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Revolutionary War, British Military 2nd Model Short Land 1779 Pattern Brown Bess

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:3,000.00 USD Estimated At:4,000.00 - 8,000.00 USD
Revolutionary War, British Military 2nd Model Short Land 1779 Pattern Brown Bess
Guns
Very Rare Restored Revolutionary War Period British Military 2nd Model Short Land 1779 Pattern “Brown Bess”
c. 1779-1780 Revolutionary War Period,Very Rare Restored British Military 2nd Model Short Land 1779 Pattern Brown Bess Flintlock Service Musket, Fine.
This Brown Bess measures: 57.75” overall with a 42 1/8” .80 caliber barrel, with remnants of the Tower of London Proofs of the top of the breech (which is rust pitted throughout).  Its lock is maker engraved, “HENSHAW” just below the pan.  The musket lock is in its original flintlock configuration.  All standard regulation 2nd Model pattern brass furniture present, except for the side plate that is standard on the 3rd model India Pattern musket (see notes below).  All steel parts have areas of light salt & pepper pitting from rust.  The stock has the British Arsenal Ordnance stamp on the right side of the comb, inspector’s marks just below the tail of the trigger guard, and is branded on the left side of comb “CUMBERLAND” with Roman numerals “X I X” (CUMBERLAND County, Nova Scotia Militia).  The stock is solid with scratches and dings from years of active service.  It retains the original full-length iron button head ram rod.  This is a great historical Brown Bess Musket from the Revolutionary War Period.

RESTORATION NOTES: This musket was most likely converted to percussion. The barrel has

been restored back to flintlock. The original lock was replaced by another by contractor to the ordnance “HENSHAW” and is in its original flintlock configuration. The stock has several

inset repairs where the pins hold the barrel, and other parts to the stock. There is a 2” repair

at the toe of the stock, and another small section restored at the fore-end at the muzzle. There

are several age and stress cracks. The sling swivels are modern replacements.

Notes: This Musket is the 1778/1779 Pattern and is a result of the Board of Ordnance

relaxing some of the standard requirements because of the desperate need for weapons. 

Several thousand muskets were produced by contractors and accepted by Ordnance without

the complete Tower-issued components, allowing the independent gun makers to include

their own barrels, locks, and brass furniture. This example has the “S” shaped convex side plate without a tail was substituted, which was the design on the 3rd model India Pattern

musket being produced for the British East India Company at the same time. The other major

trait of the musket is the sloped second ram rod pipe which is the “PRATT”S” improvement

that gained acceptance, and can also be found on other muskets produced after 1778.

Reference: “BATTLE WEAPONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION,” by George C. Neumann, page 68, c. 1998.
The “CUMBERLAND” marked Brown Bess Muskets:

In 1753-1755 hostilities were approaching a boiling point in the American colonies and in 1756 the “7 Years War” began against France, so it was imperative that the system was improved. After the major revisions of 1757-8 the “Cumberland Militia” in Great Britain was first formed in June 1760, and it became operational in August of 1760. The Militia Act of 1757 required each County to pay for the militia out of the specified rates. Each County was to raise a fixed quota of men, selected by compulsory ballot. However, if a person could afford to pay, he could engage a Substitute to serve in his place. In 1804 it was granted its “Royal” title. In 1881 it became the 3rd (Royal Cumberland Militia) Battalion of the Border Regiment. There is much confusion regarding muskets and swords marked with “CUMBERLAND”.

Some collectors assume these weapons were issued to the America Pennsylvania, Cumberland

County Battalions, for their Revolutionary War Use.  Some may have indeed seen action there, but the vast majority were issued to the militia units in Great Britain and Nova Scotia.  It is always possible that these “CUMBERLAND” marked weapons were captured from the British and then were re-issued to the American forces. It remains up for debate.