French Muskets Sells in the AWI

[Ike Godsey]

Howdy!

In the AWI there have been shipments of ”žold broken muskets“ from France to the Colonies.

When the French re-armed their troops with the new model 1777, I wonder how this was done.
I assume that in the French Army Muskets of various Models have been in use, some maybe as old as the 1754 if not 1746.

When the new 1777 came in, I think (I would) trade them with the oldest muskets around ”“ the 1754 or 1746 ”“ and send those old muskets to the US, not the newer “1760’s”. If that was the case, so those muskets came to the US (including the obsolete one in the arsenals).

Since this started in 1778, I wonder what muskets models came to the US first?

Ike

 

[crockett]

I've only read a couple of books on this subject. Like most folks I learned in school that France came to America's aid in the AWI and sent troops over. I therefore made the assumption that prior to their joining the fight they were GIVING us muskets. When I started reading on this what I recall is that the various Committee Of Safety organizations wanted Brown Bess Clones- the "Committee of Safety Musket" and these were made in PA and elsewhere at a cost of about $10 each. It was then discovered that we could buy older French muskets for only $6 each so we then bought the French muskets but they were all of an older make from the 1750's and 1760's.
It sort of like Lafayette- in school I think I was taught we was part of the French forces sent here and then learned he was simply a private individual who joined and served in the American Army and had nothing to do with the French forces sent here.

 

[Artificer]

Ike,

Here is an article that will provide some answers for you:
http://www.jaegerkorps.org/NRA/The Revolutionary Charleville.htm

Gus

 

[Alden]

Ike, unit I reenact was issued 1728/46's.

 

[Ike Godsey]

Ike,

Here is an article that will provide some answers for you:
http://www.jaegerkorps.org/NRA/The Revolutionary Charleville.htm

Gus

No it does not Gus - I am sorry.

Maybe I need to make my question more clear...

The highwatermark of musktes in the French Army in 1776 was the model 1774. The next older one was the 1766, then the 1763 and so on.

Now if I would order new muskets for rearming my army in 1777 (hence the 1777 Charlie) I would start to get rid of the 1763s. Then the 1766s then the 1774s - thus leaving my army equiped with the newest muskets.

Now in 1777 two things happend:

1) the French developed a new musket
2) the French start to ship old musktes to America.

to 1) I do believe that the 1774 have been still in duty with the french until the 1777 was available in a quantity to replace the 1774.
Since 70.000 1774 were made it would take a while till those muskets come to America.

to 2) could it be assumed that the first weapons they send over to America have been the older typs, 1763 down to the 1746?

And, in 1778 french troups landed in America, a small group hat the new 1777. What about the rest?

Why I ask all this?
Here is a reenactors group: "The German Regiment of Maryland and Pennsylvania 1776" as the call themselvs.
The only thing they know about the muskets they have been equiped with is "old broken french muskets" - the question is, what kind(s) of musket?
What was possible in 1776 and during the AWI?

Any answers out there?

Ike

 

[Artificer]

Ike,

In the 1980's, I was fortunate to examine an original "Stand of Arms" owned by a VERY advanced collector in New Jersey. "Stand of Arms" meaning the musket, sling, bayonet and scabbard, and cartridge box. It was documented as one that was brought here with Rochambeau in 1780 with his troops. I can not tell you what Model that musket was, though I can tell you it was NOT a M1777 as it did not have the brass/bronze pan. Now that does not mean NO M1777's came here even with Rochambeau's French REGULARS in 1780, but it does give an example that not all of even French Regulars here had M1777's even at that late date.

Alden already mentioned the unit he reenacts with uses the 1728/46 French Muskets and those would be the easiest ones to document for VERY early in the period when the Pennsylvania and German Battalions were being formed. Some of these guns were captured in the FIW from French troops.

From the link I provided above:

"The first of many Beaumarchais deliveries began in the spring of 1777 when three of his ships arrived in Portsmouth, N.H., carrying 37,000 stands of arms. At the same time, another vessel was sent to Philadelphia bearing 11,000 arms and parts. The New Hampshire shipments equipped much of the Patriot army at Saratoga in October 1777, and, by 1778, the majority of Washington’s regiments had replaced their earlier disparate mix of arms with French ones."

So the Pennsylvania German Regiment could not have received newer model muskets (than the M1746)from France until that time (1777). If there were any 1746 muskets left in French Arsenals, they most likely would have been sent first. Some of these may have been 1763 and 1766 muskets, but I doubt any of these were 1774 muskets in those first muskets sent here from France.

Bottom line is you can not go wrong with 1728/46 French Muskets for the Pennsylvania German Regiment at the very start of the war and throughout the war. Later model muskets would have to be documented to be absoulutely correct for that Unit and in what year they received them.

Gus

 

[Ike Godsey]

Gus,

that was my conclusion too. Thank you Gus. :hatsoff:

Ike