Author Topic: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified  (Read 9407 times)

Offline debnal

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Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« on: July 06, 2015, 01:05:50 AM »
I wrote an article for the Kentucky Rifle Association Newsletter and have reproduced it here. It may be of some interest. I will post pictures of the rifle in another thread to follow.
Al

A Revolutionary war Kentucky rifle, a Kentucky musket, or a Kentucky fowler?
                                                  Or all three?


I was very fortunate to find this rifle on the internet one night as I was surfing the net. It was on a blog of a lady who was a doll collector. I have no idea how I found it but I am glad I did. On her blog she described a gun her husband had found in a New England flea market many years ago. She stated that he paid $30 for it. She also had posted some pictures of it and that really caught my attention. She called it a “The Bunker Hill gun”. What appeared on her site was a gun that looked like a rifle built gun with a sliding wooden patchbox cover. Her husband was told that the gun came from a barn in Maine. She related that after her husband had gotten the gun home, he removed the patchbox lid, and there was writing in the inside! It said, “Made by Ebne’r Wentorth (unintelligible word) Picked up Bunker Hill by Capt. Gideon Elders.” WOW! I just had to see that gun. Both men mentioned on the lid were colonists who participated in the Siege of Boston. So I emailed her and asked if the gun was possibly for sale. She politely told me that it wasn’t and thanked me for my interest. I then emailed her for two or three months and the answer was always the same. I let about six months go by and sent one more email. Surprisingly, she said the gun was now available. Since she lived about 9 hours from me, I immediately drove to her house as soon as I could. I met a charming lady who ended up selling the gun to me. She wanted it to go to someone who could appreciate its history and who would get it properly restored.
What I got from her was a rifle built gun that had a sliding wooden patchbox cover. It had been converted to percussion and the forestock was shortened to just ahead of the rear ramrod pipe. The lock and sideplate were missing. But it still had all the architectural elements needed to understand what the gun originally might have looked like. It appeared that it started out life as a rifle. It had an octagonal barrel 41.5 inches long that was bored out to .75 caliber smooth with front and rear sights. The barrel was 1.25 inches at the breech that tapered and flared to 1.0 inches at the muzzle. The wood was curly maple. It once had a cheekpiece but that had been shaved off. The butt was 2 1/16 inches wide. It had a classic rifle triggerguard, sideplate, ramrod pipes, patchbox, and butt stock configuration with a lower butt stock molding. The wooden patchbox cover was original to the gun. The lid also had a unique closure mechanism that consisted of a wire that was inlet along the bottom edge of the lid to provide sufficient friction to keep the lid in place. Fortunately, it has worked to perfection all these years. The patchbox lid is what makes this rifle historically important. I studied the gun for several days and came to the following conclusion. It had originally been made as a very early rifle. The shape of the sideplate mortise and the butt stock architecture suggests the Berks County area of Pennsylvania. The buttplate configuration is very similar to rifle No. 109 in RCA and the patchbox profile is similar to rifle No. 85 in RCA. Steve Hench has seen the rifle and suggests a date of 1760. He also feels that the rifle is a frontier built gun based on some of the design details that might have been out of place in the vicinity of a traditional gun making school. The rifle was heavily built, with a very heavily built fore end, had a massive barrel, and probably had a large bore at one time. The ramrod pipes measured out at 40 caliber in diameter, suggesting a large rifled bore. It has a lot of characteristics of an American transition rifle of the mid 18th century.
When I studied the gun I noted that the bore was bored out to .75 caliber, the rear sight had been removed and the dovetail filled in with brass, the cheek piece had been cut off, sling swivels had been added, and it appeared that there was the remains of a fitting under the muzzle, possibly for a bayonet. It dawned on me that the rifle had been converted into a musket. I don’t know when that was done but the .75 caliber bore and sling swivels suggest that it might have been done during the Revolution. The cheek piece was cut off and the area was dished out, similar to some of the French muskets of the period. I have also seen this feature on American made muskets. It still shouldered and pointed very well, attesting to the builder’s skill.
Of course, probably sometime after the war, it was then further converted to a fowler by cutting the stock to a half stock with a typical New England metal rib running under the barrel. It had also been converted to percussion, finalizing its transformation. Luckily, the metal rib was a three sided hollow rib that preserved the location of the barrel tenens and forward sling swivel location, and bayonet lug placement, allowing for an accurate restoration.
I chose to restore it to its musket configuration. Replacing the long gone cheekpiece would have been problematic at best. I had a lock and sideplate made to fit the mortises and no original wood was disturbed. I had the forestock replaced and this also did not affect the gun as I had originally found it.
My hypothesis is that the rifle made its way to Boston during the siege. It could have belonged to one of the members of the Pennsylvania Rifle companies that arrived in Boston in the summer of 1775. Even though Bunker Hill is mentioned on the patch box lid, I do not think it was at the battle. Perhaps it was found on Bunker Hill after the colonists retook the hill after the battle. It could have been found, it could have been stolen, or lost, or bet away in a card game.  One way or another it came into the possession of Ebeneezer Wentworth. He was from Buxton, Maine, or settled there after the war, where the gun was found. He took it home and that is where the gun was eventually found. The writing on the lid, perhaps, reflects the oral family history that developed around the gun. Since Wentworth was from Maine, I do not believe he actually made the gun. He was listed as a blacksmith, so he certainly could have been instrumental in converting the rifle into a musket, or, further converting it into a half stock fowler. But I do think the inscription does indicate that the gun was acquired by him in Boston during the siege. If true, then it is a very unique rifle. I know of no other Kentucky rifle that can be associated with a specific battle or campaign in the Revolutionary war. It is a good study for someone wanting to recreate a rifle of that period.
I find it most interesting that it started out life as a rifle, then was made into a musket, and finally was made into a fowler/shotgun, perhaps having a working life of almost 100 years.
As a rifle, it was heavy built with a large bore and is the type of rifle that one could imagine shooting a bear, protecting a family from marauding Indians or even killing a Redcoat or two. It doesn’t have the fancy attributes of the golden age Kentucky rifles but this one was actually made to be used on the frontier, or on the battlefield.

I would appreciate any and all comments from the membership concerning this rifle.

Offline debnal

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Re: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2015, 01:29:53 AM »
Here are some pictures of the rifle, including one that shows how it looked on her blog when I found it.
Hence my search for primary source references to the use of the rifle in the early part of the war. While there may have been some rifles there early, it seems most probable to me that this rifle came with the Congressional authorized rifle companies from PA. and was found on Bunker Hill, possibly after the British left Boston. But, there still is some small possibility that it might have been at the battle.
Al

















Offline gwill

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Re: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2015, 01:30:26 AM »
A fascinating gun indeed. Thank you for sharing the history of it. I'm looking forward to seeing the pictures.

longrifle

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Re: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« Reply #3 on: July 11, 2015, 08:20:55 PM »
That is a fantastic gun with a great story, how about a few more photo's it looks great.

Offline rich pierce

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Re: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2015, 04:35:01 PM »
More more more!  Very exciting find.
Andover, Vermont

Offline debnal

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Re: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2015, 09:58:34 PM »
Here are some pictures. If there are any requests for another specific picture, please let me know.
Al













Offline debnal

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Re: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2015, 10:01:28 PM »
One more picture.
Al


Offline rich pierce

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Re: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« Reply #7 on: July 12, 2015, 11:21:01 PM »
Thanks!
Andover, Vermont

longrifle

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Re: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« Reply #8 on: July 13, 2015, 09:50:25 PM »
Thank you, very nice gun.

Offline Eric Kettenburg

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Re: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« Reply #9 on: July 14, 2015, 01:25:39 PM »
My first impression would be that of a piece put together very quickly at the outbreak of the war, just my gut, or maybe a little earlier.  I suspect the buttplate was worked down from a larger musket plate, there are a few of them around like this and they all carry the same unique appearance i.e. the bulbous heel which is out of place proportionately to the shaping of the plate (as it is converted to a more typical rifle type plate).
Strange women lying in ponds, distributing swords, is no basis for a system of government!

Offline P.Bigham

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Re: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« Reply #10 on: July 14, 2015, 02:39:44 PM »
 Thanks for posting the pictures. What keeps the patch box in place without the typical spring?
" not all who wander are lost"

Offline Dale Campbell

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Re: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« Reply #11 on: July 14, 2015, 05:33:32 PM »
A question and a comment/question. What is the small bulb at the head of the trigger guard? Is that part of the casting, or something tacked on next to it?

A great number of rifle regiments in the Revolutionary War were converted to musket regiments by the end of the war. What I don't know, or even know how to find out, is whether the rifles were replaced with muskets, or if the rifles were modified to take musket ammunition. And I don't know how to tell if this was done during the war, or after for smooth bore use.

Nice find!
Best regards,
Dale

Offline debnal

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Re: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« Reply #12 on: July 14, 2015, 06:20:34 PM »
The patchbox lid has a unique (to me) friction mechanism. There is an inlaid piece of spring on the bottom edge of the lid. One end is higher, thus providing tension against the bottom edge of the cavity. Also, on the bottom edge of the cavity is a slight depression where the high end of the spring "snaps" into. Obviously effective, it has stayed with the gun for possibly 100 years of active use. has anyone else seen this type of catch before?
Al






Offline debnal

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Re: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« Reply #13 on: July 14, 2015, 06:22:50 PM »
The "bulb" at the head of the triggerguard is actually a nail. Don't have a clue why it is there.
Al

Offline debnal

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Re: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« Reply #14 on: July 14, 2015, 06:35:54 PM »
I think this rifle is the best evidence that some rifles were converted to muskets during the Rev War. The .75 caliber smooth bore, the addition of sling swivels, the carving out of the cheek piece, the filling in of the rear sight and bayonet fitting are huge clues to this end.
Also, the unique patchbox securing mechanism shows, to me, an idea by an early gunsmith who was not bound by the normal traditions (or maybe they were not yet firmly established when this gun was made) of gun making. I guess this "idea" never caught on. But, it certainly was effective.
Al

Offline Eric Kettenburg

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Re: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« Reply #15 on: July 14, 2015, 07:48:46 PM »
I would be more inclined to think that the box may have been added very early in it's working life; there is nothing unusual or unconventional about the stocking and in fact the stock work appears to be quite accomplished.  I think my notion may be reinforced by the lack of brass cover on the rear of the box, lack of "typical" raised box lid, lack of "typical" spring release (which would frankly not have required much more work, to my mind, than the spring that is currently installed).  Very atypical box installation in other words upon what is otherwise a very typical early-ish piece.  I don't see the concept of an early add-on to be stigmatic in any way, for I personally feel that a great many of the earlier pieces in particular were modified to varying small degrees over the course of their working life.  It frankly adds interest, to my mind.  JMHO.
Strange women lying in ponds, distributing swords, is no basis for a system of government!

Offline debnal

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Re: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« Reply #16 on: July 14, 2015, 08:30:21 PM »
Eric,
I understand your point. That is what I like about colonial guns. We just will never know exactly all the answers.
We often have to work from "clues" the particular pieces give us. 
For example; Why does this rifle reference Bunker Hill on the lid?
One possibility is that it was actually at Bunker Hill for the battle. But, from our knowledge of the history of riles early in the Rev War, this is probably not the case. Although there may have been some guy from PA visiting his relative at that time. He may have had his rifle with him, and decided to stay and participate in the activities. So, there might be a very small possibility that it was actually at the battle.
More probable is that this rifle came up with the rifle companies from the south just after the Bunker Hill battle. After the British left Boston, the colonists retook the hill and possibly the rifle was found/stolen/won in a card game, at that time. The two names referenced on the patch box lid were part of the siege army in Boston and went home just after the British left. So, they probably had the rifle with them then, which strongly points to it being at the Siege of Boston. (Would love to know if any of the PA rifle companies were stationed at Bunker Hill after the British left Boston)
I'm sure there are other possibilities and perhaps we'll never know for sure, but we can make educated guesses.
Compare to a model 1851 Navy colt. In two minutes, from the serial number, I can learn just about everything you need to know about it. How boring is that.
Al

Offline Majorjoel

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Re: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« Reply #17 on: July 14, 2015, 09:42:11 PM »
I totally agree with you Al!! It is the mystique of these artifacts that get my blood boiling and my detective hat and pipe out of the closet! The clue's that were left behind are all over your rifle gun, just begging to be studied. Considering some possibilities. There are numerous European long guns and pistols in existence today that date back to the 17th and early 18th centuries. These have been well documented and a few are in pretty good original shape. Now it seems very logical to me that a number of early weapons are still around from our new world colonies. We have been looking at them for years and still do not have a clue as to how early they really are. You very well may have a rifle that was built in the F&I war time frame, that was heavily used and modified for service as a smooth bore early in the AWI. I cannot count the times when such a question arises about just what did a rifle of the F&I war period look like?  I do know that somewhere hidden away in a darkened attic lies an old diary or family bible or ?? along side an old forgotten rifle. Someday it just may come to light. As for now, what you have before you Al is the next best thing with that written patchbox inscription!  A great gun with an important part of it's history known!   
Joel Hall

Offline debnal

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Re: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« Reply #18 on: July 14, 2015, 10:09:31 PM »
MajorJoel,
Interesting comment. Steve Hench had the rifle in his hands and suggested that it could have been made as early as 1760. It could have started life as a F&I War rifle.
Al

Offline DaveM

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Re: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« Reply #19 on: July 15, 2015, 01:46:57 AM »
Al- it almost looks like the buttplate was made from two pieces overlapping at the corner with rivets-  is that correct?

Is the barrel proof marked underneath?

Offline debnal

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Re: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« Reply #20 on: July 15, 2015, 02:01:01 AM »
Dave,
The butt plate was made in two pieces. See rifle No. 109 in RCA. There were no markings under the barrel.
Al

Whitedog

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Re: Revolutionary War rifle- Identified
« Reply #21 on: August 02, 2015, 01:46:47 AM »
VERY neat and interesting gun! Thanks for posting!!