Loyalist Dave
Member
Many of the committee of safety muskets were cobbled together from surplus parts from other muskets. It is not unusual to find an "American made Bess" that has a British lock, a French side plate, and a French or Dutch barrel. Calibers could range from .69 up to .80. There are examples of British Bess muskets with flat, unmarked lock plates as well. In such cases the muskets in disrepair were brought back into service by American smiths and armorers, with whatever was handy.
As for the .69 caliber musket with the markings, is the barrel pinned or does it have barrel bands like a French musket? Also, remember that the front line weapons of the day, were relegated to state militias after the war, so it may indeed be Baltimore County, but for the war of 1812.
Actually Gary it's a common myth, but buck-n-ball wasn't the standard load for the majority of the folks during the AWI in any of the armies, and neither was buckshot. Buckshot, and cutting musket balls, and putting a nail through the ball, were probably only done in the first few battles of the war. The problem was the rebels had very few bayonets, and the standard tactic in the minds of both side's generals was to win the battles with bayonet charges. Well, if you are George W and you don't have bayonets, then you need to stop the bayonet charge before it gets to you..., hence the use of buckshot or buck and ball.
This quickly halted though, for to use buck and ball, or buckshot, you have to use more lead than a single ball, and for the supply strapped Continentals, this was not a good idea. Plus the Continentals began to get more bayonets. Further, even though there wasn't an actual "convention" on warfare, such as the Hague or Geneva conventions..., it was considered by the gentlemen who were the officers on both sides, that using buckshot was "against the rules of war". (Note: such rules don't apply when they fought Indians) If you got caught by the enemy with buck and ball or a nail through your musket ball in your musket, you got hanged.
Washington was also not above working at, gaining and maintaining the respect of his opponents, and so such a load was frowned upon in his army. As an example, at one battle (iirc Harlem Heights) where Washington retreated, the British horners (they used horns, plus fife, and drum) sounded the fox hunting call gone away. It is used when the hunters see the fox, and the fox is running for its life..., this REALLY insulted Washington, so he did care what the British Officers thought of him. Following the rules of war was very important to him..., remember the British thought he was not worthy of a regular commission in their army..., George had some things to prove to his counterparts beyond simply winning.
LD
As for the .69 caliber musket with the markings, is the barrel pinned or does it have barrel bands like a French musket? Also, remember that the front line weapons of the day, were relegated to state militias after the war, so it may indeed be Baltimore County, but for the war of 1812.
Actually Gary it's a common myth, but buck-n-ball wasn't the standard load for the majority of the folks during the AWI in any of the armies, and neither was buckshot. Buckshot, and cutting musket balls, and putting a nail through the ball, were probably only done in the first few battles of the war. The problem was the rebels had very few bayonets, and the standard tactic in the minds of both side's generals was to win the battles with bayonet charges. Well, if you are George W and you don't have bayonets, then you need to stop the bayonet charge before it gets to you..., hence the use of buckshot or buck and ball.
This quickly halted though, for to use buck and ball, or buckshot, you have to use more lead than a single ball, and for the supply strapped Continentals, this was not a good idea. Plus the Continentals began to get more bayonets. Further, even though there wasn't an actual "convention" on warfare, such as the Hague or Geneva conventions..., it was considered by the gentlemen who were the officers on both sides, that using buckshot was "against the rules of war". (Note: such rules don't apply when they fought Indians) If you got caught by the enemy with buck and ball or a nail through your musket ball in your musket, you got hanged.
Washington was also not above working at, gaining and maintaining the respect of his opponents, and so such a load was frowned upon in his army. As an example, at one battle (iirc Harlem Heights) where Washington retreated, the British horners (they used horns, plus fife, and drum) sounded the fox hunting call gone away. It is used when the hunters see the fox, and the fox is running for its life..., this REALLY insulted Washington, so he did care what the British Officers thought of him. Following the rules of war was very important to him..., remember the British thought he was not worthy of a regular commission in their army..., George had some things to prove to his counterparts beyond simply winning.
LD