Hi,
The musket bore provision in MA goes back to 1693:
“ Every listed souldier ... shall be alwayes provided with a well
fixt firelock musket, of musket or bastard musket bore, the barrel
not less then three foot and a half long, or other good firearms to
the satisfaction of the commission officers of the company, a
snapsack, a coller with twelve bandeleers or cartouch-box, one
pound of good powder, twenty bullets fit for his gun, and twelve
flints, a good sword or cutlace, a worm and priming wire fit for
his gun.” Massachusetts Militia Laws, Nov. 22, 1693.
Later as the Rev War approached they added bayonets and metal ramrods with local communities sometimes footing the bill:
"Each soldier to provide himself with a good firearm, a steel
or iron ramrod and a spring for same, a worm, a priming wire
and brush, a bayonet fitted to his gun, a scabbard and belt
thereof, a cutting sword fifteen rounds . . . at least, a hundred
buckshot, six flints, one pound of powder, forty leaden balls
fitted to the gun, a knapsack and blanket, [and] a canteen or
wooden bottle to hold one quart [of water]." Journal of
Arthur Harris of the Bridgewater Coy of Militia.
Upon request of a number of the Inhabitants to see if the Town will call for those
bayonets that were providede for part of the training soldiers at the Province cost,
and that the remaindere of the soldiers may be providede with bayonets at the
expense of the Towne, to be returnable when called for. And that those persons
that have purchased bayonets at their own cost may be paid for them, by the
Towne, at the price the others cost the Towne.”
The residents also resolved “that bayonets be provided at the Towns cost for one
thirde part of the training soldiers in this Town, including those soldiers that have
already had bayonets provided for them at the Province charge.” Declarations
and Resolves, Town of Lexington, December 12 and 28, 1774.
It is also clear that in some NE towns, the municipal government supplied at least some of the firearms. It was not always what the soldier already owned. Of course, how well towns and counties fulfilled those requirements is a good question. I looked into a lot of this when I built an historically correct firearm for a New Jersey militia soldier just prior to the Rev War.
dave
