Fort Sill Hospital Muster Roll, Signed By Major George W. Schofield 10th Cavalry -SOLD

Description

George Wheeler Schofield (1833 – 1882), was a  4 brevet colonel and brigadier generals commissions for meritorious service during campaigns in Georgia and Tennessee in January of 1865.  He was commissioned a 1st lieutenant in October of 1861 into the 1st Missouri Light Artillery,  Battery “A,”  He was discharged in early 1864 for promotion into the Field and Staff of the 2nd Missouri Light Artillery, as a LtCol.

After the Civil War Schofield received a major’s commission into the 10th U.S. Cavalry, one of two Black cavalry regiments in the army organized in 1866. For many years on the frontier, Schofield and the 10th fought against Cheyenne, Arapahos, Comanches, and later, after being promoted to Lt Col. with the 6th Cavalry fought Apaches at the Battle of Cubicu.  His last duty was was post commander at Fort Apache, Arizona.

Schofield is best known for the “Schofield revolver,” a Smith & Wesson Model 3 revolver that incorporated design improvement submitted by Major Schofield to the Ordnance Board of 1875. Improvements were made from the Russian model in .44 caliber, but to be made to fire standard .45 Colt ammunition already in use by the Army at that time. Once in the field, it was observed that the Colt ammunition worked fine in the Colts but not the Schofield revolvers, but the Schofield rounds were interchangeable with the Colts.  With so much .45 Long Colt ammunition in stock the, the Army dropped most of the Schofields from service.

Getting the Army Schofield approved by the Ordnance Board initially, may not have been too difficult, perhaps due to the fact that his older brother John M. Schofield was the head of the Ordnance board.

The Schofield revolver was a reliable handgun and was used by some units as late as the Spanish American War, and in the Philippine Insurrection.  Many of the S&W Model 3’s were used by the famous westerns such as Jesse James, John Wesley Harden, Theodore Roosevelt, Wyatt and Virgil Earp, Billy the Kid, and many more.

The large muster roll, shows pay for several hospital sewards, and matrons, along with a number of enlisted soldier in the 10th Cavalry, with remarks concerning them, and their signatures, most being signed with an “X.” Witnessed and signed by the post surgeon in charge, J. Morris Brown, Asst. Surgeon, USA.

The most interesting aspect of this document is the remarks made by Schofield himself, “Excellent in every particular. (The fact that the present hospital is principally canvass and shanties being token into consideration).”

A clean document, in very good -fine condition with some separating in some folds.