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Early Concealed Carry Before Permits (photo)
Many have speculated of the reason for the hand inside the coat pose of officers during Civil War photographs. Perhaps it was to render access to a concealed weapon. These, after all, were military officers.
Is that the bulge of a Smith & Wesson #1 under his left arm? It is about the right size. The number one was one of the first easily concealable cartridge pistols. It was first produced in 1857 and was in great demand by officers in the Civil War.
As a .22 short, we might not think of it as having much stopping power. But considering the extreme reliability and convenience of the cartridge compared to the percussion arms of the era, seven quick shots would have been very attractive.
Many speculations have been made about the classic hand in the jacket pose. Some speculate that it was meant to mimic Napoleon. Others proclaim that it kept the hand still, or that the man was keeping his hand on his wallet. Those seem unlikely, given that the pose has been said to be popular with Romans and their tunics. Considering what happened to Ceasar, a Roman tunic would be a handy place to hide a dagger.
So here is another speculation as to why Civil War soldiers are often seen with their hand in their jacket. They were keeping it close to a concealed weapon.
©2015 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.Link to Gun Watch
Source: http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2015/02/early-concealed-carry-before-permits.html
