Notes
This is likely a Colt Model 1851 Navy Revolver. This was Colt's second-most widely produced percussion revolver, with over 250,000 manufactured between 1851 and 1873. Its design improved upon that of its predecessor, the Paterson revolver, with the newer gun boasting a six-shot, single-action configuration capable of firing a .36 caliber lead ball or conical bullet. The revolver was popularized in the West during the Gold Rush, and served as the primary sidearm for Pony Express riders. The Colt Navy was also widely used among both Union and Confederate forces throughout the American Civil War, with soldiers valuing the weapon for its accuracy and reliability.
