Picked her up today after work and just got home after passing back through the cheddar curtain. Needed to wind down before going to bed, so I thought I'd share my new acquisition.
My uncle at first wanted $750. He came down to $650 before I even started talking price. But after some expert negotiating on my part I gave him $700 ;). He included a Spanish-American service badge with it, 1898 book on the Spanish-American War and an oiler (which I need to check out if it is proper for this gun).
The gun isn't exactly what I heard over the phone, but it is still in original military condition. The top line on the receiver reads "U.S." The second line reads "1894.       SPRINGFIELD ARMORY         
      21015". So this puts it into 1896. The cartouche also indicates 1896. The cleaning rod groove has the usual expertly installed filler piece and has the rounded bottom versus the squared off bottom. I believe everything is correct except for the sling. I'll post pictures as time allows. There are three sections of cleaning rods in the butt.
My uncle knew me as a young boy, not as an almost grown man at the age of 59. He doesn't know my dry sense of humor. So when I told him after the deal that all I needed to do now was to shorten the barrel and put a scope on it, well, that was a mean thing to do to a 84 year old man. Took a lot of explaining on my part to calm him down and that the gun wasn't going to be altered. Won't do that again. Sorry Uncle Gordon.