Brown Bess musket
Creating Interesting Conversation with the General Public
Discussing Period Firelocks with Adults & Children
Mike Connolly
One of the most rewarding aspects of reenacting is speaking with
interested members of the public as they meander through camp.
Sometimes, however, our visitors may be unsure of how to approach
us, or even apprehensive - not wanting to ask a "silly"
question. In cases like this, it is our responsibility to break
the ice. This column is designed to provide some suggestions on
how to do that, and recommend topics of conversation.
The Firelock
At almost every event, I have heard a parent say to their
child, "Look at the soldier's rifle, Johnny," as they
point toward my musket. What a perfect opportunity to jump in
and educate not only the child, but the parent too.
American volley at Constitution Island in the Hudson Highlands
As you begin to explain the parent's error in terminology,
be careful not to sound condescending, and be sure to smile. Try
a response like, "You're right that rifles were used by some
Americans during the War for Independence, however, this is not
a rifle. Do you know what it is?" At this point, hold the
musket up for them to examine it. "This is a musket."
Then proceed to explain the differences between muskets and rifles,
including smooth vs. rifled barrels, ability to be fixed with
bayonets, cartridges vs. greased patches, and visual cues to identify
them as they walk around camp. You will very shortly have a crowd
gather about you.
Continue with more in-depth explanations about the workings of
your musket.. Explain how the ignition system of a firelock works.
Pull a cartridge out and explain how to load the weapon as you
walk through the steps. Talk about modern cliches that relate
to the musket like, "lock, stock, & barrel," "a
flash in the pan," or "going off half-cocked."
"You're right that rifles were used by some Americans
during the War for Independence, however, this is not a rifle.
Do you know what it is?"
That is generally sufficient explanation for the general public.
However. these events often draw people that are familiar with
firearms, frequently black powder arms. To have a meaningful conversation
with them, get to know the differences between the various firelocks
used during our conflict. Some of these differences are outlined
in the table below.
|
Brown Bess "Short Land" |
Brown Bess "Long Land" Older model |
Charleville | Rifle | |
| Barrel Caliber | .75 | .75 | ..69 | .50-.62 |
| Ball Caliber | .69 | .69 | .63 | .48-.62 |
| Barrel Length | 42" | 46" | 44.5" | varies |
| Barrel attachment | Pins | Pins | Bands | pin |
| Lock markings |
"GR" "Tower" "Grice" |
"GR" "Tower" "Grice" |
Charleville | varies |
| Bayonet Length | 16"-17" | 16"-17" | 14" | none |
| Bayonet type | triangular socket | triangular socket | triangular socket | none |
| Loading method | Paper Cartridge | Paper Cartridge | Paper Cartridge | Powder, patch and ball |
| Flint size | 1" | 1" | 1" | 5/8" - 3/4" |
| Loads per minute | 3 to 4 | 3 to 4 | 3 to 4 | 1 |
| Effective Range | 80-100 yards | 80-100 yards | 80-100 yards | 300 yards |
| Date |
introduced 1740 widespread 1765 |
Pre-1740 | 1763 to 1777 | varies |
| Visual Clues to Identity | Heavy stock, Brass furniture , Gooseneck Cock | Heavy stock, Brass furniture , Gooseneck Cock and longer barrel | Lighter stock, Steel barrel bands, Reinforced Cock | Thin stock, Octagonal barrel, Patch box, stock carvings |
a stack of Muskets
...........CALAMANCO: a worsted in a satin weave that has
been glazed. Sometimes with figured designs, reminiscent of silk
brocades.
CALICO: brightly colored, printed cottons imported from
India during the 17th &18th centuries. "Calico"
comes from "callicut-cloth" produced in Callicut, India.
CAMBRIC: a fine linen that has been bleached.
CAMLET: a plain weave worsted that has not been glazed.
CHEYNEY or CHINA: a worsted similar to harateen and moreen.
It was typically dyed red, green, blue, yellow, or purple.
CHINTZ: a glazed, printed cotton first produced in India,
a misspelling of chints, a Hindu word.
DAMASK: a fabric in which the woven design contrasts glossy
and dull surfaces. Damask can be woven of any fabric. Worsted
damasks were most common in America before the Revolution.
DIMITY: woven cotton cloth with a striped or ribbed pattern.
FUSTIAN: a linen and cotton fabric that has a herringbone,
ribbed, or diaper (Diamond-shaped) pattern. Sometimes woven in
all cotton.
HARATEEN: a watered worsted.
LINSEY-WOOLSEY: a woven fabric, with a linen warp and a
woolen weft.
MOREEN: a wavy patterned worsted of a coarser yarn than
harateen. Typically used for bed and window hangings.
PALAMPORE: a large cotton panel imported from India, featuring
a large scale pattern such as the tree of life.
RESIST: Cotton block printed with large-scale fruit and
flower motifs in deep indigo on bleached cloth.
TOILE: a monochromatic copperplate-printed cotton or linen.
"Toile" is French for "cotton."
WARP: the yarns stretched lengthwise in a loom.
WEFT: the crosswise yarns interwoven with the warp.
WORSTED: a woven woolen whose fibers were combed rather
than carded before spinning. Worsteds were often pressed to resemble
glossy silks.
Being an opinion of 18th century recorded music
The World Turned Upside Down: Instrumental Arrangements
Of Music From The Time Of The American Revolution Barry Phillips
& Friends, Gourd Music
Reviewed by Mike Connolly
Released in 1992, and widely available at museums and historic
sites, The World Turned Upside Down is a varied collection
of 18th century country dances, hornpipes, street songs, and even
lullabies, performed instrumentally by a group of talented musicians,
led by Barry Phillips.
Phillips, a Californian and veteran folk performer, ably handles
harpsichord, clavichord, cello, bowed psaltery, and percussion.
Other musicians round out the ensemble with guitars, fiddle, hammered
and mountain dulcimers, flutes, whistles, mandolin, harp, oboe,
and recorders. The result is a nicely arranged, thoughtful though
sometimes subdued, collection of period tunes. The melodies are
familiar to many reenactors, if not the arrangements themselves.
Besides the title track, highlights include "Young Widow,"
a flute and fiddle melody which segues into the lively "Black
Joke" as guitar and mandolin join in. "New German Spa"
is a spirited fife tune with the melody introduced on flute and
soon echoed by guitar, oboe, and cello. It may be me Celtic blood,
but my personal favorite piece is the popular "Fisher's Hornpipe/Patterson's
Hornpipe." It is easily the most animated of all the selections.
It is dominated by a bouncy fiddle melody, helped along by the
percussive hammered dulcimer. It quickly evokes images of country
dancing on an autumn evening.
Overall, the album is well recorded, with a very "live"
quality. It will transport you to an earlier time - if you're
willing to go.
Scald 1 pint of milk and put 3 pints of Indian meal, and half pint of flour - bake before the fire. Or scald with milk two thirds of the Indian meal, or wet two thirds with boiling water, add salt, molasses, and shortening, work up with cold water pretty stiff, and bake as above.
BEETLE-HEADED: Dull, Stupid.
BROWN BESS: A soldier's firelock. "To hug Brown Bess"
is to carry a firelock, or serve as a private soldier.
CHICKEN-HEARTED: Fearful, cowardly.
CUR: A cut or curtailed dog, disabled from chasing game. Figuratively
used to signify a surly fellow.
ENGLISH BURGUNDY: Porter.
FLIP: Small beer, brandy, and sugar.
GROG: Rum and water. "Groggy" or "Groggified"
is to be drunk.
HUZZA: Said to have been originally the cry of the huzzars or
Hungarian light horse; but now the national shout of the English,
both civil and military; to give three cheers being to huzza thrice.
JACK TAR: A sailor.
LOBSTER(BACK): A soldier, from the color of his clothes.
LOGGERHEAD: A blockhead or stupid fellow, also a double-headed,
or bar-shot of iron.
NECK WEED: Hemp.
SCALY: Mean, sordid.
TATTOO: A beat of the drum, or signal for soldiers to go to their
quarters, and a direction to the sutlers to close the tap , and
7th June 1780: Had an alarm and the enemy came out as far as
Springfield Bridge. The Militia colected fast and joining Maxwells
brigade stopt the enemy and after sum fire at long shot the enemy
retired to a breast work they had threw up on an advantagious
pice of ground on this side the farm meeting hous. About 3 this
aftarnoon they set fire to about 30 buildings, one of which is
the meeting hous. We have had about 15 killed and 40 wounded,
among the latter my brother Saml, slightly. I had orders and marched
my regiment to Thompsons Mills whare we lay all night.
8th : This morning about 1/2 after 12 the rear of the enemy left
the ground. About 8 o'clock received orders to follow them and
on ower march receive[d] inteligence that the enemy are going,
but when we got to town find a guard in the woods back of Decon
Ogdens hous and at the forks of the road. Aftar sum time here
and being joined by Lord Stirlings troopes he orders us to advance
in three colloms, one on the main road, the Continental troops
of Col. Cortland on the left, myself in the centor. We advanced,
and the troop under my command behaved exceading well, altho at
a certain time one platoon fell back a little, but after being
ordered to com up came up and stood thare ground well. We took
about 20 prisoners and advance through the woods whare the enemy
open upon us with a number of field pieces, and finding they ware
true [too] heavy for us General Hand ordered a retreat, which
was performed in good order. I had one man killed and three wounded.
After retiring about half a mile we lay on ower armes untill evening
and then returned to the north end of town and staid all night.
22d. [23d]: This day the enemy came out and burnt Springfield
and returned about 3 o'clock P.M., pursewed by ower people. The
enemies loss this day is thought to be considerable. Owers is
about 15 killed and 40 wounded. I got home about 10 at night.
- from the Spirit of Seventy Six - The Story of the American
Revolution as Told By Participants, Ed. by Commager & Morris
Return to top
A Day Book for the Goile Guard & also to Guard the Presioners at Courts at the Request of the high Sheriff of the County of Bergen, Began the fifteenth of March and Ended the tenth of April, 1779
First Name Last Name Rank
John Outwater -Capt
Abraham Post -Lt
Henry Vanwinkel -Srt
Henderick Vanderhoof
Jacobus Powlefson
George Brinkerhof
Isaac Laback -Drm
Selvester Morriss -Corl
Tunes Vanderstine
Arie Bersh
Moriss Earle
John Bardan -Sart
John Durise
John Bant
Jacob Brower
Elyus Brevoort
David Ritzaino Bogert
? Brass -Corl
William Yong
William Warnir
Luke Vanwinkel -Sargt
John A. Ackraman
Abraham Ackraman
Gilbart Vanunburgh
Gerret Hopper
Cornelius Hopper -Corp
Abraham Housman
Henderick P.Ackraman
Cornelyus Cooper
Jacob Vanderbeeck -Corpl
Doc John Vanburen
James Hursman
Barent Vanderbeck
Rowles Vanderbeck
Henderick Vangisen
Isaac Bardan
L 'Gerret Vanwaginen
Roland Hill
Peter Albins
Abraham Vanderbeck
Stephen Ferhune
Cornelyus D. Ackraman
James Chappel
Henderick Dennic -Fifes
William Brower
----
Annual Meeting of Outwater's Company
Sunday, February 17, 2002
New Castle, DE
1pm lucheon at "the Arsenal" restaurant, with the characters
of the esteemed George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjimen
Franklin on hand!
© 2002 By Outwater's Militia. All rights reserved.