Rifles in Mass. Time period- Lexington/Concord to Bunker Hill

[debnal]

Is anyone aware of any primary source material that indicates that there were any rifles in Mass. prior to the Rifle Companies raised by Congress, coming up from the south after the Battle of Bunker Hill?
Al

[JV Puleo]

I certainly haven't seen anything and if I had, I would remember it.

[debnal]

Thanks, that's what I have thought. In several of the books on the Alarm and Bunker Hill, rifles are mentioned but I think that refers to long arms in a generic sense. There is one account of Major Pitcairn being killed at a distance over 200 yards by a black freed slave. I think it was assumed, due to the range, that he was killed by a rifle. But, it could have been a really lucky musket/fowler shot or the actual range was much closer. Of course, there may have been a relative visiting from VA/PA/MD/NC and he could have participated using a rifle.
Al

[Mark Elliott]

Wasn't there one or more milita units from PA or VA involved in the siege of Boston from Charlestown before Bunker and Breeds Hill?   I thought I had read about Washington using them as snipers around Boston, but wasn't thrilled with having them otherwise.   

[debnal]

mark,
Do you remember where you read that information?
Al

[Telgan]

I've seen that same info somewhere as well. Could not find the source to save my life right this minute. Let me put it in the bio computer and see what shakes out at 3:00 AM.

[spgordon]

According to this article, the first rifle company arrived in Cambridge on 17 July (after Bunker Hill) and no rifles were present before that. I can't vouch for the accuracy of the claims.

http://www.americanrevolution.org/riflemen.php

[debnal]

Very good article on the riflemen, although it may be a stretch to say there were no rifles in New England before the rifle companies arrived.
Al

[Majorjoel]

Al, it seems like you have found the proverbial "needle in the haystack" and are now trying to find the haystack that your needle came out of!    After seeing your earlier post with pictures of this rifle, I can understand the challenges that you are going through, but....oh what a historic possibility that lies before you!  Only wish I had some solid information to help in this awesome endevour!  Your quest is very noble and I sure look forward to anything that may come along to highlight your grand ole rifle's past journey's!

[jdm]

I looked through the book " Colonial Riflemen in the American Revolution " by Joe D. Huddleston.  In reference to Bunker Hill or Breeds Hill.  I found a reference from a letter by a British Lieutenant of Marines " A man whom the Americans called a marksman, or rifleman, was seen standing upon something near three feet higher than the rest of the troops, as there hats were not visible. This man had no sooner discharged one musket, than another was handed to him..
SO....... Was it a rifle or a musket?

 He was killed by the grenadiers of the Royal Welch Fusilier's but not tell he had killed or wounded around twenty officers.
This letter was found in " Bunker Hill The story told in letters from the battlefield. pg. 49  By Samuel  A. Drake (1875)

[debnal]

MajorJoel-
 Thanks. You are right I think I have found the needle and I am looking for the haystack. I did publish the rifle and its story in the Kentucky Rifle Newsletter, but not on this site. Tomorrow I will put the article, along with pictures, on this thread so that members might see why I am asking these questions.
Al

[debnal]

I have reproduced the entire article mentioned above, with some pictures, in another thread. It might answer the question as to why I am looking for primary source information concerning the early use of the rifle in the war.
If anyone would like specific pictures, please email me directly.
Al

[Mark Elliott]

mark,
Do you remember where you read that information?
Al

I don't remember exactly where I read that.   I think it was online and might have been on this site.    A lot of primary reference material has been presented here from time to time.  My recollection (which doesn't normally bother with the details) is that I gathered that belief from some letters posted somewhere or another.

[Mark Elliott]

I read the following article a while back while doing SEO for my site;  http://www.forbes.com/sites/frankminiter/2014/07/03/the-american-longrifle-has-a-censored-but-very-patriotic-story-to-tell/.

In this article, the senior curator of the NRA museum seemed to say that rifles were common in MA at the beginning of the revolution.   That is certainly contrary everything I thought I knew about the development of the American Longrifle.   I could buy that a few longrifles might have found their way to New England from PA, but I certainly never thought they were as common as the curator (or perhaps the author) seemed to imply.

I am now really curious about the exact production of rifles in colonial New England.  Surely,  someone here can provide some real facts in the form of actual rifles with a pretty reliable provenance.     Is this article pure bull or is there something to it?

[debnal]

Thanks for pointing me to that article. The "expert's statement;

 “If school kids were just taught that the ‘shot heard round the world’ was fired through an American-forged and rifled barrel they might know a @!*% thing about American ingenuity and how we really won our freedom. That way they might just have a clue what our freedom is all about.”

That statement just proves he is no expert, although he is identified as such in the article! Almost certainly, the first shot fired on 19 April, 1775 came from a smoothbore British musket of an American smoothbore fowler.
Al

[Mark Elliott]

Al,  Your take on the article is the same as mine; but I have been known to be wrong on a few, rare, occasions.       

[debnal]

As an aside, I visited the NRA museum this past month on my trip out east. I had heard a lot about it and was really looking forward to it. I was particularly impressed by the Kentucky Rifle display. Nicely displayed and in a place of prominence. Kudos to the members who donated their fine guns for that display. The Civil War section was huge , as was the Western display. But, I was extremely disappointed by the colonial gun display. They actually had more Gatling guns (15) than American-made, Rev War guns. On the way out one of the docents asked me how I liked the museum. So, I told him my thoughts. I told him that I had a better Rev War gun collection in my truck in the parking lot than what was in the museum.  I had with me at that time, among other guns, four owner identified, American-made, long guns from the Rev War; two fowlers, one fusil and one rifle.
I might get some argument on this but the American experiment started during the colonial era and the guns from that era supercede all others in importance- by a long shot! (pun intended) You might think that a museum that glorifies the second amendment might reflect that.
Al

[Mark Elliott]

I would love to respond to your last comment, but discretion dictates that I keep my keyboard silent on that.   

[Mark Elliott]

Now that I think about it some more,  the information I was thinking about must have been after the Battles of Bunker and Breeds hill because it after Washington took command in July 1775; and that was after those early battles.    Washington couldn't have written about the rifle companies until he was there.       Duh......

[RAT]

This doesn't address rifles at Boston, but does address the "shot heard round the world".

I work at a university library. We have a re-print of John Trumbull's journal. Trumbull was at Boston and Bunker Hill. He also served as Washington's aide during the war. The later part of the book details testimony given before congress during an inquiry of the event at Lexington green. According to eye witness accounts the first shot at Lexington came from a pistol. While people did not see who fired the shot, a couple of individuals heard the report from the British side. This makes the first shot likely from a British officer.

It's been several years since I've read this book. Maybe there is some information in there about the topic of these posts. If I can find the publishing info, I'll post it.

[RAT]

I wanted to look at our paper copy to verify it was the correct title, but apparently we don't have it anymore. Not a surprise. We've been throwing books in the dumpster for the last 5 years. I can't confirm this is the same book, but it may interest you. It's available for free online...

https://books.google.com/books/about/Autobiography_reminiscences_and_letters.html?id=jPI1AAAAMAAJ

I scanned the appendix and page 410 might give you some information. The book is a good read in any case.

[debnal]

RAT,
Thanks for the info. It's a good read. It still reinforces my thought that there is no known primary source info concerning rifle use in the Boston area prior to the Southern riflemen arriving in the summer of 1775.
Al

[RAT]

Side note...

My ancestor, Elijah Hodge, enlisted in the 6th Conn Regt on May 10, 1775. According to the reference book...

"Raised on the first call for troops in April-May, 1775. Recruited from New London, Hartford, and present Middlesex Counties. Two Companies, including Capt. Coit's marched at once to Boston, and Capt. Mott's was ordered to the Northern Dept. The other Companies remained on duty at New London until June 17, when they were ordered by the Governor's Council to the Boston Camps. There the regiment took post at Roxbury in Gen. Spencer's Brigade, and remained until expiration of term of service, Dec. 10, '75. Adopted as Continental. Regiment re-organized under Col. Parsons for service in '76."

Elijah Hodge served in the 6th Company under Capt. Waterman Clift. I wish I had more family history regarding the arms he carried. I would guess a state issued musket.

[AndrewCampbell]

History is indeed very interesting and its facts never fail to fascinate me every time especially when there is a new piece of evidence to support the findings. Like previously when I was digging up for info on the Internet about silver candelabra and found out its origin and year it was introduced. The historical narrative is so much fun to read up on.