Club butt or buccaneer fowler

[leviathan]

     Recently read a history of colonial Wake county, N. Carolina (piedmont region). It gave a very early 1700's estate inventory. One of the items included was a buccaneer musket.  I only thought this form of fowler found in the Northern colonies. I have read of other buccaneers used on the Eastern coast of N carolina in militia muster. My first question is, where were these muskets coming from  since I see most of them used in the north. Charleston or Wilmington ports?
     Second question, I have seen where these early fowlers were used in the Rev, War. Do you think that any could have been kept in use and changed to percussion? Thank you all!!

[Dennis Glazener]

A friend of mine had one of these a few years ago. If I remember correctly his was painted red. The comb of the butt extended forward and then quickly curled back under itself to form a "hook" in the wood. This "hook" was used to "hang" the gun muzzle down in a rack designed to hold several at one time. He said he was told they were deployed when the ship troops/pirates were about to board another ship. The one he had was flint.
Dennis

[James Rogers]

I think these were most probably imported English and Dutch pieces. Buccaneer guns can also be of French or Spanish origin.

Here is a Hyde Co. NC Militia list of 1755 naming the type of longarm in use by each person. About 8 of these guys have buckaneer guns.


Hyde County Militia List
for *Arromaskeet - October 1755

Captain Henry GIBBS, Jur.

Officers & NCO's:
William GIBBS, Leiutenant
Robert GIBBS, Ensign
John SPENCER, Serjent
Joseph JENNETT, Serjent
Morris JONES, Serjent

Corprells
William SPENCER - Carbine
John LOCKHEART - Fowling piece
Thomas GIBBS - Fowling piece
Thomas JONES - Buckanneer
Samuell SELBY, Jur. - Muskitt


Privates:
Samuell SELBY, Snr. - [Blank]
Thos. HARRIS, Snr. - Buckanear
David JONES - Muskitt
Christopher JONES - Fuzee
Thos. HARRIS, Jur. - Muskitt
Edward SPENCER - Fuzee
John MORRIS - Muskeet
William MORRIS - Buckaneer
Stephen HARRIS - Fowling piece
Joseph WILLIAMS - Muskitt
Samuell SMITH - Muskitt
William TURNER - Muskeet
Charles CUTHRELL - Muskeet
Robeart HENRY - Fowling piece
Hugh HENRY - Carbine
Richard BRINN - Fowling piece
John SWINDELL - Muskett
William HARRIS - Fuzee
Matthew CAPPS - Fuzee
John CARRYONE - Muskeet
William SWINDELL - Muskeet
Abraham JONES - Fuzee
Benjeman JACKSON - Muskitt
Thomas SPENCER - Buckaneer
Nathan BAKER - Buckanneer
John BREACE - Fuzee
Thomas SMITH - Muskitt
Joseph CARRYONE - Carbine
Ziddekiah SWINDELL - [Blank]
Josiah SWINDELL - Carbine
Caleb SWINDELL - Fuzee
Joseph WALLS - Fowling piece
William SELBY - Fuzee
Andrew HOPKINS - Muskeet
Hopkins WILLIAMS - Muskeet
[ t ] STUCKBURY - Carbine
John LEATH, Snr. - [Blank]
Step[ t ]en EMMERY - Buckanneer
Nicless COFFEE - Muskett
James HALL - Fowling piece
John HALL - Fuzee
Joshua HALL - [Blank]
John JENNETT - Buckanneer
Wa[ * ] COX - Fuzee
Solomon JONES - Carbine
Buredge SELBY - Fowling peice
John CARROW - Buckanneer
George WILLSON - Fowling piece
Nathan SPENCER - Fowling piece
John SMITH, Jur. - Muskitt
Luke LINTON - Muskitt
John LINTON - Muskitt
David DUNEIN [?] - [Blank]
Henry BREICE - Muskitt
Thomas ADKINS - Muskitt
John SELBY - [Blank]
James DAVISSON - Fowling peice
Buries [?] WATSON - Fowling peice

[PPatch]

Hopefully not skewing the original subject but I wonder what a "Carbine" looked like. Very interesting list btw, Thanks James.

dave

[James Rogers]

Dave,
More than likely those carbines looked much like the muskets but had smaller bores.

[T.C.Albert]

I may be all wet, but wasn't the term "bucaneer gun" initially derived from the guns used by French speaking island hunters engaged in jerking meat for the sea trade? Maybe  the term became generic after that to describe a club or paddle butt game gun?
tc

[James Rogers]

TC,
I think you are correct in the term buccaneer coming from an island word and the French deriving a name from that. I believe by the late 17th century the term was being used pretty loosely and not just for the French island men who smoked feral animals. It was also used for privateers engaged by the English government. Just as a fusil or fuzee can be from multiple origins I think by the 18th century a buccaneer gun was the same. I believe it's characteristics and not it's origin defined it by that period.
I have little study on this and welcome any correction.

[RAT]

This style of gun was apparently a common trade/gift item for native Americans. They are mentioned in records and show up in paintings of native people during the period.

[axelp]

a friend of mine had in his family a hudson valley fowler that had been converted to percussion, and used, passed down thru the generations. It was in ill repair and hung in a room on a rack where the grandkids played with it etc,,,, it was almost thrown away a few times…. but a few years back, he sold it to a collector for a goodly sum.

K

[Belleville]

Wonder if French ships stopped at ports in this area and if so did they sell guns to British colonists? I had always assumed America was Canada, LA and the French Islands?

1716: Regulations required all [French] ships going to America to carry 4 buccaneer or hunting guns to be sold to the inhabitants, except those involved in the slave trade. (Moller).