Both guns are recognized by its use of a kind of "proto double-action" with a second trigger underneath the first.

When this trigger is pulled it rotates the cylinder and cocks the hammer.

Designed in 1860 by Henry S. North and Edward Savage, production began in Middletown, Connecticut in 1861 and ended in 1862 with a total of 20,000 units produced.

The United States Navy also used the revolver in small numbers, but it was never widely adopted due to a lack of consistency and low quality production material/machines.

Even though the gun was offered to the soldiers when the war ended, only 17 units were reported being bought.