Colonial American militia musket: in progress

[dave_person]

Hi,
Well, she's a shooter. After getting some idea of powder charge and patch combination shooting at a dot on cardboard, I put up a real target and fiddled a little with the front sight. Every shot was from a bench at 50 yards. I used 90grs 2F powder, 0.020" patches lubed with ballistol and water, and 0.710" round balls. I also shot 3 rounds with loose ball and no patch. I did not adjust windage but filed down the front sight just a little and changed my point of aim from 6 o'clock hold to center. I won't do more because the sight picture may be different for the owner and how the stock fits him will differ from me. The irony is that the gun will rarely be used with live ammunition since the owner will use it mainly for re-enactments. I had to drill the vent hole out to 5/64" to assure reliable ignition because the barrel is very thick at the breech. It is very comfortable to shoot and holds well. It has considerably more drop in the heel than a Brown Bess so it is a much better shooter.

dave

 

[Artificer]

Wow. That heavier breech causes the front sight not to be needed as tall as I thought it would.

Good groups with a rather small ball size, though .710" was actually one of the most common ball sizes excavated, according to T.M. Hamilton. Wonder how much better it would shoot with a .735 ball?

As I'm sure you will include the target, maybe you will inspire the new owner to shoot it a bit?

Gus

 

[Wes/Tex]

Yeah, I 'oopsed' on that one...wrong pic after all! I was looking at another pic and got this one by mistake, but looking at it there does seem to be militia markings on the butt stock too! Cool!

 

[Wes/Tex]

It's a great picture of the target...you can see the projection as you filed the sight. A tighter ball patch may or may not tighten group size. Those big bores cam be very aggravating about that!

In his book "A Devil of a Whipping", bout the battle of Cowpens, Lawrence E. Babits relates of two shooting sessions he did with a .75 caliber Bess. I'm guessing a Pedersoli, though he did specify. He used .63 caliber balls to deliberately speed up loading and to get 6 shots per minute. Surprisingly, and firing from a standing position, he got 5 hits out of 6 shots on a man sized target at 75 yards. That's a hell of a lot of windage for a smooth bored musket but it worked. Go figure! :wink:

 

[Artificer]

Yeah, I 'oopsed' on that one...wrong pic after all! I was looking at another pic and got this one by mistake, but looking at it there does seem to be militia markings on the butt stock too! Cool!

Actually, I consider that link a fortuitous find and am keeping it in one of my files. Thank you!

May I use that link to start a new thread in the Smoothbore section?

Gus

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Thanks for looking and commenting!! I had a lot of fun with this one. Gus, the thimbles were cast in a way a local maker could do. I originally made a thimble from sheet brass, but it was really skinny, looked a bit funny because of its size and if I made it larger to look more appropriate, the rod rattled. I could have inserted a liner but decided to make barrel-shaped thimbles by casting than then drilling the holes exactly the size of the rod. Note that the forward thimble has a slight trumpet mouth. That was copied from an original colonial musket. With respect to the hole in the guard, keep in mind, if the gunsmith salvaged a guard from an old British, French, or Dutch musket, there would have been a hole already in the guard. That is the case here because the guard is supposed to come from an old British commercial musket. It is interesting though that colonial muskets often did not mount swivels. The bayonet socket is not tapered because the barrel has almost no taper near the muzzle. In fact, it has a tiny bit of flare that I suspect was not intentional and is just machining error. I bought slightly oversized tubing, cut it down the middle and pinched it on the barrel. The amount of metal removed by the hacksaw was just sufficient to close the tube on the barrel when the seam was pinched closed. I then welded the seam and then ground the tube walls thinner. The forward slot on the socket is very slightly tapered so it tightens on the lug when pressed home. To remove the bayonet, you have to tap the bend in the blade upward with your palm to release it.

Wes/Tex, thanks for the comments and the links. Fantastic examples and I added them to my photo library. I'll be building 2 more muskets in the next year, a 1759 marine and militia for me and a long land Bess for a client. By the way, do any of you know from which division did John Pitcairn's
marines come (Portsmouth, Plymouth, or Chatham)?

dave

 

[Artificer]

Hi Dave,

I did notice the trumpet shape of the forward Rammer Pipe, that was part of the reason I asked about them. Very interesting.

As far as the Division Major Pitcairn served in, I thought it was the Chatham division and it seems it was.

"In 1771, aged 48, he became a Major in the Chatham division."
http://www.americanrevolution.org/pitcairn.php

Gus

 

[Artificer]

"The forward slot on the socket is very slightly tapered so it tightens on the lug when pressed home. To remove the bayonet, you have to tap the bend in the blade upward with your palm to release it."

That is the way they are supposed to fit, but too many reenactor folks want a socket that can be put on and turned by just the pressure of a single finger. I fit my bayonet on my Bess like you did.

Sorry, I was referring to the outside of the socket looking like it was tapered down from the rear to the front. Maybe my eyes are deceiving me?

Gus

 

[dave_person]

Hi Gus,
Thanks for the information on Pitcairn. I am thinking of engraving "Chatham Dvn" on the butt plate of the marine musket. I am trying to make something that could have been carried by the marines at Lexington. The bayonet socket is not tapered on the outside. I really had fun making it and it looks better than in the photos. I poured through Neumann's "Battle Weapons...." to find examples.

dave

 

[Artificer]

Hi Dave,

I am afraid I didn't know how the British Marines marked their muskets, so had to look that up.

It seems there is only one surviving Marine/Militia Pattern musket that can be attributed to the Marines and it was marked in the following manner:

"With the Company and Weapon Number of "15/79" on the buttplate tang, its trigger guard is engraved "PLYMo DN" on the long tang of the triggerguard, indicating its onetime possession by the Plymouth Division of Marines."

I typed the "PLYMo DN" exactly as it was written in "The Brown Bess" by Goldstein and Mowbray.

Gus

 

[Wes/Tex]

Hi Dave,
As far as the Division Major Pitcairn served in, I thought it was the Chatham division and it seems it was.

"In 1771, aged 48, he became a Major in the Chatham division."

Gus

Was able to confirm that Pitcairn was permanently attached to the Chatham Division in the early 1760's when his family moved from Edinburgh to Kent, although the Marines he led April 19th were from all the Royal Navy shipping at Boston and they were technically from all three divisions depending on the ship's home port.

 

[dave_person]

Thanks Wes/Tex and Gus,
I think you are right that Pitcairn commanded a mix of soldiers from all 3 divisions. I checked David Hackett Fisher's "Paul Revere's Ride" , which is possibly the best account of events surrounding Lexington and Concord, and I may have to rethink things. Marines were part of the march on Concord but the advanced unit consisted of 6 light and grenadiers companies from the 4th and 10th regiments of foot. Making things more complicated, they were commanded directly by Pitcairn, a marine, and the company that engaged at Lexington was commanded by Lt. Jesse Adair, another marine. Go figure? At least I know that John Pitcairn led marines at Breed's Hill, and died there.

While I love to make guns for shooters and hunters, I enjoy the re-enactors because each gun begins with a plausible story and then I build the gun to suit the story. It takes much longer to research the details and make the gun exactly fit the narrative, but it is very rewarding and I always get to learn something new. I've hooked up with a member of HRM's 40th Regiment of Foot so it looks like I'll be making some Besses and pattern 1776 short rifles for the light bobs. It will be fun.

dave

 

[Wes/Tex]

You're right. The Marine company was with the grenadiers in the command but Pitcairn was leading the advance companies into Lexington. They'd heard signal guns, probably, and Lt. Sutherland had had a colonial point a gun at him but it misfired...or so he said. The officers were excited and new to the command. When they reached Lexington, the 38th and 10th light companies, who led, started to the right instead of left and advanced against Parker's militia on the green. Pitcairn and the other officers rode around the left of the meeting house and lost contact for some seconds...I don't think he ever regained control. Confusion reigned and his contradictory orders didn't help. Major Mitchell, who'd been part of the patrol that snagged Revere the night before and been "chased" by a horseman, was very excited and flustered and was with Pitcairn. If anyone panicked and let off the first shot, I'd name him...pure speculation on my part! The previous marches into the countryside and minor confrontations, the colonial theft of powder and shot, etc. left everyone on edge and Gage's incomplete orders to Pitcairn certainly didn't help. The whole thing was a FUBAR just waiting to happen.

Gen. John R. Galvin's book "The Minute Men; The First Fight: Myths & Realities of the American Revolution" covers the history of the Minute Men from the beginning and thoroughly covers the events of April 19th and the weeks leading up to it in detail. It's pretty obvious Pitcairn was a conscientious officer who ended up in an awkward situation that he let get away from him. Rumors, false reports from his own people and stopped provincials all led to disaster that morning. It was Col. Smith finally catching up that ordered the drummers to beat "Cease fire" and "Recall"...looks like it hadn't occurred to Pitcairn and Mitchell who should have done it. People respond to emergencies differently and even good officer's can lose control.

 

[Eterry]

ASTOUNDING!!!

Dave, That is an AMAZING musket. This thread is in my favorites, and I'll reference it, hopefully soon.

I have a 42" (SL?) Bess barrel, over 30 years old, I got from a friend. The only snag is the touchhole has been drilled, on the right side, and I am left handed.

I envision a young man in the late 1790's picking berries along a creek in Mass when he finds a AMI Brown Bess relic, broken and sad.
He carries it home to his blacksmith brother, and together they bring it back to life. The finder is left handed, so he convinces his brother to pull the plug and shave enough from the barrel and plug to align the hole for a leftie. They use what they can, buy what they can afford, and make what they must to finish it.

I'm certain there is NO WAY my project can compare to yours, but I will use it for reference and guide.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Couple more militia muskets of the AWI era.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ed50yzfcGsc/Up8kp1hJa6I/AAAAAAABN2E/LOoeHUBCtPU/s1600/Unknown.jpeg
Marked "Connecticut"
http://media.liveauctiongroup.net/i/21908/20436783_8.jpg?v=8D1A96E1B40AA30
https://www.amrevmuseum.org/sites/...l-images/collection-item-americanmusket_0.jpg
Appears to be Barnett but not certain. The sweep of the stock may indicate it's been redone. "U.States" makes me think possibly a Continental Line soldier rather than pure militia but unsure.

 

[dave_person]

Hi Wes,
I love them. The Connecticut gun looks very French influenced. The bottom one I believe is shown in Bill Ahearn's book an Rev War muskets. I love the crude interpretation of the Bess stock. One of the nuances of my musket is that it represents work done before the war, when a skilled maker could take some time. A lot of the guns made as war production are pretty crude and it makes you think that they brought in some semi-skilled labor to handle the work load. For example, the famous gunmaking center at Goshen, CT at one time employed >30 workers during the war.

dave

 

[Artificer]

Hi Dave,
As far as the Division Major Pitcairn served in, I thought it was the Chatham division and it seems it was.

"In 1771, aged 48, he became a Major in the Chatham division."

Gus

Was able to confirm that Pitcairn was permanently attached to the Chatham Division in the early 1760's when his family moved from Edinburgh to Kent, although the Marines he led April 19th were from all the Royal Navy shipping at Boston and they were technically from all three divisions depending on the ship's home port.

Yes, indeed.

As a Marine, myself, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this about some of the Marines Major Pitcairn commanded:

"The Plymouth Marines were particularly troublesome: "animals", in John's words! They had been sent out with inadequate officers, who could not keep order. Men were selling their kit to buy the lethal local rum, which killed a number of them. John spent some weeks living in barracks with them to keep them sober. It was only with regret and evident distaste that he resorted to flogging to enforce discipline. Both respected and popular, he succeeded in drilling the men into an effective force. His concern for his men's welfare was reflected in one of his last acts before going to fight at Bunker Hill: writing a letter to obtain help for some destitute soldiers."

This may also have had something to do with the way things got out of hand on their way to and at Lexington/Concord?

At the rank of Major, Pitcairn was one of the more Senior Officers in the British Marine Corps of the time, though I believe each Division was commanded by a Lt.Col. - the highest rank a Marine could be promoted at the time by many accounts.

At the time, "Colonel of Marines" was not a rank but rather an honorary title awarded to British NAVAL Captains. It held no further responsibilities, but it meant more pay for the Naval Captains who were awarded the Title.

Gus

 

[dave_person]

Hi Gus,
I did not know that about the command structure of the Royal marines in the 18th century. Fascinating. I think many of the seemingly irrational or incautious actions taken by British troops at the beginning of the Rev War is explained by disdain for the colonial Americans. How many armies in history came to grief because they did not respect their enemies?

dave

 

[Wes/Tex]

This may also have had something to do with the way things got out of hand on their way to and at Lexington/Concord?

Gus

The Marines, later Royal marines, were a law unto themselves. There was no purchase of rank as in the army with them so to be promoted Major had to be from service. got to admire the man for that.

The Marine "battalion", since it was more than a company and less than a regiment, was in the van, so to speak, and not directly involved at Lexington. They definitely were on the retreat back from Concord and took a position on a hill to fire volleys at the surrounding militiamen pouring fire from both sides near and around "Bloody Angle". They also helped hold down the left flank on the pause below Lexington when Percy's reinforcements caught up to Smith's ragged companies.

Many don't realize this wasn't the first encounter between regulars and militia around Boston. Several times before it'd come to face-offs, they even took up the bridge at Salem and basically told the 64th "yo mama' from across the river, but shooting had always been avoided...though tempers flared! Since a member of the local militia had been tarred & feathered in Boston for attempting to buy a soldier's musket and a head wound at North Bridge was being called a 'scalping' by the regulars, neither side was in a forgiving mood!

 

[Artificer]

Wes/Tex,

Thank you for the correction/further information. I don't know nearly as much about the events of Lexington/Concord as perhaps I should.

Dave,

In my Active Duty Career, I had a chance to meet and serve with some Royal Marines. Let me tell you, you DO NOT want to try to "keep up" with the drinking done at a British/Canadian/Australian Sergeant's Mess and that includes those of the Royal Marines. :haha:

In 1996 while attending the World International Muzzle Loading Championships, we had a chance to take a tour bus down to London for a day. I was dying to see the Tower Arms collection, but did not realize they had moved it to Leeds just a few years before.

On the way down to London, I asked the Tour Guide about the Beefeaters at the Tower. I had heard they were all retired British Military. She informed me they all had to have at least 22 years of Active Service, but only British Army and Air Force Veterans were allowed to be Beefeaters. Of course I had to ask why no Royal Marines? She informed me the British Navy and Marines were not as well thought of because so many enlisted had been recruited by Press Gangs over the years.

So when we got to the Tower, I was very disappointed the Arms Collection had been moved and the main attraction in the Tower was torture devices with long lines to go through the Tower. There were also long lines to see the Crown and Jewels. I was not really interested in either and for sure I did not want to wait in those long lines. They did still have some Armor and Arms on display, so I went and saw those. After that while I was trying to figure out what I was going to do while my companions were going through the Tower, I spotted a Particularly Squared Away looking Beefeater who was standing alone. So I approached him and asked him what Service he had come from.

Much to my surprise and delight, he told me “Marines.” I then asked him what was his rank and he informed me it was Sergeant Major. I grinned from ear to ear, stuck out my hand to shake and said, “Well Sergeant Major, Per Mare Per Terram” from an American Master Gunnery Sergeant of Marines.” (I was in civilian clothes as a tourist.) He smiled and we shook hands warmly. It was then he explained he was “only” a Battalion Sergeant Major and not a Regimental Sergeant Major, the latter was the equivalent to my rank that he recognized. We only had time for a short conversation as he was waiting for a Tour Group to form that he would lead. As they came up, I announced to them in a Command Voice, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the Honor to inform you that your Beefeater Guide is a Royal Marine and thus Her Majesty’s Jewelry Box is safe and secure!” He chuckled and I waved goodbye.

On the way back to Kenilworth, I informed our Tour Guide that Royal Navy and Marine veterans were indeed Beefeaters at the Tower, as I had met a Marine there. She said it most likely was only in the most recent few years as she did not know that. I also told her that similar to one Texas Ranger per riot, Her Majesty’s Jewelry Box was safe and secure, as at least one Marine was guarding it.

Gus