This is the first part of our study on two important weapons carried on the Lewis & Clark expedition, the second being the Airgun. Most went directly to the troops for which they were intended but part of the last contract (1060) were sent directly from Lancaster, Pa. to Schuylkill Arsenal in the 1795-1797 period, just as the inspection process began in earnest in 1799 at Harpers Ferry and became a standard process for all firearms. This is the only picture I have to work with of the entire rifle. Use and wear quickly changes this. Both officers witnessed the Treaty of Greenville on August 3, 1795 that helped secure claim to the area between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River. Jefferson, up to 1802, held ongoing negotiations with France toward purchase of only New Orleans. (12) Jackson, op. Top is SN 909, bottom is SN 1 of our rifles built on SN 15 rifle pattern. Harpers Ferry Park needs to rethink the role this new rifle played in history and give it a deserving place in their museum, after all, there is a much bigger and better story to tell the public. That was modified to a 42-inch long barrel in .49 caliber, with a well-seasoned maple stock and a flintlock. The lowest serial number we have examined with the 1803 changes or updates is No. He shows up on the Lancaster County tax lists for 1785-1840. SN 359 is the highest known pre-December production military contract rifle we have recorded to date. Hopefully more confirmed (C) 1803 dated rifles can be found and examined. The U.S. Army's acknowledges that there were 300 of the 1792 or 1794 contract . Second is Lewiss acquisition of 15 slings of unspecified type taken from Harpers Ferry. Frank A. Tait, "The U.S. Contract Rifle Pattern of 1792," MAN AT ARMS Magazine, Vol. (43) Correspondence with and Documents provided by E.I DuPont Manuscripts & Archives Department/ July,2004. (9) Tony Hunter, The Wilderness Fighters: Part Four, (Muzzleloader Magazine, JULY/AUG 2005), Pgs. Indians did report at Edmonton Trading House that they had killed two trappers (Colter assumed dead) carrying one of the guns taken from them. The use, or lack of use, of certain terminology in descriptions was intentional, all being proper for his day. If the barrel of a .405 Winchester became plugged with mud or snow, the chances are it would suffer the same catastrophic fate as the 1800 rifles, despite the vast improvements in barrel material. There is no reason not to believe that Dearborn was very much aware of the new rifle ready for production and thus sent Lewis to Harpers Ferry to acquire them. Perhaps some of the journals were lost. These former members of the Expedition started the mountain man tradition to follow. If we are real romantics, serial number 15 may have been the one given to John Colter (and subsequently lost to the Indians) who went back to the West and become a legend in his own right.(51). only one rifle in stock the 1792 / 1794 model. Above is a 10-shot group at 65 yards with Rifle SN 1, using 65 grains of SDS powder, 6 bulls-eye. They practiced a pace of 90 to 100 (24 step) Vs. the 76 of the Infantry. These were usually applied in three visible areas stock, barrel and lock to reassemble a rifle after cleaning. You cannot put a .010 patch on a .530 calibre ball (meaning .54 caliber bore) and get it down the bore of any original rifle. Harpers Ferry Model 1803 - The US Army's First Rifle Every Collectors Guide on U.S. military firearms has the calibre of these very important rifles wrong (as well as other flintlock government contract rifles to follow but that is another story) because no one took the time to properly gauge the bore. Joseph Perkin, superintendent of the recently created Harper's Ferry Armory, was placed in charge of the design of the new rifle. The NO serial numbers. Heating the brazing to change the pipe would have caused the solder (which melts at a lower temperature) to release the rib from the barrel. 42-inch barrel that featured a patch-box with a push-button release. This continued until the end of production mid 1815 to 1819. We believe these heavier barrels were an attempt to avoid bursting problems. the upper end of the upper thimble should be a little Bell muzzled to receive the introduction of the ramrod more conveniently the aperture or cut in the sight near the Breech should be a little wider and a Brass ferrule placed on the end of the Stock near the tail pipe, to prevent that part of the Stock from splitting(18). At that time it had no lock. Lewis arrived in April 1803. Silver front sights were popular on long rifles for shooting in the dim light of virgin forests. the Falls of the Ohio River, near Louisville, Kentucky. The fact that Lewis took 15 extra locks for his rifles is rather amazing. Only by studying the documents surrounding the origin of a weapon and original specimens themselves can a production timeframe be concluded. From reading Dearborn's letter, The style and placement of these markings varied considerably on the guns we inspected, from tiny detailed marks to big, crude scratches and cuts, so you must study them carefully. I included it to show that the lettering was all hand stamped on his 15 rifles. It gave more bonding area for the soft solder. The men Lewis recruited in 1803 were hardened frontiersmen and as such would not have even considered the use of a sling, but there is another very good reason why they could not have used slings the short rifle is structurally incapable of mounting one. This was a literal blank check to use all resources to make Lewiss arms in time for the upcoming expedition. We did and used it to prove the calibre of the ball. Even if Bomford is incorrect in his yearly production figures, the total production of 4015 (not including pattern rifle) would be unchanged. Another goal was to find the mythical North West passage, a water route to the Pacific. sum of $2,500.00 to fund a small expeditionary group, known as the This practice would not have been confined to just one arsenal. The J.J. Henry rifle was a working man's rifle, built in a couple of patterns the English, which resembled an English military arm, and the Lancaster style. John Newman, expelled from the party and sent back with the large boat in 1804, also returned to the mountains, to be killed by the Sioux. No one ever bother to make a wax cast of the bore at the breech to establish that fact. Locks are somewhat interchangeable on the early rifles but in all cases they will display traces of fitting, either in the lock mortise or the lock itself (sear bent, mounting screw holes are enlarged, or some other noticeable work). Throughout this article, to avoid confusion, we use caliber for bore size and calibre for ball size (as the French did in their early writings).(14). type of weapon in stock, in which case it was not necessary to specify He was 38 years old (believed to have been born in 1774) and experienced a life that is excelled by few. Barrel lengths, thicknesses and profiles (wedding ring, octagon portion and diameters) varied widely. On January 13, 1792, General Hand wrote back and said "he received But for the precaution taken in bringing on those extra locks and parts of locks, in addition to the ingenuity of John Shields, most of our guns would at this moment be entirely unfit for use; but fortunately for us I have it in my power here to record that they are all in good order.. The Lewis and Clark short rifle Harpers Ferry short rifle SN 15, built in 1803 was used as a pattern for our rifle project once we verified its authenticity. We can be certain of this since they made it a point to trade back the full length short rifle taken by Drewyer and Shannon on June 18 as noted in Ordways journal above. Again, every part examined and described herein displays matching assembly numbers, confirming that the rifle is an original arsenal assembly and unaltered since 1803. This has been an error that has persisted since books were written on this subject. the 25 May 1803 letter from Secretary of War Henry Dearborn to the Superintendent Winchester transferred most of their collection to Cody in 1976. As noted, all 1803 and many early 1804 rifles have ROUNDED undersides at the breech end. The stock displays four sun shaped inlays filled with pine resin that can be seen in the above stock photos. In the same volume is the air gun story written by Dr. Beeman based upon our study of his gun. The prior proof that Dearborn refers to may have come directly from Lewis himself after his March 1803 visit to the arsenal, but whatever convincing proof he had was enough to place the May,1803 order for the Army. But though there is some elevation of the rifle ball in its course, it is relatively so small that it is not required to aim lower than the object at any range though when at a considerable distance, say 500 yards to 700 yards, it is necessary to take a higher aim. Thomas Rodney called Lewiss air rifle she when he wrote about his encounter with Lewis on September 7, 1803 ..he shewed us the mode of charging herbut she by some means lost the whole charge of air Could it have been one of the rifles that were shortened and given to the Indians? He was also aware of not only their influence that the fine-grained European rifle powder played in its design, but also the fact that Lewis and Clark documented the performance of this radically new short rifle in their journals. This has been a consistent error found in ALL gun books and writings relating to this weapon. 1 of the 15 rifles we made. Left 1804 dated rifle, 33 barrel with original 7 groove polygon rifling with flat land. We believe as time progressed (1814-1819 rifles), these small parts became interchangeable. Shooting a copy of this rifle has proven this correct, giving well over 30 shots between cleaning. [2], These military- or militia-issued rifles were of civilian style, and it has been very difficult for collectors to identify them from this contract. This would have required the application of an external (as now being applied to all guns) to denote their serviceability. It was the Model 1800 s tremendous muzzle energy that was the cause. If we look at what Lewis took from Harpers Ferry, we can see he planned for exactly 30 men 15 with short rifles and 15 with muskets. A letter from Secretary Dearborn, written on Lewiss behalf and addressed to Arsenal Superintendent Perkin, dated March 14, 1803 states You will be pleased to make such arms & iron work, as requested by the Bearer Captain Meriwether Lewis and to have them completed with the least possible delay.(8). Rolled cartridges were reserved for close order fire only. Joseph Perkin inspected ALL 1803 dated rifles and some of the early 1804 production, then James Stubblefield took over final inspection to the end of all production in 1819. It does not get any better than taking serial numbers and dates from existing specimens. Clark was a 4-year Army veteran and had fought in the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794, so he also was no stranger to the tactical effectiveness of rifles on a battlefield. We found the Model 1800 rifle to be most accurate with a 65-grain charge. 318. Historians (writers) are out of step with gun collectors in this area, relying upon OLD & incorrect production information. It is important to note the spacing of the numbers that all start the same distance away from the US cartouche which in most cases would not allow another number to be inserted between the cartouche and the first number. These are two important points to consider when looking for a REAL 1803 production rifle. The late 1790s was still a dangerous and unsteady period in Americas growth and assured independence, with enemies and threats from many sides. 98). At Harpers Ferry, Captain Meriwether Lewis obtained 15 rifles built a .45 caliber ball would shoot well with 45 grains of rifle powder. cit., pg. Since we could not personally examine all the guns serial numbers submitted, we had to acknowledge them as either confirmed (examined and assembly numbers matching) or unconfirmed (unexamined and unknown if assembly numbers match). This rifle will be discussed in greater detail in Chapter III and in the footnotes . Whether Lewis had previous knowledge of the existence of the new rifle due to his close relationship with Dearborn, we shall never know, but he would have jumped at the chance to obtain the new short rifle for his expedition. This entry is significant in that it was made 4 months before any rifles were shortened by Shields. Dearborn's letter specifies in great detail the type of rifle the armory An entry of April 12, 1806 just might confirm this We caused all the men who had short rifles to carry them, in order to be prepared for the nativs should they make attempts to rob or injure them. His tomahawks were no doubt the same as those supplied to the riflemen of Waynes Legions in 1792 as part of the long rifle accouterment set (axe, pouch & horn). The first observation of this document is the amazing detail of the rifle, right down to actual measurements. The barrel was not protected by a wood stock (soft iron barrels were easily bent by soldiers misuse) and it did not mount a bayonet or carry a sling which became important for the mounted infantry concept. There are some other detail pictures in Appendix I. I had no detail photos of the stock itself which is the purpose of this photo. From our experience, the lower numbered guns (1803 & 1804 dated) were the most mismatched in terms of serial number ranges and lock date. U.S. Model 1803 Flintlock Rifle. The size of the mark is not mentioned, nor the total number of shots fired, but most likely it represented a man sized target (for which military rifles were designed), or about an 18 circle, which, in 1803 was very respectable shooting with round balls and thus noteworthy in the journals. It gives a sense of the give and take of opinion as to what is fact. The Rifle Shoppe, Inc. - US Arms In this process he was to make contact and befriend as many Indian tribes as possible who inhabited these areas with the intended goal of establishing trade relations that would allow peaceful expansion to the extreme western borders of the new United States. Englands addition of a rifle regiment to their Army in 1799, armed with a new rifle (Baker) was another factor that prompted us to look for a new rifle to replace the obsolete common long rifle in our inventory. Those who kept journals (each Sergeant was to keep one) recorded every day facts in the terminology of the day nothing more, nothing less. Note placement of serial number on barrel. Shields Cut them off and they Shute tolerable well one which is very Short we exchanged with the Indian whoe we had given a longer gun to indue them to pilot us across the mountains.(34). Additionally, Lewis purchased replacement (43) Duponts rifle powder, based upon a French formula lacked the quality saltpeter found in English powder, so it did not perform quite as well as the previously imported English rifle powder, but at least it cut our dependence on imported rifle powder. 1,477 rifles were completed in 1792. Those lost records have never been accurately reconstructed. (7) Official surviving correspondence relating to the short rifles is almost non-existent (at least to this date) other than the few letters from Henry Dearborn thus we are left with a puzzle with many missing pieces. To farther test our findings, we also made a go no go gauge of .532 calibre (which would easily fit any .54 caliber rifle) and found that it would not enter the rifled bore (even if worn slightly) of any short rifles made from 1803 to 1819. A full 90 grain would easily reach the 2,000 FPS mentioned by Sawyer. Based on research in, For your convenience you can contact us via our. The manufacturing was contracted out to Henry Deringer and R. Johnson to make rifles for use by the military. He also had the gunsmiths add swivels to these weapons, their firearms and accessories: "1 Pair Pocket Pistols, 1 Pair Two original guns have surfaced that are probably authentic to Lewis and Clark's journey, though the Lewis and Clark gun were likely prototypes. Just for a matter of information, U.S. arsenals were also using the French metric thread system on the short rifle screws simply because we copied a Charleville type musket in 1795. Harpers Ferry Model 1803 - Wikipedia Breech markings on SN 15 rifle. needed rifles like the one Lewis had procured for the expedition, and This is another fact we uncovered in our research that confirms his production records are incorrect. The rib is of hollow construction instead of the solid type found on later military contract rifles (See Appendix I). Reference #2 & #9: There are 4 sun inserts on the stock, one in front of the patchbox, one on the cheek rest and one on each side of the forend stock. Most reconversions are easy to spot, but we have seen original rifles that have had the touchhole bushed (using hardened iron or brass) which will not erode. With the discovery of Serial Number 15 Model 1800 rifle we have categorized, for the purpose of this study, the Harpers Ferry rifles into five categories for a clearer understanding. In many early articles on frontiersmen and their rifles, the same method was described to determine a powder charge. He published an interesting table Appendix E on page 169, based upon two sets of 19th century bore gauges in the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers Proof House in London. the majority were issued through Harpers Ferry. Expecting another conflict with England, it was a wise move to cut our dependence on British imported rifle powder. and fit them with new locks. Louisiana Governor Claibornes return of arms for the years 1807, 1810 and 1811 show these arms in inventory at New Orleans. We can be grateful for his diligence and time expended on this subject. Before the United States military used standardized weapons with interchangeable parts, it bought rifles that are difficult to distinguish from their civilian equivalent. Documented cases of OCTAGON barrels bursting in any manner have yet to be encountered by the author. Throughout the journals the feminine noun is used often when referring to weapons, especially the air rifle. ). Harpers Ferry M1803; 1792 contract rifle for the earlier process for producing firearms; M1817 common rifle; Rifles in the American Civil War; References TYPE IV Military rifle with 33 barrels made in 1814 to mid-1815 (before the 36 barrel request). Details of Serial No. 1054 (U) 1805 lock/ See Olson article, American Rifleman. It's a somewhat controversial argument that this is one of the "short rifles" that was on the Lewis and Clark expedition but I knew the previous owner, the gentlemen that did the flawless research, and had the pleasure of seeing and holding the gun in person and I think the argument is iron-clad. Lewis wrote Jefferson on April 20, 1803 from Lancaster, Pa., explaining the difficulty encountered in building the iron frame of the portable boat, and goes on to note, My Rifles, Tomahawks & Knives are preparing at Harpers Ferry, and are already in a state of forwardness that leaves me little doubt of their being in readiness in due time.(12). By Feb 15, 1805, only 5 serviceable and 94 unserviceable rifles remained in stores (showing an inspection process had been accomplished). Henry Leman built a classic plains rifle, and Henry Deringer (of pocket pistol fame) also built sturdy rifles for the Fur Trade. John Collins, who was flogged for being AWOL and stealing whiskey, returned West with William Ashleys 1823 expedition, being killed in a battle with the Arikaras that same year. Dearborns May 1803 order for 2,000 rifles was in direct response to an Oct 16, 1802 act by Spain revoking the American right of deposit in New Orleans. Due to the lateness of the shipment these guns may have carried an inspector mark. Most saw hard use and abuse, with minor parts being replaced as needed and thus may not be marked to the gun. Amos Stoddards Artillery Company dated February 24, 1803 states that their arms were in tolerable order, old and incomplete, and noting that ..Ball Screwdrivers, Brushes Prickers and Gunslings wanting. All rifles that I have examined that come even close to a 1792/94 contract rifle have set triggers which was fairly common on all civilian long rifles of this period but not many with a fly. You will therefore take the necessary measures for commencing the manufactory as soon as may be after completing the Muskits now in hand. This is important information in understanding why he took new slings for muskets he intended to press into service. (40) IBID, Vol 6, pg. He immediately went to work for John Strode, manager of Rappahannock Forge in Virginia where he became renowned for his gunlock skills. Pennsylvania gunsmiths produced these weapons, which were .49 caliber with a 42-inch barrel. Although crude woodcuts of the period, they are of interest in the fact that they seem to be purposely depicting the short barrels of the M1800 rifle.(49). 30, 120, 208, & 250. he prefers the short rifle Lewis had shown him "over the long ones The backwoodsmen of the western frontier, place the ball in the palm of their left hand, and cupping the hand as much as possible, cover the ball with powder, and make that their charge, The ball should be just of that size to rest on the grooves, and require not much trouble to force it down, but yet to pass without being forced. Collectors know these rifles were made in 1803 and pay handsomely for an early example, but Caveat Emptor when buying any short rifle of the 1803 to 1806 period. The highest serial numbered 1803 rifle we could confirm is 318. The M1792 was a heavier built Long-Barreled Air Rifle. Lewis, July 1, 1806 ..set Shields at work to repair some of our guns which were out of order . the barrels of 15 of the 1792 / 1794 rifles to between 33 and 36 inches and Don Stith and represents a replica crafted on the features This rifle had been inletted for the brass stock ferrule, but the band found with the rifle was a modern brass replacement making it impossible to ascertain exactly when it was attempted. Dearborn informs Perkin: There being a deficiency of rifles in the public Arsenals, and those on hand not being as well calculated for actual service as could be wished. Standard rifle powder (FFFg) of that day simply cannot produce the pressure needed to burst an octagon barrel, especially at the muzzle where the energy has expended. One other important fact is that all remaining rifles were sold off at auction in St. Louis on September 23, 1806 so none were available of any type for the painting.(44). military service. 567. Arsenal inspection of weapons prior to release was ordered to begin in the 1797-98 period. All military production 1803-1806 rifles have the heptagonal flat bottom rifling (Dearborns special rifling reference). Thus, you rarely (if ever) see a sling on a long rifle. (45) Robert J. Moore / Michael Haynes Lewis & Clarke/ Tailor Made, Trail Worn, Army Life, Clothing, & Weapons of the Corps of Discovery, (Farcountry Press, 2003), Pgs. It was a tremendous job, but as time would tell, he proved himself capable of the task, which led to a position of great power and earned him the absolute trust and confidence of Secretary of War, Henry Dearborn. It is also possible that contract rifles of 1794 were modified at the arsenal at Harper's Ferry, by shortening the barrels and reboring and rerifling them to .54 caliber. The book, by its own admission, was influenced by Colonel Von Ewalds company of Hessian Jaegers in our Revolution. Whelen also took delivery of 100 rifles from John Miles during April-June 1800 for an order placed by Tench Francis in Feb of 1800 (hinting that he was Franciss agent and thus regularly inspected guns). It gets somewhat easier when we recognize that the 18th century British military establishment used only THREE calibre balls Musket (approximately .693/14 balls to the pound), Carbine (approximately .650/17 balls to the pound), and Pistol (approximately .610/21 balls to the pound). It is important to note that we only bought the rights to legally acquire full ownership from the inhabitants of the territory. DuPont rifle powder (FFFg) made its appearance in the market in 1808, probably at the request of the U.S. Government since it is the same year the first rifle regiment was raised. It was Coxe (for whom Whelan worked) who placed an order for 1000 of the 1794 rifles. But it wasn't until October 1803 that the first of Lewis and Clark - U.S. Army Center of Military History Straight upper ramrod thimble on SN 15. [3], A second contract rifle has been identified, the 1807 Contract Rifle, which has different specifications than the weapons of 1792 and 1794. May 2006, Vol 32, No.2, written my Jim Merritt from our research. It is important to remember that when shooting at longer distances, their target would consist of an enemy cannon crew, a group of officers, or an infantry line of battle. Lewis and Clark. According to the journals, Windsors rifle had burst on the morning of June 16,1806. A thread discussing the contract guns. Ed Pugsley was an employee of Winchester and turned over much of his collection to the company. Harpers Ferry Model 1803 | Military Wiki | Fandom This highly skilled work force was in place when Lewis arrived on the scene in March of 1803. Don is a wealth of knowledge, and his kits are top quality. 14. (24) Gary E. Moulton, ed., The Journals of Lewis & Clark Expedition, 13 volumes (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1988-2001), Vol 6, Pg. It will match the other assembly numbers found on the stock and barrel. The .520 calibre round ball also meets Dearborns specification for 30 balls to the pound. That shows I came into this project with no preconceived notions as to what they used. (36), Barrel failures are one of the most significant clues left to us as to the type of rifles carried by Lewiss men. It is easy to see the need for assembly marks on every part of the rifle, even down to the ramrod.
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1792 harpers ferry rifle