NPS Publications: Popular Study Series (2024)

HOW did the soldier of the American Revolution keephis powder dry? What kind of musket and how many bullets did he carry?What other weapons and accouterments were included in the equipment ofthe fighting man?

These questions, which arouse a renewed interesttoday because the wars in Europe have redirected public attention tomilitary arms, are answered by an exhibit on display in the museum ofMorristown National Historical Park, Morristown, N. J. Theauthenticated collection embraces most of the equipment with which theAmerican soldier brought to a successful close the 7-year struggle forfreedom.

This collection of equipment of theAmerican soldier of the Revolutionary War includes a 1763 modelCharleville musket, the regulation weapon of the French Army, with whichmost troops of the Continental Army were equipped by 1779. Felt hat,wooden canteen, powder horns, and ax are the other items in thecase.

An order of April 6, 1779, issued in Boston and nowpreserved in the Emmet Collection of the New York Public Library,describes in detail the arms and accouterments of that day. A copy of itin the Morristown exhibit reads:

To Shrimpton Hutchinson Esq.

SIR,

You are hereby ordered and directed, to compleatyourself with ARMS and Accoutrements, by the 12th Instant, upon failurethereof, you are liable to a FINE of THREE POUNDS; and for every SixtyDays after, a FINE OF SIX POUNDS, agreable to Law.

Articles of Equipment,

A good Fire-Arm, with a Steel or IronRam-Rod, and a Spring to retain the same, a Worm,Priming wire and Brash, and a Bayonet fitted toyour GUN, a Scabbard and Belt therefor, and a CuttingSword, or a Tomahawk or Hatchet, a Poachcontaining a Cartridge Box, that will hold fifteen Rounds ofCartridges at least, a hundred Buck Shot, a Jack-Knifeand Tow for Wadding, six Flints, one pound powder, fortyLeaden Balls fitted to your GUN, a Knapsack and Blanketa Canteen or Wooden Bottle sufficient to hold oneQuart.

These prescribed articles, with the exception of theknapsack, blanket, and worm (the latter used in extracting the chargefrom the barrel of the musket should that become necessary), all areexhibited, bearing appropriate labels. Included in the displayare—

(1) a hat of black felt, the brim rolled to form atricorne, worn by Moe Judson, a soldier in the Revolutionary Army,

(2) a flint, steel, and tinder-horn, and

(3) two powder horns, the larger for containing thecoarse powder for the barrel charge, the smaller to hold the more finelyground powder for use in the priming pan of the lock. Such horns wereobtained from domestic cattle and used frequently when bullets andpowder were not rolled together to form cartridges, the leaden balls andwadding then being carried in the pouch.

Musket cartridges, prepared by those skilled in theirmaking, often were supplied to the troops from the ammunitionlaboratories. When they were not provided it was necessary for thesoldier to "roll his own." He melted his lead and poured it into aniron mold, forming balls which numbered 12 or 16 to the pound dependingon the caliber of the musket in which they were to be used. The handlesof the mold formed a snipping device intended for use in cutting off the"neck" of the bullet after molding; but the soldier usually preferred tosmooth the leaden pellet with his jackknife.

Excavations at the site of thesoldiers' huts at Morristown uncovered many objects associated with thedaily life of Washington's fighters. Pothook, forceps, knife, fork,spoon, buttons, and buckles are among the items pictured here.

Into an oblong of tough paper he placed the ball,sometimes with four or six buckshot, and four or four and one-halfdrams of coarse, black powder which he rolled into a cylinder, twistingor tying the ends. After receiving a coating of grease for protectionfrom dampness, the cartridges were placed in separate borings in thewooden block forming part of the cartridge pouch and covered by its flapof leather. The pouch, suspended by a shoulder belt of webbing orleather, was worn behind the right hip and usually held 24 cartridges or"rounds of ammunition." If the pouch and its contents became thoroughlywet during a rainfall or at a river ford, the soldier, except for hisreliance on the bayonet, was hors de combat until his ammunitiondried or a fresh supply of powder was obtained.

In order to load his musket when ammunition in theform of cartridges was used, the soldier brought the hammer of the lockto half-cock and uncovered the pan by pressing the frizzen upward andforward. (See diagram below.) Tearing or biting through thecartridge at its powder end, he filled the pan with powder, retaining itby closing the frizzen. Placing the butt end of the piece on the ground,he poured the remaining powder, together with the ball and paper aswadding, into the muzzle of the barrel and rammed them all well downwith the rammer. Lifting the piece, he slapped it upon the stockopposite the lock in order to shake a small quantity of powder from thepan into the touchhole of the barrel. The piece then was ready tofire.

Tiny muskets and swords conform inminute detail to the arms of the Revolutionary period are being made byNational Park Service museum preparators for display in realistichistorical dioramas.

If loose powder carried in horns was used, thesoldier poured down the barrel a quantity that he considered to be thecorrect charge, dropped in a lead ball taken from his pouch and, with atwist of tow as wadding, rammed all downward. The pan of the lock wasfilled from the horn the smaller one usually containing more finelyground powder for promoting better ignition. To fire the piece thehammer was brought to full-cock and pressure applied to the trigger. Thehammer, holding securely in its jaws a piece of flint, was brought downby the force of the main spring, and the flint, striking the steel ofthe frizzen, threw it forward, uncovering the priming powder in the paninto which a shower of sparks was sent at the same instant. The sparksignited the priming, and fire passed through the touchhole of the barreland to the charge inside. The bullet then went wobbling on its way fromthe smooth bore toward its mark.

The range of military muskets of the period wasbetween 400 and 600 feet, depending on their origin, weight of ball, andquality and charge of powder. Because of their smooth bores they hadlittle accuracy but were intended primarily for volley-firing at adistance not exceeding 300 feet. Yet, when a ball hit its mark afterbeing fired from a musket of .69 or .75 inch in bore (the prevailingbores of military arms of the period), it was capable, if not too wellspent, of inflicting death or serious injury.

From United States Martial Pistols and Revolvers,by Maj. Arcadi Gluckman, United States Army
Mechanism of the RevolutionaryMusket.
a. lock plate; b. hammer; c. cap; d. hammer screw; e.tumbler screw; f. pan; h. frizzen; i. frizzen screw; j. frizzen sring;k. frizzen spring screw; l. side screw holes;; m. pan screws; n. mainspring; o. main spring screw; p. bridle; q. bridle screws; r. tumbler;s. sear; t. sear screws; u. sear spring; v. sear spring screw.

The musket shown in the illustration (top of page) isthe French Army regulation arm of the period, the Charleville model of1763. It was selected for display for the reason that by the time theorder quoted above was issued in 1779 virtually all the American Armywas equipped with this type. Together with other French regulationmuskets made at the Royal Arsenals of Maubeuge, St.-Etienne, and Tulle,which differed only slightly in design, it was the finest military armof its day. Manufactured with greater care and having an improved typeof hammer and barrel securely fastened to the stock by bands instead of"pins" through lugs, it possessed greater durability, accuracy, andrange than did the British musket, or the Colonial arms modeled from it,with which the Americans entered the war. The Charleville model wassomewhat lighter than the British arm and its caliber was less, having abore of about .69 inch.

If pressed, the trained Continental soldier couldload and fire his piece four times a minute, but the rate generally wasslower. He took little care in aiming, aware of the inaccuracy of hisweapon except for short ranges. He swung his cartridge pouch to thefront for greater accessibility; and between loading he thrust hisramrod conveniently into the ground beside him. His flint, if of goodquality and adjusted properly between a fold of lead or leather in thejaws of the hammer, could be used 50 or 60 times. His handicaps werefouling of the barrel from powder combustion, which necessitatedswabbing with the ramrod; and fouling of the flashpan and frizzen withclogging of the touchhole, requiring the use of a small iron brush andslender wire pick that usually were hung from the shoulder of thecartridge pouch or powder horn.