After decades of sectional discontent, the Southern Confederacy braced itself for war. Following the election of Abraham Lincoln, South Carolina seceded from the Union, following by ten more states. On April 17th 1861 Virginia became the eight state to secede and join the Confederacy and Richmond became its Capital. In December of 1862 the Confederate government entered into a contract with the S.C. Robinson Arms Manufactory, to purchase all the breech loading carbines of the sharps pattern that the firm could produce. During early 1863, the factory was taken over by the Confederate Ordnance Department. It is thought that about 3500 carbines were thus manufactured through the spring of 1864. This featured example is one of the Confederate Government manufactured examples, surviving in remarkable original condition. This example CS Government manufactured Carbine is original in all regards, with its original "breech block"still intact. Due to hard field usage, many CS Sharps breech blocks had been replaced with Federal Sharps breech blocks. This is an outstanding example and worthy of the finest arms collection.  Serial number 2785