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While the Blakeslee box is often pictured in books on CW weapons, it was actually developed too late to see much use in the war; the first Army field trial was not until February, 1865 (the war effectively ended in April, 1865). Apparently most users of the Spencer carbine or rifle loaded them using cartridges carried in the pockets, or in leather pouches, one of which was provided by Spencer with each gun. The pouch held six paper-wrapped packages of seven rounds, or a total of 42 rounds. A leather cavalry cartridge box, holding 20 cartridges in a wooden block was also used.
There were actually three versions of the Blakeslee; the original held six tubes, the "cavalry" version (the one most often pictured) held 10, and the last held 13 tubes in a 4-5-4 arrangement. The idea was good, but the first delivery in October, 1864, was for only 500 of the six-tube model. Some 32,000 of the ten-tube model were delivered up to March, 1865, but of course too late to have any significant impact on the fighting. They were made by two contractors, Emerson Gaylord of Chicopee, MA (22,000) and H. Wilkinson of Springfield, MA (10,000). 1000 of the thirteen-tube model were delivered, all made by Gaylord.
Today, the six- and thirteen-tube are almost unknown and the ten-tube very rare. They were not very durable and most probably simply disintegrated in surplus storage. But some may still be around, possibly unrecognized in attics or old trunks.
(Credit for much of the above goes to Roy Marcot's Spencer Repeating Firearms, which I highly recommend for anyone interested in the Spencer.)
Jim
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