
22,094	November 16, 1858	Breech-Loading Fire-Arm view patent
39,844	September 1863	Improvement in Gas-Checks for Breech-Loading Fire-Arms view patent

Contract	for
Ordnance Department, April 21, 1856	200 Symmes carbines at $ 40 each. Only 20 were delivered in 1857

Product
John Cleves (various spelling as Cleeves or Cleaves) Symmes, born in Kentucky, died March 16, 1895 at Berlin, Germany at age of 70. Inventor was Lt. John C. Symmes, Ordnance Department Symmes and stationed at Watertown Arsenal, Watertown, MA. Cadet at the U.S. Military Academy from July 1, 1843 to July 1, 1847, when he was graduated in the Army to Second Lieutenant, 4th Artillery. Served at the Military Academy as Asst. Professor of Geography, History and Ethics, August 30, 1847 to September 8, 1849, as Asst. Ordnance Officer at Watervliet Arsenal, N.Y., 1854-1853, in charge of the Armament of the forifications on the Rio Grande, Texas, 1853-1854, ass Asst. Ordnance Officer at Washington Arsenal, D.C., 1854- 1855, at the Military Academy, as Principal Asst. Professor of Geography, History and Ethics, September 28, 1856-ai58, 1858-1859 in command of Leavenworth Ordnance Depot, Kansas, from 1859 to 1860 on leave of absence in Europe. Upgraded to Captain on July 1, 1861 and unemployed since November 1, 1861. Retired on November 1, 1861 for incapacity resulting from diseaseand sxposure in the line of duty. (Civil War Library, Class of 1846) .54 caliber percussion, single shot carbine, backaction lock, 22" round barrel with pentagonal rifling, Maynard tape primer, marked LT.SYMMES PLAN, 20 of 200 ordered were delivered. The carbines were made by Bruce & Davis, Worcester in 1857.

Product

John Cleves (various spelling as Cleeves or Cleaves) Symmes, born in Kentucky, died March 16, 1895 at Berlin, Germany at age of 70.

Inventor was Lt. John C. Symmes, Ordnance Department Symmes and stationed at Watertown Arsenal, Watertown, MA.

Cadet at the U.S. Military Academy from July 1, 1843 to July 1, 1847, when he was graduated in the Army to Second Lieutenant, 4th Artillery. Served at the Military Academy as Asst. Professor of Geography, History and Ethics, August 30, 1847 to September 8, 1849, as Asst. Ordnance Officer at Watervliet Arsenal, N.Y., 1854-1853, in charge of the Armament of the forifications on the Rio Grande, Texas, 1853-1854, ass Asst. Ordnance Officer at Washington Arsenal, D.C., 1854- 1855, at the Military Academy, as Principal Asst. Professor of Geography, History and Ethics, September 28, 1856-ai58, 1858-1859 in command of Leavenworth Ordnance Depot, Kansas, from 1859 to 1860 on leave of absence in Europe. Upgraded to Captain on July 1, 1861 and unemployed since November 1, 1861. Retired on November 1, 1861 for incapacity resulting from diseaseand sxposure in the line of duty. (Civil War Library, Class of 1846)

.54 caliber percussion, single shot carbine, backaction lock, 22" round barrel with pentagonal rifling, Maynard tape primer, marked LT.SYMMES PLAN, 20 of 200 ordered were delivered. The carbines were made by Bruce & Davis, Worcester in 1857.