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RINGGOLD WATERING BIT – RARE EARLY BIT IN VERY
NICE CONDITION - COMPLETE WITH ORIGINAL REINS –1844 –
1891: Never assigned a model or pattern year
designation by the army, the Ringgold Watering Bit was
designed by Major Sam Ringgold and adopted by the army
in 1844, which would prove to be the start of one of the
longest, if not the longest, use of a single piece of
equipment in its original form with no modifications in
the history of US Army equipment. While this bit was
examined repeatedly by the Ordnance Boards of 1847,
1851, 1872 and 1874, the members of each of these boards
found no reason to replace or redesign the bit, and it
remained in service until replaced by the Model 1885
Watering Bit in 1891. In spite of, or perhaps because
of, this long use through the years of the Mexican,
Civil and Indian Wars, and the thousands of these that
must have been produced during the Civil War years, the
Ringgold Bit has all but disappeared from the
collector’s market making it one of the more difficult
early bits to obtain, surviving in low numbers and many
of the extant specimens little more than relics
recovered from a battlefield or fort site. Like so many
other pieces of antebellum and Civil War equipment, the
large inventory of remaining stock after the War, and
the financial restraints of the post War years, dictated
that the equipment still in inventory be used and no
replacements were manufactured, which contributed to the
rarity of some of those items today – the Ringgold
Watering Bit included. I think it is worthy of
mentioning that in spite of having been provided access
to some of the more advanced public and private
collections of US Military horse equipment during our
research for The American Military Saddle, 1776-1945,
the Ringgold Watering Bit was one of the more difficult
bits to locate.
This specimen remains in its “as issued” configuration
with the complete chain and toggle fittings that
attached the bit to the halter, as well as the full
length, original reins sewn to the bit rings. While
showing evidence of issue and use, the metal surfaces
are all clear and smooth with no corrosion or pitting.
The leather reins are smooth and supple with no flaking
or crazing and as further evidence of the issue of this
set, one side of the reins, immediately above the
stitching, is stamped with a unit’s identification and
inventory information: “1 F1 35 38”, likely indicating
issue within Company F of the 1st Cavalry.
While not one of the more decorative or attractive bits
of the period, its durability and long service life are
strong testaments to the historical significance of the
Ringgold Watering Bit, and it was proven to be an
enduring memorial to Major Ringgold who was killed in
action during the Mexican War. This specimen has
survived in remarkable condition and would be
appropriate to display on the cantle pack of every US
Army saddle in use during the 19th Century
beginning with the Model 1841 Ringgold, the Model 1847
Grimsley Dragoon and Artillery Driver’s Saddles, and on
through the Models 1859 through 1885 McClellans. $895
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