By 1778, Virginia was in dire need of additional arms, having armed her 15 Continental regiments, and other forces, which then took those arms out of the state. From September 1775 to July 1776 alone, the Virginia Committee of Safety had purchased some 3,325 Muskets and 2,098 Rifles from private hands (P109-124 The Gunsmith in Colonial Virginia, Harold B. Gill, Jr. Williamsburg, Va. [1974]). In 1781, Thomas Jefferson estimated over 5,500 arms had been “Carried into Continental service” from Virginia, which is a considerable number for a state that was at that time fielding 6,235 regulars and militia yet had only 71,052 free men over age 16 in Jefferson’s population estimate the year afterwards.
As a result, supplies of arms were
running short, as illustrated by a letter from backcountry Militia Colonels
William Preston and William Fleming to Virginia’s Governor Patrick
Henry, dated July 8th 1778:
“… we are sorry to find that
numbers of Our effective Men are not armed, which we can only account
for from the Number of Firelocks that were purchased in these parts,
for the use of the State...” (Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Historical Publications Collections Volume XXIII Draper Series, Volume IV p106)
Early on in the revolution, Virginia
and other American states sought munitions and assistance from Europe
including a past enemy, France:
Virginia Gazette,
Purdie, March 22, 1776, page 2
Williamsburg, March
22.
"It is an
undoubted fact, that between 8 and 9000 wt. of gunpowder is just
brought into this colony, from one of the French islands, with a
number of fieldpieces, four and six pounders, some muskets, &c."
Included in these various shipments
of French arms were a number of "Rampart muskets". Governor Thomas Jefferson wrote in January of 1781 that of 5000 stands of arms "We
received of Continental arms in 1779... one half of which were
rampart arms...."
12,000 rampart muskets arrived in
Portsmouth, New Hampshire on April 20, 1777 aboard the Amphitrite
and an additional 1,500 were landed at Portsmouth, New Hampshire on
January 8th, 1778 aboard the Dutchess d'Grammont (American Military Shoulder Arms, Moller v. 1, Appendix 5).
In addition to complete rampart
muskets, "From 1777 to 1780, at least 16,000 rampart musket
barrels were received from France." (American Military Shoulder Arms, Moller, v. 1, p. 136).
What is a Rampart
Musket?
An unaltered French model 1717 Rampart Musket
Overall: 63 1/4" Barrel: 47" x .75 caliber Lockplate: 7 1/8"
Overall: 63 1/4" Barrel: 47" x .75 caliber Lockplate: 7 1/8"
In the 17th
century, French arms makers were producing oversized (both matchlock
and later flintlock) “rampart” or “demi-citadelle” muskets
that were “used for the defense of the Places [fortifications]."
Detail of plate 65 Artillerie pratique (1846) "Armes de guerre...fusil de rampart" showing a matchlock rampart musket with a hook, sometimes referred to as an "Arquebuses a croc".
Pierre Surirey de Saint Remy’s Mémoires d'artillerie
contains a 1716 ordinance that notes that they will
cost 25% more than a common soldier’s musket and were being
procured from the same shops that were making the regulation infantry
muskets. (Mémoires d'artillerie, In three volumes In quarto by Pierre Surirey de Saint Remy Volume 3 Paris, 1745 p 427-428). French Army small arms were officially standardized with the 1717
regulations, and a parallel, larger “rampart” sized version of the 1717 musket
and later, the 1728 model musket were produced. Didier Bianchi estimates production at 30,000-40,000 for 1717 rampart muskets and a smaller unknown number of 1728 rampart guns (French Military Small Arms volume 1 p18-22).
A banded 1728 rampart musket style gun with a large, non regulation
.85 caliber fully octagonal barrel (similar to the illustration of a matchlock rampart gun
shown in Artillerie pratique). No complete specimens matching the 1728 regulations are known to the author at this time, and this atypical barrel may represent a thrifty arsenal reuse of an older barrel from French stores or a working life replacement (courtesy the Cromwell Collection). Other French rampart guns with non regulation barrels are in collections in France and America.
These rampart muskets differed from
the common infantry muskets as they had thicker stocks and larger
bores (rampart muskets weighed roughly 10.5 lbs, the same as an English "King's Pattern" Long land musket vs the roughly eight pounds of the contemporary French infantry musket):
“The bullet of the soldier's musket
is from eighteen to a pound [.69” bore firing .65” ball]; And the
bullet of the rampart musket, is of an ounce or of sixteen to the
pound [.73” bore firing .68” ball, roughly the same size as
English muskets]”(Encyclopédie méthodique. Arts et métiers mécaniques. Tome 1 / , par Jacques Lacombe; Paris 1782)
Rampart muskets
also lacked sling swivels or provisions for mounting a bayonet. These
features suited the rampart musket’s intended use as a shoulder
fired weapon that bridged the gap between the infantry
muskets and light artillery for the defense of fixed positions. Lieutenant
William Grant of the 42nd regiment mentions the difficulty
in attacking the French entrenchments at Ticonderoga in 1758 “gave
the enemy abundance of time to mow us down like a field of corn, with
their wall-pieces and small arms, before we fired one single shot.” (The Royal American Regiment: An Atlantic Microcosm, 1755–1772, Alexander V. Campbell, p95) The “wall-pieces” Grant mentioned were likely a portion of the
1,000 stands of rampart muskets brought to Canada in 1755 (French Military Arms and Armor in America, 1503-1783, René Chartrand, p. 160-161)
An American restocked 1717 rampart musket's lock. Private Collection.
Three unique and large (over 1 1/8"s) frizzen bridles from 1717 Rampart muskets have been recovered at the Point of Fork Arsenal site in Virginia (courtesy the Cromwell Collection). Additional rampart musket parts have been excavated in Virginia.
Three unique and large (over 1 1/8"s) frizzen bridles from 1717 Rampart muskets have been recovered at the Point of Fork Arsenal site in Virginia (courtesy the Cromwell Collection). Additional rampart musket parts have been excavated in Virginia.
Virginia’s stock of Rampart muskets
from Continental stores, which lacked bayonets had "long lain
dormant…supposed useless for the field" (THE REPUBLIC OF LETTERS: The Correspondence between Thomas Jefferson and ...By James Morton -- Ed. "Smith, Madison and the Virginia Congressional Delegation to Governor Jefferson Philadelphia Apr. 27, 1781; also see Madison papers p88 Va. Delegates to TJ April 27th 1781) and remained in storage for two years while more suitable guns were
issued. Other states were not as picky, and hundreds were lent to
Pennsylvania in order to arm her militia:
"...When we
had the honour of waiting on the council & consented to furnish
arms for the militia, our views were confined to those who should
form the guard in this city : the state of the public stores will not
at present warrant a more extensive supply. We expect a quantity of
rampart muskets from Virginia in a few days; they are substantial
arms without bayonets : out of these the 750 asked for may be lent to
the state. The one ton of powder you requested shall be delivered to
your order."
Model 1728 Rampart lock found at Guilford Courthouse
This lock can be confirmed as a 1728 Rampart lock by the larger than musket sized 7.3 inch overall length. Note the lack of the bridle on the frizzen spring featured on the 1717 models.
North Carolina received 2,200 rampart arms in 1780,
and a 1728 pattern Rampart musket lock (identifiable as such due to
the lock’s larger size) was recovered on the battlefield at
Guilford Court House
(fought on March 15, 1781). This likely indicates that some North
Carolina issued rampart muskets were used in that battle.
In December 1780, American traitor
Benedict Arnold, now a British General, accompanied by Colonel John
Graves Simcoe’s Queen’s rangers and other troops arrived in
Virginia, attacking Richmond on January 5th, 1781.
Arnold's force caused significant damage, and the poorly armed
Virginia militia proved ineffective at stopping his invasion.
By April British reinforcements under General Phillips had reached Virginia and on April 27, 1781 the urgent needs for more arms brought these "useless" rampart muskets to the forefront. Several Virginia Delegates (Madison, Bland and Smith) wrote to Governor Thomas Jefferson on April 27th, 1781 from Philadelphia that:
"Having
discovered that there were a considerable number of Rampart Arms
belonging to the U.S. at this place, which have long lain dormant,
(having been supposed useless for the Field,) we have found on
enquiry that with a small alteration, and fixing Bayonettes to them
they are capable of being renderd exceeding good Field Arms; &
knowing the necessity of the State for a Supply of that article we
have been extreemely desireous to have them alterd and Sent on with
all possible dispatch…”
Paying for these alterations proved
problematic. The Virginia delegates
“…flatterd
ourselves that this might have been done expeditiously by the
Intervention of some Virginia Merchants who had money in this City
which they offerd to dispose of for the purchase of the Arms from the
Continent; to have them fitted and transported at their own
expence, and on their arrival in Virginia giving the State the offer
of them upon terms yielding them a reasonable Profit for their
trouble and expence in so doing; but when they gave in their
proposals to us in writing, we were extreemely sorry to find that
what would yield them a profit, (far short as they informed us of
what might be obtaind by vesting their money in other Articles of
Commerce,) greatly exceeded any allowance we thought ourselves
Justifiable in agreeing they shd. receive, especially when we
considerd the fowl condition of the treasury of the State, and that
we must engage the faith of the State for the Immediate advance of
one half the Money, and the payment of the other half on the delivery
of the Arms. This determined us to embrace an Alternative, which we
hope in the End will prove more Eligible; we have in consequence of
that determination procured an Order of Congress to the board of War
to have two thousand Stand immediately alterd and fitted up for field
Service, to be forwarded with all possible expedition to Virginia and
the remainder to be sent to Maryland and North Carolina. “
A request was made for Jefferson to
furnish
“the amount of
1,300 Pounds hard money_ or its Value in Paper,' such as will
Circulate in this State; without which we find it will absolutely be
impracticable to carry into execution a measure which will be
productive of the greatest advantage to the Southern States, for
want of some fund in this City we have often found ourselves greatly
embarrassed, and frequently absolutely prevented from expediting
Succours of whose consequences we are fully apprized to the
Southward…”
In case this financial request was
declined, the Virginia Delegates' Agreement with Pennsylvania
gunsmith Ebenezer Cowell ("Agreement between the delegates of Virginia and Ebenezer Cowell of Philadelphia, to "Cut and put in good Repair two Thousand Ramport Muskets, the Property of the said State." April 2, 1781 published in Papers of James Madison, Vol 3 p86-Wm T. Hutchinson and Wm Rachal eds.) included a mechanism for him to receive 800 stands of these arms to
resell himself in lieu of payment should the Virginian’s tenuous
payment fall through.
"PHILADELPHIA
April 27th. 1781
Memorandum of an
Agreement entered into this 27th of April 1781
Between the Honble
The Delegates of the State of Virginia on the one
Part, and Ebenezer
Cowell of the City of Philadelphia on the other.'-
The said Cowell
doth hereby undertake to Cut and put in good Repair two
Thousand Rampart Muskets, the Property of the Said State, in
the same Manner, and of the same length as those now Shewn in the War
Office, at the rate of Seven Shillings and Six Pence Hard Money, or
the value thereof in Paper Money at the Time of Payment. And the said
Cowell doth hereby engage to finish Twelve Hundred of the said
Muskets in Fourteen Days from this Time, and deliver the same to
the orders' of the said Delegates to be transported to the said
State of Virginia-and the Residue before the day of Payment.
And the said
Delegates do hereby engage to Pay the said Cowell or order the said
Sum of Seven Shillings and Six Pence Hard Money or the real value
thereof in Paper m[oney] for each Musket, in Sixty days from the day
of the Date of these Presents; and they hereby agree that if it is
not paid at that Day, that the Eight Hundred Muskets or so many
there of as shall be sufficient for the [pu]rpose shall be
immediately sold to satisfy the said Cowell his demand according to
this agreement.
JAMES MADISON
JUNR
THEOK: BLAND M.
SMITH
EBENEZER CoWELL"
Cowell worked quickly, on May 1, 1781
Madison and the Virginia Congressional Delegation were able to report
to Governor Jefferson that“We had previous to his coming taken
some measures which we flatter ourselves will yield about 2000 good
muskets in about two weeks. .. The 1100 Stand belonging to the State
have at length gone forward, with most of the other Articles brought
hither with them." (THE REPUBLIC OF LETTERS: The Correspondence between Thomas Jefferson and ...By James Morton -- Ed. "Smith May 1, 1781 Madison and the Virginia Congressional Delegation to Jefferson)."
Seven days later the same delegation
reported “About 400 of the Rampart arms to be made into good
Muskets and fixd with Bayonettes for the State as advised in ours of
last week are finishd and will be sent forward immediately and the
others are finishing with all possible Expedition."(THE REPUBLIC OF LETTERS: The Correspondence between Thomas Jefferson and ...By James Morton -- Ed. "Smith Madison and the Virginia Congressional Delegation to Governor Jefferson, Philadelphia May 8, 1781)."
An altered 1717 rampart musket that has been cut for a bayonet featured in the 2019 Society of the Cincinnati program "Gifts from the Sea: The Miraculous Stories of Two Continental Army Guns"
Around this time an additional army
under British General Lord Charles Cornwallis reached Virginia from
North Carolina.
By May 22, 1781, George Weedon was able
to report to Lafayette that he had "a letter this post from the
Board of war dated [14th? Inst.] They inform 250 Stand of repared
Rampart Arms were set out from Phila. and 250 more would follow in
three days." (George Weedon to Lafayette May 22, 1781 Fredericksburg Va- Lafayette in the American Revolution vol 4 page 125).
On May 29, 1781 Col. Grayson, sent
General Weedon the following account of arms (George Weedon Military Correspondence (Mss.B.W41) at the American Philosophical Society- Grayson's letter of June 26th confirms that these were "four thousand Rampart arms...for the use of the Southern Militia" ).
Dr. Sir.
An account of the
Arms is as follow:-
Sent on}
1,100.- property of the State- from R. Island.
1000- Do.- Rampart Arms. repaired
1000. Do.- ...Ready }at this place
500... Continental...Do.-
1000... Do. on their way from West
point
In all...4.600.-
The thousand
repaired rampart arms for the State & the five hundred
Continental Arms for the new levies, will go on this week: the
thousand which are on the way from West point will be sent as soon as
they arrive:- As to swords, and pistols, which you write for, I am
doing all in my power, perhaps you may get part: if the State agent
who is here, can get money to put them together, the Board will
furnish him with the limbs [?]and charge them to the state- Sweet
Virginia goes on as usual, the agent is sent up to purchase an
immense quantity of articles without a farthing of cash in his
pockett: as to the credit of the State I don't believe any body would
trust her for half a crown:- There never was more maneuvering than to
get the rampart arms, & have them repaired. I shall comuel
[?illeg] the Delegates of the State and fall upon all the ways and
means upon the face of the Earth to get your swords and pistols. As
to Musketts, I think you are in a pretty good way.- Wayne has at last
marched through:- 600. new levies will shortly join you from Maryland
and Delawar: Moylan's horse will go in fourteen days amounting to 60
dragoons: Pray with Steubans 1200 & this force cannot you look
Cornwallis in the face?-
The old story of
evacuating N. York has revived again:- the idea is ridiculed by some
but I own I am among those who do not think such a measure
improbable:- I am very impatient to hear when the last detachment
from N. York has gone; I have always thought they were for Chesapeake
bay, but from their being out to Camp, I begin to think they have gon
to Charles town._ The advices next week from Europe hold the most
agreeable expectations.- France is firm, & Holland determined to
act vigourously.
Having a great
number of letters to answer, must conclude, with assuring you I am
one of the most indus: trious men in the City---
Yr. Affect. friend.
Since writing the
above, we have served out fifty pair of pistols, and a thousand
cartridge boxes.- Pray inform me what you want every thing shall be
done that can be done."
Virginia's Governor Thomas Jefferson
followed up in a letter to Lafayette on May 31st, confirming "...Mr.
Ross's Agent in Philadelphia on the 9th. instant forwarded 275 Stand
of Arms and a ton of Powder to Fredericksburg; on the 11th he
forwarded another stand of Arms; on the 18th. he forwarded 600 stand
of Arms, and by this time expected the remainder of the 2000 engaged
from Congress by the board of war...." adding that "I must
pray you to take such measures....as may secure these Stores from
fall in in with the enemy and moving them to where they may be useful
to you."
By June 1781, the arms were being issued in
Virginia, Colonel William Grayson wrote
Weedon that
I have been
indefatigable about procuring Arms, and I am now authorized to
tell you you will be supplyed to a much greater extent than I
expected by the first day of July, there shall be a sufficient
quantity of arms in Virginia for all your purposes :-
therefore skirmish, but risque not a general action; The Congress
have ordered three battalions of Militia from Maryland & from
this State: Maylans [Moyland] goes in ten days from this with Sixty
Horse well accoutred- & I presume that Green will shortly return.
Inclosed is a list of the rampart Arms sent on: exclusive of those
taken by Baron Steuban [likely used to arm Gaskin’s Virginia
Continental Battalion. See Steuben to Greene, 5118/81, PTJ 5:668; Steuben to Oliver Towles, et al., 5/17/81, Steuben Papers; Richard Claiborne to Jefferson, 5/18/81, PTJ 5:665-66; Davies to Steuben, 5/22/8l, Steuben Papers.].-
I shall send you by every Part returns of the quantities the name of
the waggoners, point of destination & the route they will take.
I shall push hard to get leave to go to Virginia, after the affair
with regards to the arms is carried into full execution:" (George Weedon Military Correspondence (Mss.B.W41) at the American Philosophical Society. 1781 June 5. Grayson, Col. - Encloses list of arms sent on... pg. 106.)
Although termed “substantial arms" , on June 26th,
Colonel William Grayson asked Weedon’s opinion of the rampart guns succinctly noting “The militia cannot grumble about them being heavy, as they
are precisely of the same weight with a Brittish muskett.” ( George Weedon Military Correspondence (Mss.B.W41) at the American Philosophical Society. 1781 June 26. Grayson, William. to Weedon ). Despite being at first considered “useless” when compared to the prolific contemporary French muskets like the 1763 "Charlevilles";
a considerable quantity of fifty to sixty year old French rampart
guns were “made into good Muskets and fixd with Bayonettes” at a
critical time when Virginia and other southern states needed them
most.
NB: I'd like to express my extreme gratitude to Steve Delisle, André Gousse, Erik Goldstien, The Colonial Williamsburg John D. Rockefeller Library staff, Giles Cromwell, Jim Kochan, and the American Philosophical Society for assisting with this research project.
