Originally formed by William Dickson, Owen Nelson and Lewis Sadler in 1861 was the Shakanoosa Arms Company. A contract was received to manufacture U.S. Model 1841 “Mississippi” pattern rifles for the state of Alabama. In the summer of 1862 the firm was relocated to Rome, Georgia. Operations had hardly begun, when the plant was destroyed by fire. The entire facility was completely destroyed, before any rifles were ever manufactured. The firms next move was to Adairsville, Georgia where rifles were manufactured to conform to the U.S. Model 1841 “Mississippi” pattern rifle. Rifles were manufactured in .58 caliber, with 33 inch barrels, with overall length of 48 inches. The lockplate forward of the hammer is stamped “DICKSON” over “NELSON & CO.” over CS. To the rear of the hammer “ALA” over “1864” which is stamped in two lines, vertically. In August of 1863, enemy activity necessitated still another move to Macon, Georgia and then again in February 1864 moved yet again to Dawson, Georgia. At this location, a virtually new type of rifle was manufactured, of vastly improved quality. Rifles were generally stocked of black walnut, furniture of brass with high copper content, often having reddish coloration. The brass trigger guard is of a two-piece construction. The barrels are either of a brown lacquered finish or finished in the bright. The rifled barrel is 33 inches in length with three broad lands and grooves, rifled in .58 caliber. The 1865 dated examples are designated as Type II Rifles and were reported to have delivered a one-and-one-half-ounce-bullet 600 hundred yards with great accuracy. Most rifles studied are dated 1865 and are products of the Dawson, Georgia factory. This example survives in a “near mint new” state of preservation.