The LeMat revolver is a unique and historically significant firearm that was invented by Dr. Jean Alexandre LeMat, a French physician and inventor, in the mid-19th century. The revolver was first produced in 1856, and quickly gained popularity among Confederate officers during the American Civil War.

The LeMat revolver was designed to be a combination of a revolver and a shotgun. It had a nine-shot cylinder that was chambered for .42 caliber pistol rounds, as well as a single barrel that could fire a .63 caliber shotgun slug. The shotgun barrel was located underneath the revolver barrel, and could be fired by flipping down a lever on the side of the gun.

The LeMat revolver was known for its durability and accuracy, as well as its ability to deliver devastating close-range firepower. Confederate soldiers in particular appreciated its usefulness in combat, as it allowed them to carry both a pistol and a shotgun in one convenient package.

Despite its popularity during the Civil War, the LeMat revolver was not a commercial success. Only about 2,900 were produced before production ceased in 1865. However, the revolver's impact on military history cannot be understated, and it remains an important piece of firearm history to this day.