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Bought another cap'n' ball

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lyman54

32 Cal.
Joined
Jan 20, 2013
Messages
131
Reaction score
42
Location
Kanata Ontario. Canada
Just bought another revolver. I've had 2 Pietta Remingtons and an 1851 Navy over the years and figured I'm done with these. Guess the bug was too strong, they're the only handgun that's really fun for me so I bought a J.H Dance and Brothers. May look a bit weird without any recoil shields but to me I'm thinking easy to cap. But they are a good looking revolver with a unique history. So back to buying some sheets of cork and punching out wads, least I still have the .44 mold. Besides the club here I'll go to the club in St. Albans Vermont a few times. Love that town. Being considered an antique no prior paperwork is needed to cross over. Just though I'd share, maybe some of you guys and gals have the same. Wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a fantastic 2020.
 
lyman54, Way to go, on your purchase and not just the run of the mill side arm. The March/April issue of "BACKWOODSMAN" magazine had an article on the Dance. Would that be the St.Albans Vermont that was temporarily in the hands of the Confederates? Have fun.
 
lyman54, Way to go, on your purchase and not just the run of the mill side arm. The March/April issue of "BACKWOODSMAN" magazine had an article on the Dance. Would that be the St.Albans Vermont that was temporarily in the hands of the Confederates? Have fun.
The very same yes. They escaped to Montreal where they were allowed to stay free and keep the loot. It very nearly caused a war with Britain. The money but not the Confederates was returned.
 
The very same yes. They escaped to Montreal where they were allowed to stay free and keep the loot. It very nearly caused a war with Britain. The money but not the Confederates was returned.

Do they celebrate that raid in any way? There was a movie about the St. Albans raid starring Van Heflin from the 1950's or 60's. It also starred a young Lee Marvin and Richard Boone. I don't remember the name but it seemed a very accurate account of the incident. Although much poetic license was used. I liked looking at the weapons. All center fire but most viewers would not know the difference. It has been on TCM a couple times.
 
There is a marker in the park about it, but I never heard of anything else. It's not far to the Canadian border by today's standards but must have been some ride with a posse on their heels. Montreal was a hotbed for Confederate spies. John Wilkes Booth was there and Jefferson Davis to name a couple of well known people. Old Montreal looks pretty much the same today, it's across from the harbor and that's how the agents came and went, not the bank robbers but spies. I can see why they picked St Albans but don't know if it was worth it. My father was born in Morrisville Vermont, not that far away.
 
Do they celebrate that raid in any way? There was a movie about the St. Albans raid starring Van Heflin from the 1950's or 60's. It also starred a young Lee Marvin and Richard Boone. I don't remember the name but it seemed a very accurate account of the incident. Although much poetic license was used. I liked looking at the weapons. All center fire but most viewers would not know the difference. It has been on TCM a couple times.
 
Curious about this man JH Dance. Did he partner up with his brothers or with a guy named Brothers? Either way He produced a good looking revolver.
 
Eutycus, The brothers were James H., David E., George P. and Isaac C. with their cousin Harrison Dance formed J.H.Dance & Brothers Company. East Columbia, Brazoria county, Texas. Info I have is they immigrated in 1853 from Alabama. Starting with a grist mill. Then later in 1861 a machine shop on the Brazos near Houston to manufacture revolvers for the Texas & CSA governments. The factory was sold to the CSA government in 1864.
 
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