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The rest of the title is “A Novel of Perry County, Pa. 1754-1840” by Roy “Rocky” F. Chandler and was published in 1993.
As a caveat, I should first mention I knew the author a little through my much more extensive personal contact with his brother Marine Lt. Col. Norman Chandler. I also have to note I am no expert on Rifleman Tim Murphy.
This is NOT an attempt to write an Historic Account of the Rifleman Tim Murphy, who most folks remember as the one often thought to be the Rifleman who shot British General Simon Fraser at the Battle of Saratoga. The author states clearly that he attempted to build a believable tale of Tim Murphy from what was known at the time the book was published, to fill in the unknown chronology of Murphy.
The tale begins with Murphy’s parents attempting to go back and harvest their corn crop, after they had fled to a fort during Indian Raids. This because it was thought better to risk harvesting the corn and not starving during the winter. A Seneca warrior and his small band had the same thing in mind. When the Seneca attempted to just scare off Murphy’s family, Murphy’s Father went for his smoothbore with wet powder in his priming plan and a young brave killed him. Murphy’s Mother fled, leaving her daughter and baby son (Murphy) behind. The head of the Seneca band did not want anyone killed, as the Iroquois were still on good terms with the British. To cover the attack, they sent the girl to the far west and took Murphy northward toward Huron lands. There a French Trader and his Huron wife took him in along with the presents of three knives and the smoothbore Murphy’s Father had used.
Murphy comes to the attention of Sir William Johnson and Johnson decides to try to “civilize” Murphy, teach him English and Murphy could then be a translator for the Huron for Johnson. Sir William offers Murphy’s adopted Father to have a “NON ”“ historic” character John Carraway take him on a long hunting trek and teach Murphy English and more woods craft. Carraway was originally a Frenchman who got into trouble with dueling in France and had earlier fled that country. He learned excellent English and came to America originally as a Tutor/Teacher for upper crust boys. His past caught up with him so by the time he met Murphy, he had been a noted Rifleman who fought for the British and worked for Sir William Johnson on the frontier. Carraway taught Murphy to shoot a rifle and noted Murphy’s eyesight was remarkably good.
When captive English settlers are returned by the NA’s after the French and Indian War, Murphy is a young man and decides to try to find out about his original family. It is suggested he meet another famous frontiersman Rob Shatto (I think another Non-Historic character) and Shatto becomes a Mentor for Murphy and teaches him frontier skills that Murphy would have learned had he remained with his Huron family. Shatto’s friend has a double barrel swivel rifle and that was how Murphy came to know about them and eventually had one made for himself. Shatto helps Murphy find his Mother and her new family, one of whom was “Dancer” the daughter of her new husband by his first marriage. Murphy falls for her and decides he wants a life like Rob Shatto has.
Murphy seeks some rifle matches, with others on the frontier, to make some money and get his stake. He runs into an unpopular but pretty good rifle shot, who Murphy suckers into a pretty steep bet, that Murphy won. This gets Murphy’s reputation as rifleman going.
When the AWI breaks out, Murphy wants to join up, but Rob Shatto suggests he not sign up and take no pay or food, so that way Murphy can leave if/when he wants. Murphy goes to Boston and furthers his reputation by some long distance shooting of British Soldiers. It was there he met another noted Rifleman Shep Laird from the Carolina’s. (I may be confusing this, but I think Shep Laird might have been a real person, though he may also have been a fictional character.) Murphy and Shep work together as a team during this sniping. However, Murphy is not happy with the Army and goes home after the Siege of Boston.
Years later, Daniel Morgan finds out about Murphy, after Morgan is released from Prison in Canada and returns to Patriot Service. So Shep Laird is sent to get Murphy for the Saratoga Campaign. Before that Battle, Murphy finds out his old mentor Carraway is now a British Major working with NA’s in a special hit and run unit. Murphy takes the risky chance to find and meet with Carraway. However, when Carraway declares he would never shoot Murphy intentionally and vice versa, one of Carraway’s NA’s is enraged and killed Carraway in a cowardly fashion after the meeting broke up and took Carraway’s Rifle and other gear. Then the book describes how Murphy might have killed General Simon Fraser at Saratoga, if indeed Murphy was the one to do it. After the war is over, Murphy hunts down the coward who murdered Carraway and kills him.
The book ends in 1783, though in the title it says 1754-1840. The latter date is when the real Tim Murphy actually passed and was known as a great shot right up to his death.
At the time Roy/Rocky wrote the book, it was still pretty much generally believed that Tim Murphy used a Double Barreled Swivel Flintlock Rifle at Saratoga, though this has more recently pretty much been dispelled as too late of a rifle for the AWI. So Roy/Rocky weaves into the story how Tim became interested in this kind of Rifle Gun and was taken to a gunsmith who made them, to have one made for himself. Roy/Rocky served 20 years in the United States Army, during both WWII and Korea, and retired at the rank of Master Sergeant. So his combat experience enhances the book. He earned his college degree along the way and became a Teacher in Perry County, PA for his second career and his research into Perry County and Pennsylvania shows. Roy/Rocky’s knowledge of sniper gear and training also shows in the book. Some examples are:
1. When referring to knife fighting, Roy/Rocky refers to Carraway using a sword fighter’s stance and techniques, borrowed from sword fighting.
2. When discussing using the tomahawk, Roy/Rocky notes the NA’s used them like the earlier stone and wood tomahawks. He also notes throwing a tomahawk is all but useless in a fight, with the exception of the rare person who could actually throw it hard enough to bury the edge in a tree or enemy’s chest.
3. Where the book really shines IMO is in describing the long range shooting, with the exception of some of the distances claimed. Roy/Rocky mentions what good eyesight Murphy had and how he used what we would call good marksmanship techniques, though in a period way. Roy/Rocky mentions as how one of the two barrels of the Swivel Rifle would have been more accurate than the other, so Murphy uses the most accurate barrel for target shooting and long range work, while the other barrel is used as a quick second shot. Murphy never fires more than three rounds before cleaning the barrel when he does his long range shooting. Murphy and Shep Laird both talk about the effects of wind on long range shooting in a period manner. During some of Murphy’s early shooting at the time of the Siege of Boston, it mentions as how it took Murphy up to 6 shots to get the range and find an aiming point. Shep Laird jokes that Murphy was “aiming at the stars” for an aiming point at some of Murphy’s longest distance shots. Finally and what makes Murphy’s and Laird’s long range shooting/sniping the most effective was they worked as a two man team and one man “spotted” the shots of the other man and they even note that they would not always see where the shot landed. Though I personally don’t know of historic precedence for this two man shooter/spotter team work, it most likely comes from the author’s personal knowledge of sniping and incorporating that into the period.
Though this book is not quite up to Allan Eckert’s “Frontiersmen” Series standards, it was an enjoyable read. The only problem is this book sells for something like $ 60.00 or more on Amazon and I don’t believe it is worth that much. However, if one could find it in a library or on a library exchange program, it would be well worth reading as Historic Fiction.
Gus
As a caveat, I should first mention I knew the author a little through my much more extensive personal contact with his brother Marine Lt. Col. Norman Chandler. I also have to note I am no expert on Rifleman Tim Murphy.
This is NOT an attempt to write an Historic Account of the Rifleman Tim Murphy, who most folks remember as the one often thought to be the Rifleman who shot British General Simon Fraser at the Battle of Saratoga. The author states clearly that he attempted to build a believable tale of Tim Murphy from what was known at the time the book was published, to fill in the unknown chronology of Murphy.
The tale begins with Murphy’s parents attempting to go back and harvest their corn crop, after they had fled to a fort during Indian Raids. This because it was thought better to risk harvesting the corn and not starving during the winter. A Seneca warrior and his small band had the same thing in mind. When the Seneca attempted to just scare off Murphy’s family, Murphy’s Father went for his smoothbore with wet powder in his priming plan and a young brave killed him. Murphy’s Mother fled, leaving her daughter and baby son (Murphy) behind. The head of the Seneca band did not want anyone killed, as the Iroquois were still on good terms with the British. To cover the attack, they sent the girl to the far west and took Murphy northward toward Huron lands. There a French Trader and his Huron wife took him in along with the presents of three knives and the smoothbore Murphy’s Father had used.
Murphy comes to the attention of Sir William Johnson and Johnson decides to try to “civilize” Murphy, teach him English and Murphy could then be a translator for the Huron for Johnson. Sir William offers Murphy’s adopted Father to have a “NON ”“ historic” character John Carraway take him on a long hunting trek and teach Murphy English and more woods craft. Carraway was originally a Frenchman who got into trouble with dueling in France and had earlier fled that country. He learned excellent English and came to America originally as a Tutor/Teacher for upper crust boys. His past caught up with him so by the time he met Murphy, he had been a noted Rifleman who fought for the British and worked for Sir William Johnson on the frontier. Carraway taught Murphy to shoot a rifle and noted Murphy’s eyesight was remarkably good.
When captive English settlers are returned by the NA’s after the French and Indian War, Murphy is a young man and decides to try to find out about his original family. It is suggested he meet another famous frontiersman Rob Shatto (I think another Non-Historic character) and Shatto becomes a Mentor for Murphy and teaches him frontier skills that Murphy would have learned had he remained with his Huron family. Shatto’s friend has a double barrel swivel rifle and that was how Murphy came to know about them and eventually had one made for himself. Shatto helps Murphy find his Mother and her new family, one of whom was “Dancer” the daughter of her new husband by his first marriage. Murphy falls for her and decides he wants a life like Rob Shatto has.
Murphy seeks some rifle matches, with others on the frontier, to make some money and get his stake. He runs into an unpopular but pretty good rifle shot, who Murphy suckers into a pretty steep bet, that Murphy won. This gets Murphy’s reputation as rifleman going.
When the AWI breaks out, Murphy wants to join up, but Rob Shatto suggests he not sign up and take no pay or food, so that way Murphy can leave if/when he wants. Murphy goes to Boston and furthers his reputation by some long distance shooting of British Soldiers. It was there he met another noted Rifleman Shep Laird from the Carolina’s. (I may be confusing this, but I think Shep Laird might have been a real person, though he may also have been a fictional character.) Murphy and Shep work together as a team during this sniping. However, Murphy is not happy with the Army and goes home after the Siege of Boston.
Years later, Daniel Morgan finds out about Murphy, after Morgan is released from Prison in Canada and returns to Patriot Service. So Shep Laird is sent to get Murphy for the Saratoga Campaign. Before that Battle, Murphy finds out his old mentor Carraway is now a British Major working with NA’s in a special hit and run unit. Murphy takes the risky chance to find and meet with Carraway. However, when Carraway declares he would never shoot Murphy intentionally and vice versa, one of Carraway’s NA’s is enraged and killed Carraway in a cowardly fashion after the meeting broke up and took Carraway’s Rifle and other gear. Then the book describes how Murphy might have killed General Simon Fraser at Saratoga, if indeed Murphy was the one to do it. After the war is over, Murphy hunts down the coward who murdered Carraway and kills him.
The book ends in 1783, though in the title it says 1754-1840. The latter date is when the real Tim Murphy actually passed and was known as a great shot right up to his death.
At the time Roy/Rocky wrote the book, it was still pretty much generally believed that Tim Murphy used a Double Barreled Swivel Flintlock Rifle at Saratoga, though this has more recently pretty much been dispelled as too late of a rifle for the AWI. So Roy/Rocky weaves into the story how Tim became interested in this kind of Rifle Gun and was taken to a gunsmith who made them, to have one made for himself. Roy/Rocky served 20 years in the United States Army, during both WWII and Korea, and retired at the rank of Master Sergeant. So his combat experience enhances the book. He earned his college degree along the way and became a Teacher in Perry County, PA for his second career and his research into Perry County and Pennsylvania shows. Roy/Rocky’s knowledge of sniper gear and training also shows in the book. Some examples are:
1. When referring to knife fighting, Roy/Rocky refers to Carraway using a sword fighter’s stance and techniques, borrowed from sword fighting.
2. When discussing using the tomahawk, Roy/Rocky notes the NA’s used them like the earlier stone and wood tomahawks. He also notes throwing a tomahawk is all but useless in a fight, with the exception of the rare person who could actually throw it hard enough to bury the edge in a tree or enemy’s chest.
3. Where the book really shines IMO is in describing the long range shooting, with the exception of some of the distances claimed. Roy/Rocky mentions what good eyesight Murphy had and how he used what we would call good marksmanship techniques, though in a period way. Roy/Rocky mentions as how one of the two barrels of the Swivel Rifle would have been more accurate than the other, so Murphy uses the most accurate barrel for target shooting and long range work, while the other barrel is used as a quick second shot. Murphy never fires more than three rounds before cleaning the barrel when he does his long range shooting. Murphy and Shep Laird both talk about the effects of wind on long range shooting in a period manner. During some of Murphy’s early shooting at the time of the Siege of Boston, it mentions as how it took Murphy up to 6 shots to get the range and find an aiming point. Shep Laird jokes that Murphy was “aiming at the stars” for an aiming point at some of Murphy’s longest distance shots. Finally and what makes Murphy’s and Laird’s long range shooting/sniping the most effective was they worked as a two man team and one man “spotted” the shots of the other man and they even note that they would not always see where the shot landed. Though I personally don’t know of historic precedence for this two man shooter/spotter team work, it most likely comes from the author’s personal knowledge of sniping and incorporating that into the period.
Though this book is not quite up to Allan Eckert’s “Frontiersmen” Series standards, it was an enjoyable read. The only problem is this book sells for something like $ 60.00 or more on Amazon and I don’t believe it is worth that much. However, if one could find it in a library or on a library exchange program, it would be well worth reading as Historic Fiction.
Gus