Notes on 18th century Rifles in North Carolina

Early references to rifles in North Carolina are somewhat rare, and completely absent from a 1755 list of arms used by the coastal Hyde County militia company of Henry Gibbs. Below are a few scattered references that I hope to add to as I find more.

Moravian Rifles

Edward Marshall’s Rifle- further discussion can be found here

Moravians arrived in North Carolina from Pennsylvania to establish a settlement and industry at their land termed "Wachovia" as early as 1753 (first establishing a village at Bethabara and subsequently Salem). The community included gunsmith Andreas Betz, his apprentice Joseph Muller, the gun-stocker Johan Valentine Beck and locksmith/gunsmith Johan Jacob Loesch (Jr.); who are discussed in Eric Kettenburg's excellent article Moravian Artisans in North Carolina. Having local gunsmiths did not end the importation of Moravian made rifles from Pennsylvania (likely due to the demands of other projects in the new settlement):

 "1757 May: Sundry Accounts...Dr ye Locksmith (at Bethlehem) Abraham Steiner for a Gun for Jacob Steiner in Wachovia. £3.10." (Moravian Gun making of the American Revolution p. 24)

Kettenburg's article notes a "1758 request to provide Betz with his own gunsmith shop (separate from the smithy) indicates an increased need for repair work, possibly amongst the arms off the Brethren themselves but also very likely amongst the increasing number of 'strangers' utilizing the services of the Moravian tradesmen."

 Christian Oerter rifle made in 1775 at Christian's Spring, Pennsylvania

1775 Oerter lock

Arthur Dobbs mentions "thirty men on horseback armed with muskets and rifled guns" in a 1762 letter from Brunswick.

War of the Regulation

The Journal of William Tryon's journey to Hillsborough

 "Deep River Camp, Fryday 16th Sept: 1768.
Parole—Hillsborough.

The Guard upon His Excellency's Quarters and camp guards to be furnished by the Mecklenburg Battalion and to mount as usual.

The Captain of each Company to inspect the Arms and Ammunition of the men and to see that the lead that was delivered to them is run into bullets of a proper size for their rifles. As this is an essential duty the Governor recommends it to them to observe it with great punctuality, and make report to-morrow morning of the condition of the Arms and Ammunition to the commanding Officers of their respective regiments who will make report of the same to His Excellency to-morrow morning before the Troops march."

An account of the battle of Alamance in 1771 (SC Gazette May 30, 1771) mentions Regulators "Sculking being Trees and Bushes with their Rifles loaded..."  Rifles were present on the side of Governor Tryon's forces as well, and compensation was requested for several rifles that were lost in the battle.
 

Pennsylvania sources

In an older post I discussed the flow of goods from Pennsylvania to the Southern back country via the great wagon road (vs the water route to Kentucky via Fort Pitt).  William Sample Alexander operated a wagon train between Mecklenburg County, NC and Chester County, Pa. (tip of the hat to the "Clothing the Carolinas" Blog for posting the link). Two entries from the William Sample Alexander Diary (1770-1778) provide some interesting info as to the possible source of a 1770s rifle manufactured in Pennsylvania that was purchased through Alexander and delivered to a North Carolina customer (these two may be different purchases but I suspect the pricing discrepancy is from conversions between currency in North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

"For Capt Jas. Alexander1 ryfal [rifle] gun 

3 feet 7 Inches Inches long light and handy received 4 dollars-"

William Sample Alexander Diary #1504-z, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

 "...4£ 10/ to dickert for gun..." 

William Sample Alexander Diary #1504-z, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

An early Jacob Dickert rifle from Rock Island Auction

Kentucky Rifle Foundation  display of Jacob Dickert rifles 2019 Eastern Pa. Longrifle show

Glenn F. Williams Lectures

I recently had the opportunity to hear a lecture on Dunmore's War by Glenn F. Williams, Ph.D.; author of the excellent book "Dunmore's War: The Last Conflict of America's Colonial Era", and found it highly informative and enjoyable. Williams did an admirable job explaining a murky and confusing topic. The author has a few additional speaking dates on his schedule and I highly recommend attending if you can.

-September 12  6:30 pm, 245-year Dunmore's War Commemoration Evening, John K. Hale Lecture Series, Giles County Historical Society, 208North Main Street. Pearisburg, Virginia 24134

-September 21 North HouseMuseum Lewisburg, WV

-September 22 Green Bank Observatory, Green Bank, WV (Fort Warwick) (more info TBA) 

-October 10 11:00 am, "Point Pleasant to Camp Charlotte," Dunmore's War Symposium,  Fort Pitt Museum, Point Park, Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania

 

 

Colonial Williamsburg Weapons Conference

Weapons of War: Military Arms in Revolutionary America

October 11-13, 2019

 

Rappahannock Forge Musket Colonial Williamsburg 

" In 1754, British and French soldiers arrived in America in numbers never seen before on North American soil. Thousands of European soldiers joined colonial militias and Native American allies in nine years of bloody fighting—the French and Indian War. With these soldiers came the first large-scale influx of military weaponry into the American colonies. Before then, the colonists’ arms were a mix of the obsolete, the old and the odd. Most firearms were privately owned and suited more for shooting game than combat, while others were outdated weapons captured in previous conflicts.

The social and economic repercussions of this war contributed directly to the onset of the American Revolution 12 years later, when many French and Indian War veterans would fight once again to decide the fate of the British colonies. A fresh wave of cutting-edge military weaponry arrived with the American Revolution, adding to the diverse assemblage of arms types already in existence in 18th-century North America.

Weapons of War offers students, military historians and antique collectors the chance to learn about the various types of arms and accoutrements that came to America during this formative period. From the archaeologically recovered fragments which tell us what was really used during the Revolutionary period to the conservation of surviving artifacts, we will explore a diverse array of materials and ways of appreciating them through modern eyes."

"Some presentations at the conference include (Virginia Gazette Article):

• “Multiple Pathways and Different Lenses: Interdisciplinary Work at Knox’s 1778-1779 Winter Cantonment of the Continental Army” lecture by keynote presenter John L. Seidel, associate professor of anthropology and environmental studies and Center for Environment and Society at Washington College director.
• “Selected Virginia Weapons of the American Revolution,” presented by Giles Cromwell.
• A discussion about the battles of Lexington and Concord by Joel Bohy, "Antiques Roadshow" appraiser and director of historic arms and militaria with Skinner, Inc. of Marlborough, Mass. (a CWF blog post by Joel Bohy can be found here ).
• “‘Small Arms of The Dutch Fabrick’ in 18th-century British America” by independent researcher Jim Mullins.
• “‘For the Defense of the Colony:’ Tracking ‘New Jersey’ Wilson-contract Muskets from the Seven Years War to the Revolution,” presented by curator Mark A. Turdo of the Museum of the American Revolution."

Erik Goldstein Senior Curator of Mechanical Arts & Numismatics 

 Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

"Why You Should Register for the Weapons of War Conference
 

Colonial Williamsburg offers a closer look at the arms of the American Revolution
August 8, 2019 Q&A WITH ERIK GOLDSTEIN

"Who would you recommend this conference to?

Anyone with an interest in the French & Indian and Revolutionary Wars will love this conference, as it’s got something for all areas of interest. With such a diverse group of speakers, Weapons of War will appeal to arms collectors, historians, educators, museum professionals, living historians and the generally curious."

Register By
September 20, 20195:00 PM

While there visit the new exhibit  “To Arm against an Enemy: Weapons of the Revolutionary War”

Model 1763 Infantry Musket
Maker: Royal Manufactory at Maubeuge, Origin: France, Maubeuge
OL: 61" musket; 18" bayonet, Iron, steel and walnut
Learn more here

Now Open at The DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum