I've been thinking about this some, I think you need to search for the Draper Manuscripts, Mark Baker (IIRC) uses this as a resource / reference to his articles on William Hall which he wrote for Muzzleloader magazine. this manuscript is interviews with the participants in frontier events. I think that most people just romanticise the frontier experience when in fact it was a brutal life.
Lets look at William Hall for a moment, at 10 he and his brother where ambushed by Indians, brother instantly tomahawked by two Indians before he could move, William took off running and escaped to the house, where by luck a few folks had gathered, they provided covering fire over his head at the pursuing Indians on his escape to the house. A year and a half later (not sure of exact time frame but very closely following the first ambush) another brother and his father where killed in another ambush while protecting the family retreat, again William escaped, in told I think William said in these interviews that 10 of his relatives where killed by Indians and a brother in law badly wounded twice in a few years span. These events took place in Tn.
Militia duty in the these remote settlements was more often than not the mundane activity of an escort for families and goods being transported between forts. The Indians targeted small groups of travelers and the protection of people and goods was vital to the survival of these out lying settlements. In addition farmers where frequently attacked while at work, so a firearm was always near at hand. In between all the moments of terror was the backbreaking work of clearing land, growing crops, chopping wood etc necessary to survive.
Another topic to discuss is the role of these small fortifications, they provided the necessary protection against Indian attack. In these areas the defense only needed to be against smallarms fire (cannon attacks are known but uncommon) so a simple log stockade, blockhouse and dwelling sufficed. Fire was the biggest threat, but history proves that these fortifications.
If you would like to discuss the rifle and how it was viewed at the time, I think you could talk about the design of the rococo carving / brass furniture being a fashion statement as well as the makers signature of quality work. One thing not mentioned very often is how the rifle / musket promoted the industrial revolution (well my opinion anyway) in the fact that originally they where individually hand built, but the need for more weapons, faster sooner quicker eventually evolved into the system on interchangeable parts, this laid the groundwork for industrialization.
Broke
