The Model 1859 McClellan saddle

The final recommendation of the selection board was to have the production saddles covered with rawhide instead of the impractical thin varnished leather. Changes from the M1857 saddle include small saddlebags, iron hardware, hooded bare-wood stirrups, as well as changes in related equipment, and a  three buckle bridle instead of the six (brass) buckle bridle of the 1857 equipments.  These changes occurred after the 1857 model contracts of August 1859 were modified by  Brevet Major Peter V. Hagner, commanding officer of Frankford Arsenal in November, 1859.   The first contracts were made with the following companies (350 sets contracted from each) were:  Lacey & Phillips, Knorr & Nece of Philadelphia; and Robert Hartley & Company of Pittsburgh.  

The adoption of the McClellan saddle in 1859 is useful in showing the role economics has played in the evolution of this piece of equipment. With the tremendous need for all kinds of military equipment in 1861, there started a huge acquisition program for these items, including horse equipment. Early contracted equipment tended to be hastily constructed, many times to the point that the defrauded government was stuck with unacceptable goods. This practice of shoddy workmanship was not to last throughout the duration of the war. After some delay in getting a grasp on the procurement and inspection process, there was an upheaval in the procurement process, initiated by the (Quartermasters Dept.). In fact, there also was a little known modification of the specifications for saddle construction that shows an improved and tightly controlled relationship between contractors and the government.  My documentation on this is still a little light, so I'll be developing this more at a later time.  The saddle in the image above is one of these improved late-war saddles, showing increased use of rivets, rigging dees with tabs (top of ring to keep it from rotating).

Still looking for total production numbers for this model saddle between 1861 and 1866 - but apparently was close to half a million.

I've never seen or heard of  "blued iron" hardware as called for in 1861 Ordnance Manual specifications - nearly all seems to have been jappaned. Jappaning is a type of heavy durable varnish coating similar to paint. 

The trees were all hand-made, and can show  variations in dimensions. They were held together with nails and iron rivets, although I've seen at least one that used cut nails everywhere. Stirrup loop attachment straps were also supposed to be attached with iron rivets. The cantle and pommel were each made from two pieces of ash, morticed with a dovetail joint running vertically through the centerline.  This could also be a straight morticed joint.

Early M1859 saddletree - different images and descriptions of key features of this saddle design

Late-war M1859 contractor saddletree - key features of the late-war saddletree design

1859 Cavalry Equipment Measurements Specifications - from 1861 Ordnance Manual