Shumway and rifles

[Eric Kettenburg]

Martin - here is the earliest example of the term I have found, and it may interest you in particular as it notes a situation in Lancaster County:

Collection: The Pennsylvania Gazette
Publication: The Pennsylvania Gazette
Date: September 20, 1739
Title: RUN away on the 6th Inst. from Thomas Rees, of Heydelburg To
RUN away on the 6th Inst. from Thomas Rees, of Heydelburg Township, Lancaster County, a Servant Lad, named Richard Beddes, aged about 17 Years, has light bushy Hair: Had on an old striped linsey Jacket, old linnen Shirt, new Linnen Breeches and an old Hat, no Shoes nor Stockings. Took with him a smooth Rifle Gun. Whoever brings the said Servant to his said Master, or secures him in the County Goal, so that he may be had again, shall have Three Pounds Reward and reasonable Charges, paid by Thomas Rees.

Here's one from Northampton County:

Collection: The Pennsylvania Gazette
Publication: The Pennsylvania Gazette
Date: January 26, 1769
Title: RUN away from his bail, on the 9th of this inst. January, JOHN
RUN away from his bail, on the 9th of this inst. January, JOHN DAVIS, this country born, about 21 years of age, about 5 feet 5 inches high, of a sandy complexion, freckled, had a pretty large scar on the instep of one of his feet, occasioned by the cut of an ax, and he is pretty talkative; had on, when he went away, a blue broadcloth coat, with mohair buttons, a red plush waistcoat, leather breeches, and a fine hat; he also had other clothes, of a light ash colour, lined with striped linsey, the coat had no lining in the sleeves; these he had packed up in a pair of check trowsers; he may dispose of one suit; he took with him a smooth rifle gun, and as he has served his time, he may possibly produce his indenture. Whoever secures the said runaway in any goal, shall have FIVE POUNDS reward, paid by the subscriber in Forks township, Northampton county. GEORGE TIDFORD.

German imports, both rifled barrels and smooth rifles:

Collection: The Pennsylvania Gazette
Publication: The Pennsylvania Gazette
Date: February 17, 1773
Title: Philadelphia, February 15, 1773.
Philadelphia, February 15, 1773. To be SOLD very cheap, for cash only, by CONRAD BATIS, Living in Market street, next door to the corner of Third street, opposite to the goal, in Philadelphia, A QUANTITY of this country and German made RIFLES , both cut and smooth bores, in the best manner; also a quantity of German made GUNS and PISTOLS, likewise gun mountings, barrels and locks, a quantity of violins and violin strings; a reasonable abatement will be made to such as buy a quantity to sell again, of any of the aforesaid articles.

N.B. The said Conrad Batis pays ready money for clean LINEN RAGS.

Maryland:

Collection: The Pennsylvania Gazette
Publication: The Pennsylvania Gazette
Date: May 3, 1775
Title: TWENTY ONE POUNDS Reward.
TWENTY ONE POUNDS Reward. RUN away, last night, from the subscriber, living near Bush river, Harford county, Maryland, 7 English servant men, viz. John Brown, about 35 years of age, about 5 feet 8 inches high, has black hair, large temples, narrow chin and thick lips, used to the sea, and a great swearer. N.B. Has been in the country before. Abraham Peters, about 28 years of age, about 5 feet 9 inches high, has black hair and beard, of a swarthy complexion, his left hand somewhat perished and lame; says he is a Jew, and talks very good Dutch. John Cooley, about 22 years of age, by trade a Plaisterer, about 5 feet 8 inches high, round face and well set; had on a blue fearnought jacket, and a double breasted under jacket, white yarn stockings, and old shoes. William Childs, about 21 years of age, about 5 feet 6 inches high, a Carver and Gilder by trade, and but meanly dressed, which was a blue fearnought jacket, and old shoes, with hob nails. Thomas Able, about 25 years of age, about 5 feet 5 inches high, has a remarkable red face, very rotten teeth, is a great talker and very much pitted with the smallpox; he has been in South Carolina before. William Blancklett, about 27 years of age, about 5 feet 4 inches high, thin visage, sharp nose, black hair and beard. Thomas Sharp, about 15 years of age, about 5 feet 3 inches high, fair complexion; he had on a green coat, blue cuffs; stole and took with him two pair of trowsers, one striped holland and the other ozenbrigs, one white shirt and one check ditto, new felt hat: As Able and Blancklettbreeches were much worn, it is imagined they wear said trowsers. They had and took away with them a country square barrelled, smooth bore GUN, rifle stocked, one pistol, and other firearms; it is supposed they stole a BOAT from Otter Point. Whoever takes up the said servants, shall have, if taken 10 miles from home, Ten Pounds; if out of the county, Fourteen Pounds; and if out of the province, the above reward, or in proportion for each, including what the law allows, paid by BUCKLER BOND,

WILLIAM SMITHSON.

*** It is like they will make for some vessel, therefore all masters of vessels, and others, are hereby forewarned from taking said servants, at their peril.

March 26, 1775.





 

[Tom Currie]

Tatonka, Your post regarding RCA 19 is quite a statement. " Extremely Interesting " would be an understatement for me. Your post implies a factual rather than speculative attribution,  that would mean so much more. Can't wait to see the research.

[James Rogers]

Tatonka, Your post regarding RCA 19 is quite a statement. " Extremely Interesting " would be an understatement for me. Your post implies a factual rather than speculative attribution,  that would mean so much more. Can't wait to see the research.

Yep,
Can't wait to examine this new found documentaion.

[mkeen]

Thank you Eric for all the great information from the Pennsylvania Gazette. As usual you have a great deal of information from primary sources. I almost feel I should pay you for the time spent just typing in the response!

I have no problem with the gun collecting community or individuals on this forum using the terminology of smooth rifles. It was definitely used in the past. But I do think you must be prepared to explain the term when speaking or writing to an outside audience in the present day. Every collecting group, hobby or line of work develops its own lingo. If you are not careful you can turn off the "outsiders" and have a reduction in new blood. Not everyone knows the parts of a rifle. An example would be a swamped barrel. I can only imagine what most people would think of that. Would a person unfamiliar with guns even know the location of the muzzle? Just some of my thoughts.

Martin

[flintriflesmith]

I've always felt that calling a Civil War era military long arm a "rifled musket" was at least as odd as calling a civilian long arm build in the style of a rifle a "smooth rifle." For centuries a musket had meant a smooth bore military weapon --- until they started rifling them for conical projectiles.

Obviously both terms date from the periods when these guns were made and used so we just need to get over our notions about precise terminology from a modern dictionary.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

When I first got interested in longrifles I heard/saw the term "smooth rifle" and someone explained that it was built with all the stylistic features of a typical rifle but had a smooth bore..... Made sense and has been useful ever since......... So a smooth rifle may have been built as one or may have evolved into one through use.... Seems like a useful term to distinguish from a rifle gun or a fowling piece etc........ I don't understand the concern......... It just gives me an excuse to tell an unknowledgeable person more about the art and mystery of the American Longrifle!!  

[spgordon]

I don't think anybody expressed any concern about the term (though they did about the term "lobbied"   !).

Given that the term "smooth rifle" might seem puzzling to those who aren't familiar with eighteenth-century guns ('aren't rifles called rifles because their barrels are rifled?'), Martin was just asking about the term's origin--and the posts here make it clear that it dates back to the eighteenth century itself.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Given that the term "smooth rifle" might seem puzzling to those who aren't familiar with eighteenth-century guns ('aren't rifles called rifles because their barrels are rifled?'), Martin was just asking about the term's origin--and the posts here make it clear that it dates back to the eighteenth century itself.

I would say the data is pretty clear, at least where these publications circulated!!     Perhaps we should frame it.....

[JV Puleo]

Actually, "rifled musket", "rifle musket" and "rifle" all had specific meanings in military terms just before the beginning of the CW. A "rifled musket" was a musket, formerly a smooth bore, that had been rifled. These were invariably .69 caliber and the rifled M1842s with long range sights are probably the best known. A "rifle musket" was a regular infantry length rifle... i.e., it took the place of the formerly smooth bored infantry musket. The "rifle," as distinct from these two, was shorter and became extinct after the M1855. It was the natural descendent of the M1803, 1814, 1817 and 1841. When "riflemen" ceased being a distinctive type of infantry, the term "rifle" passed to the regular infantry arm.

[jdm]

 In the 1980 K.R.A. bulletin there is an article on smooth rifles. The          author references an 1808 ledger of Martin Sheetz. Quote The ledger notes in one entry "2 rifle guns,3 smoothrifle guns, 3 shot guns, 1 eating table $105.00."  The author states that he would like to see all three types from the same maker. I agree that would be interesting to compare the differences.    JIM