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This one I like to call “The Rifleman Who would have been King” of American Riflemen in the AWI, had he actually made this shot.
The following quote is from the British Officer George Hanger, 4th Baron Coleraine and is probably the most descriptive quote I have seen about American Rifle Accuracy in the AWI. To judge the quality of documentation it is always best to know as much as we can about the person who wrote it.
Wiki gives an excellent summary on this Officer:
“In 1776 he purchased a lieutenantcy, but he retired in disgust after a more junior officer purchased promotion over him. He then purchased a captaincy in the Hessian Jägers and served throughout the American Revolutionary War, transferring to Sir Banastre Tarleton's British Legion as a major and as commander of its light dragoons. In the Battle of Charlotte of 1780, Hanger commanded the legion due to Tarleton's illness, ordering it to ride into Charlotte, North Carolina without taking precautions to guard against surprise attacks. As a consequence, the legion's cavalry was badly mauled by Patriot militia that had set up an ambush in the town centre. Hanger was wounded in the battle, which he termed a "trifling insignificant skirmish". He shortly thereafter fell ill, probably with yellow fever, and was shipped to the Bahamas to recuperate.”
What was not mentioned in the above Wiki Article is that George Hanger was also known as one of, if not perhaps THE Best Rifle Shot in the British Army, though I have never found documentation that he shot against Major Patrick Ferguson of the Ferguson Breech Loading Rifle Fame.
So now on to the quote:
“I never in my life saw better rifles (or men who shot better) than those made in America: they are chiefly made in Lancaster, and two or three neighboring towns in that vicinity, in Pennsylvania. The barrels weigh about six pounds two or three ounces, and carry a ball no larger than thirty-six to the pound; at least I never saw one of a larger caliber, and I have seen many hundreds and hundreds. [1] I am not going to relate any thing respecting the American war; but to mention one instance, as a proof of most excellent skill of an American rifleman. If any man shew me an instance of better shooting, I will stand corrected.
Colonel, now General Tartleton, and myself, were standing a few yards out of a wood [2], observing the situation of a part of the enemy which we intended to attack. There was a rivulet in the enemy's front, and a mill on it, to which we stood directly with our horses' heads fronting, observing their motions. It was an absolute plain field between us and the mill; not so much as a single bush on it. [3] Our orderly-bugle stood behind us, about three yards, but with his horse's side to our horses' tails. [4] A rifle-man passed over the mill-dam, evidently observing two officers, and laid himself down on his belly; for, in such positions, they always lie, to take a good shot at a long distance. [5] He took a deliberate and. cool shot at my friend, at me, and the bugle-horn man. (I have passed several times over this ground, and ever observed it with the greatest attention; and I can positively assert that the distance he fired from, at us, was full four hundred yards). [6] Now, observe how well this fellow shot. 6It was in the month of August, and not a breath of wind was stirring. [7] Colonel Tartleton's horse and mine, I am certain, were not anything like two feet apart; for we were in close consultation, how we should attack with our troops, which laid 300 yards in the wood, and could not be perceived by the enemy. [8]
A rifle-ball passed between him and me; looking directly to the mill, I observed the flash of the powder. l said to my friend, "I think we had better move, or we shall have two or three of these gentlemen, shortly, amusing themselves at our expence." The words were hardly out of my mouth, when the bugle horn man, behind us, and directly central, jumped off his horse, and said, "Sir, my horse is shot." The horse staggered, fell down, and died. He was shot directly behind the fore-leg, near to the heart, at least where the great blood-vessels lie, which lead to the heart. [9] He took the saddle and bridle off, went into the wood, and got another horse. We had a number of spare horses, led by ***** lads.”
There are real gems in the article above that I think are well worth mentioning.
[1] I am unsure what to make of Hanger’s claim about having seen so many American rifles, though he probably saw quite a few in his service with the Jaegers and then Tarleton’s command. A 36 ball to the pound rifle would have shot a ball of approximately .503 or .50 caliber, though other documentation shows rifles of .52 caliber had been very popular for some time before and during the AWI. Since Hanger and no one else had precision measuring instruments in those days, he may have meant a .52 caliber rifle as the largest common ball size OR he may have just been guessing about the bore size.
[2], [4], and [8] Tell us much about what the Rifleman saw that day. The Officers and the “Bugle Horn Man” were a few yards out in front of woods where they could be clearly seen. Though they wore Green Jackets, Tarleton’s and Hanger’s Jackets were trimmed in Silver. The Bugle was most likely highly polished. Any of the above items glinting in the sun would have distinguished Tarleton and Hanger as Officers, though I doubt the American Rifleman would have recognized Tarleton’s face at that distance, even if he had been seen before by the Rifleman.
[3], [5], [6] and [7] Speak to the almost perfect and idyllic conditions for the shot the Rifleman made on that day. There was nothing that impeded the aim of the Rifleman and was as clear of a shot as one could hope for. He had plenty of time to take “a deliberate and cool aim” at the Officers and did so from the most stable shooting position possible.
The gigantic thing I think is often missed is there was “not a breath of wind” to throw off the shot from the wind. Cross winds greatly affect flintlock PRB rifles and more so than our modern guns, which such cross winds stiff affect a lot. It does not take much of a wind to throw a PRB off target at 400 yards with a Flintlock Rifle. Why this is important is: the ONLY thing the Rifleman had to concentrate on was how high to hold over the Officer/s Head/s and did not have to worry about estimating how a nonexistent wind would affect the ball in flight. So that made the shot immensely easier than had there been a cross wind.
Now the one negative thing the Rifleman had to contend with almost certainly was some heat wave distortion between him and the Officers. This because the shot was made “in the month of August” and the Carolinas are often HOT in that month. Heat wave distortion almost certainly factored into the shot and caused difficulty in taking a good aim. However, IF it was not a very hot day for heat wave distortion to form, this would not have been a factor.
[9] Speaks to the results of the shot. We will probably never know exactly which British Officer the Rifleman was aiming at. Having been on horseback, their torso’s were high enough to be clearly seen and aimed at. The shot itself, even though with about as perfect conditions as one could hope for, was a MISS.
The shot was off for both incorrect elevation and incorrect windage. Since there was “not a breath of wind,” we can be fairly certain the Rifleman was not used to firing at that distance, as he did not have to hold left or right for cross winds. Since the shot landed so low when it hit the “bugle ”“ man’s horse,” we can infer the Rifleman did not know what elevation or higher point of aim to use. Of course the problem for us is the Rifleman was not identified and we have no way of knowing his true ability and experience with his Rifle. We can be fairly certain 400 yards was beyond his effective range, though.
Of course IF the Rifleman had actually hit and at least wounded or killed Tarleton, we almost assuredly would know his identity, as it most likely would have been celebrated throughout the Colonies. Tarleton was so hated by so many Patriots, that anyone who did him in would have been a Hero of the Revolution.
One may think I am a bit harsh in my evaluation of the Rifleman, but I don’t mean to be. I believe he had to have been a pretty darn good shot or he would not have come that close to hitting either Tarleton or Hanger, as he did not miss by a huge amount when considering the distance and the rifle. I must say though, that this account clearly shows a 400 yard shot with a Long Rifle was beyond the effective range of at least one and probably many, if not most, American rifles of the period - at least for use in combat.
Gus
The following quote is from the British Officer George Hanger, 4th Baron Coleraine and is probably the most descriptive quote I have seen about American Rifle Accuracy in the AWI. To judge the quality of documentation it is always best to know as much as we can about the person who wrote it.
Wiki gives an excellent summary on this Officer:
“In 1776 he purchased a lieutenantcy, but he retired in disgust after a more junior officer purchased promotion over him. He then purchased a captaincy in the Hessian Jägers and served throughout the American Revolutionary War, transferring to Sir Banastre Tarleton's British Legion as a major and as commander of its light dragoons. In the Battle of Charlotte of 1780, Hanger commanded the legion due to Tarleton's illness, ordering it to ride into Charlotte, North Carolina without taking precautions to guard against surprise attacks. As a consequence, the legion's cavalry was badly mauled by Patriot militia that had set up an ambush in the town centre. Hanger was wounded in the battle, which he termed a "trifling insignificant skirmish". He shortly thereafter fell ill, probably with yellow fever, and was shipped to the Bahamas to recuperate.”
What was not mentioned in the above Wiki Article is that George Hanger was also known as one of, if not perhaps THE Best Rifle Shot in the British Army, though I have never found documentation that he shot against Major Patrick Ferguson of the Ferguson Breech Loading Rifle Fame.
So now on to the quote:
“I never in my life saw better rifles (or men who shot better) than those made in America: they are chiefly made in Lancaster, and two or three neighboring towns in that vicinity, in Pennsylvania. The barrels weigh about six pounds two or three ounces, and carry a ball no larger than thirty-six to the pound; at least I never saw one of a larger caliber, and I have seen many hundreds and hundreds. [1] I am not going to relate any thing respecting the American war; but to mention one instance, as a proof of most excellent skill of an American rifleman. If any man shew me an instance of better shooting, I will stand corrected.
Colonel, now General Tartleton, and myself, were standing a few yards out of a wood [2], observing the situation of a part of the enemy which we intended to attack. There was a rivulet in the enemy's front, and a mill on it, to which we stood directly with our horses' heads fronting, observing their motions. It was an absolute plain field between us and the mill; not so much as a single bush on it. [3] Our orderly-bugle stood behind us, about three yards, but with his horse's side to our horses' tails. [4] A rifle-man passed over the mill-dam, evidently observing two officers, and laid himself down on his belly; for, in such positions, they always lie, to take a good shot at a long distance. [5] He took a deliberate and. cool shot at my friend, at me, and the bugle-horn man. (I have passed several times over this ground, and ever observed it with the greatest attention; and I can positively assert that the distance he fired from, at us, was full four hundred yards). [6] Now, observe how well this fellow shot. 6It was in the month of August, and not a breath of wind was stirring. [7] Colonel Tartleton's horse and mine, I am certain, were not anything like two feet apart; for we were in close consultation, how we should attack with our troops, which laid 300 yards in the wood, and could not be perceived by the enemy. [8]
A rifle-ball passed between him and me; looking directly to the mill, I observed the flash of the powder. l said to my friend, "I think we had better move, or we shall have two or three of these gentlemen, shortly, amusing themselves at our expence." The words were hardly out of my mouth, when the bugle horn man, behind us, and directly central, jumped off his horse, and said, "Sir, my horse is shot." The horse staggered, fell down, and died. He was shot directly behind the fore-leg, near to the heart, at least where the great blood-vessels lie, which lead to the heart. [9] He took the saddle and bridle off, went into the wood, and got another horse. We had a number of spare horses, led by ***** lads.”
There are real gems in the article above that I think are well worth mentioning.
[1] I am unsure what to make of Hanger’s claim about having seen so many American rifles, though he probably saw quite a few in his service with the Jaegers and then Tarleton’s command. A 36 ball to the pound rifle would have shot a ball of approximately .503 or .50 caliber, though other documentation shows rifles of .52 caliber had been very popular for some time before and during the AWI. Since Hanger and no one else had precision measuring instruments in those days, he may have meant a .52 caliber rifle as the largest common ball size OR he may have just been guessing about the bore size.
[2], [4], and [8] Tell us much about what the Rifleman saw that day. The Officers and the “Bugle Horn Man” were a few yards out in front of woods where they could be clearly seen. Though they wore Green Jackets, Tarleton’s and Hanger’s Jackets were trimmed in Silver. The Bugle was most likely highly polished. Any of the above items glinting in the sun would have distinguished Tarleton and Hanger as Officers, though I doubt the American Rifleman would have recognized Tarleton’s face at that distance, even if he had been seen before by the Rifleman.
[3], [5], [6] and [7] Speak to the almost perfect and idyllic conditions for the shot the Rifleman made on that day. There was nothing that impeded the aim of the Rifleman and was as clear of a shot as one could hope for. He had plenty of time to take “a deliberate and cool aim” at the Officers and did so from the most stable shooting position possible.
The gigantic thing I think is often missed is there was “not a breath of wind” to throw off the shot from the wind. Cross winds greatly affect flintlock PRB rifles and more so than our modern guns, which such cross winds stiff affect a lot. It does not take much of a wind to throw a PRB off target at 400 yards with a Flintlock Rifle. Why this is important is: the ONLY thing the Rifleman had to concentrate on was how high to hold over the Officer/s Head/s and did not have to worry about estimating how a nonexistent wind would affect the ball in flight. So that made the shot immensely easier than had there been a cross wind.
Now the one negative thing the Rifleman had to contend with almost certainly was some heat wave distortion between him and the Officers. This because the shot was made “in the month of August” and the Carolinas are often HOT in that month. Heat wave distortion almost certainly factored into the shot and caused difficulty in taking a good aim. However, IF it was not a very hot day for heat wave distortion to form, this would not have been a factor.
[9] Speaks to the results of the shot. We will probably never know exactly which British Officer the Rifleman was aiming at. Having been on horseback, their torso’s were high enough to be clearly seen and aimed at. The shot itself, even though with about as perfect conditions as one could hope for, was a MISS.
The shot was off for both incorrect elevation and incorrect windage. Since there was “not a breath of wind,” we can be fairly certain the Rifleman was not used to firing at that distance, as he did not have to hold left or right for cross winds. Since the shot landed so low when it hit the “bugle ”“ man’s horse,” we can infer the Rifleman did not know what elevation or higher point of aim to use. Of course the problem for us is the Rifleman was not identified and we have no way of knowing his true ability and experience with his Rifle. We can be fairly certain 400 yards was beyond his effective range, though.
Of course IF the Rifleman had actually hit and at least wounded or killed Tarleton, we almost assuredly would know his identity, as it most likely would have been celebrated throughout the Colonies. Tarleton was so hated by so many Patriots, that anyone who did him in would have been a Hero of the Revolution.
One may think I am a bit harsh in my evaluation of the Rifleman, but I don’t mean to be. I believe he had to have been a pretty darn good shot or he would not have come that close to hitting either Tarleton or Hanger, as he did not miss by a huge amount when considering the distance and the rifle. I must say though, that this account clearly shows a 400 yard shot with a Long Rifle was beyond the effective range of at least one and probably many, if not most, American rifles of the period - at least for use in combat.
Gus
