This book is an educational primer, providing a concise preparatory overview of early British infantry flintlocks in context. Written for history lovers and antique militaria collectors, Evolution of the Brown Bess Musket is lavishly illustrated with artwork, period documents, and flintlock-era British military weapons, many published for the first time. Covering basics for newcomers, new objects and concepts will also interest more experienced scholars and collectors. This holistic monarch-by-monarch journey explores and summarizes how early military flintlocks arms and tactics inter-relate with events in British and Colonial American history. George Washington's formative pre-1776 career is also featured. As a user-friendly readable book presenting artifacts as part of history, we witness the evolution of America, Great Britain, and the early British Empire, yielding relevant insights into the world as it is today.
Chapters include:
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Anatomy of Brown Bess
Glossary
One British Monarchies in the Flintlock Age
Two Matchlocks & Wheelocks: British Infantry Musket Precursors
Three Lineage of Brown Bess
Four James I: From Matchlock to Snaphaunce
Five Charles I and II: English Lock Military Arms of the English Civil War
Six James II: Post-English Civil War Army Ordnance Flintlocks
Seven William III & Mary: Army Ordnance Flintlock Arms
Eight Queen Anne: Army Ordnance Flintlock Arms
Nine George I: Non-Standard Colonel's Musket
Ten George I: Pattern 1718 Iron-Mounted Muskets "Pattern of 10,000"
Eleven George II: Ordnance System of Production
Twelve George II: Brown Bess (King's Pattern Land Musket)
Thirteen George II: (and George W.): The French & Indian War
Fourteen George III: Before the American Revolution
Epilogue George III: (vs George W.) The American Revolution
Conclusion
"Brown Bess" a poem by Rudyard Kipling
Bibliography
Index
168 pages, soft bound, 11" by 8-1/2" format, full color photographs.
