sea service muskets??

[hawk]

maybe someone could help me here.
What is the likleyhood that a sea service musket would have made it's way inland?F&I period.or any period for that matter.
:hatsoff:

 

[Homesteader]

I'm far from an expert, that's for sure, but if I were to jump ship in 1754, I'd do my best to take my firelock with me. It seems to me it'd be a familiar tool to take inland, or something that would be very valuable in trade with a native, a riverman, etc.

Again, I am in no way an authority; just seems logical to me.

 

[hawk]

I've heard that some rangers had carried short muskets would this be a possible source?
were they ever issued to millia or to newly formed units?

 

[Patrick Hand]

if I were to jump ship in 1754

Problem with that... if you were on a Naval or Merchant ship, the weapons are kept locked up. They wern’t commonly accessible for the crew to get their hands on”¦ mutiny and such”¦

 

[Okwaho]

I've heard that some rangers had carried short muskets would this be a possible source?
were they ever issued to millia or to newly formed units?

This is another of those myths about rangers.The only proof of the same is the presence of a number of barrel segments in the 2-4 in. range where Long Land Pattern muskets were cut back to about 42 in. the same as the Short Land Pattern musket which came in about the 1740's apparently as a Dragoon weapon and gradually became the main infantry arm in the 1770's.Another myth is the idea that severely cut back Brown Bess muskets were sold as trade guns when in reality they were far too heavy for Indian use.Still another myth is the recurring saga of Indians capturing Fts. Detroit and michilimackinac by concealing their guns under their blankets. The attack on Detroit didn't take place,the English having been forewarned and at Michilimackinac the weapons were hidden by women and apparently consisted of axes and knives after entrance was made through an open gate during a lacrosse game.
Tom Patton

 

[GrayBear]

I was just watching a re-run of "The War That Made America" on our local PBS TV channel. This was Episode One. The war was the F & I war, of course.

They said that Gen. Braddock's column of mixed British Regulars, American Militia and some Indians also included detachments of British seamen. They were assigned to help move the artillery through the dense forests and across rivers using block and tackle.

Study that first campaign by Braddock, the one where George Washington was a militia Major and, I think, the campaign was the one when Braddock was wounded. The Brits and Americans were badly defeated. Many arms might have been captured and later sold or traded?

Might be your reason to find a Sea Service musket in the colonies in the early days of the F & I wars?

GrayBear

 

[steve stanley]

As there were only 33 RN personnel with Braddock,I doubt it....Depends how you class "Sea Service"...there were a lot of older weapons issued for Sea Service...but they weren't "Sea Service" in the sense of being specifically designed as some were.
Steve

 

[hawk]

Steve, I've heard that England had sea service muskets as early as 1715. They sited pg.182 of Gilkerson's "Boarders Away II".
I don't have this book so I can not confirm.
anyone have a copy?

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

It would be unlikely for Sea Service muskets to have been taken with the sailors that far inland. The RN had a certain complement of weapons and they were kept with the ships they were issued too. There could often be a surplus of sailors but rarely a surplus of muskets or other government property. If the sailors needed muskets to perform their duties while serving on an expedition, the army would issue their muskets to the sailors.

 

[hawk]

Have you ever heard or read of the re issue of these "sea service " muskets. like that of the long land model and french Charleville during the Rev. War?
any info would be helpful. :hatsoff:

 

[robinghewitt]

if I were to jump ship in 1754

Problem with that... if you were on a Naval or Merchant ship, the weapons are kept locked up. They wern’t commonly accessible for the crew to get their hands on”¦ mutiny and such”¦

Worse than that, the marines had the muskets and it was their job to shoot you if you tried to jump ship :rotf:

The Navy never had enough money to cover their wages bill and were notoriously cost concious. A Sea Service musket had all the trimmings cut, single bridle locks, no escutcheon, wooden rammers, no brass trim at the muzzle end and the barrel filing/polishing was dropped in favour of paint.

 

[benvenuto]

cost concious?? you mean they had a reputation for being CHEAP! :winking:
I can imagine the navy brass telling the army to supply muskets to the men if they were going to be helping out that far inland...
They probably sent them a bill for the rope and tackle as well :grin: