British officers provided their own fusils which varied according to the officer's taste and affluence.The mounts were usually but not always engraved with martial motifs and also were often fitted with sling swivels,bayonet lugs, and the stock cut back to accept the bayonet.They were mounted in silver,iron,and brass in declining level of expense.Some had the owner's initials or coat of arms engraved on a wrist escutcheon. I have compiled a short list of these fusils which were sometimes called Fusil Muskets. The term Fusil is a French one pronounced Fuzee in French and during the 17th and early 18th century applied to those long arms with a flint and steel ignition with the term "Mousquette" referring to matchlock arms.With the phasing out of the Matchlock in the early 18th century,the earlier term "Fusil"came to mean Musket.The term "Fusil" was "borrowed" by the British in the 18th century to denote a slimmed down gun with a shorter barrel and carbine bore of about .65-.70 cal.The French so called "chief"s grade Fusil fins with ornate decorations were built in France,Liege,and the low countries and transhipped to New France[Montreal Merchants records]where those made by Tulle were gifted to selected Indian Chiefs.I haven't gone into French officer's guns but assume that what I have said earlier as to British officer's fusils is also applicable.I have an image of the barrel[only]of Montcalm's fusil and it is extremely ornate with engraving and damascening.
I went to the books and found 6 examples of these British "Officer's" fusils.These are as follows:
"The History of Weapons of the American Revolution" by George C. Neuman
1.P.62,M.14, English Fusil Musket brass mts,37+in bbl.,sideplate similar to the Royal Forester's light dragoon carbine,.68 cal.lock signed by I Ludlam[also shown in Battle Weapons infra]
2.P.118 M.97,English Light Dragoon Carbine{Variation}31 + in.bbl.,.68 cal.brass mts.,signed by I Ludlam on lock.std.sideplate.
"Collectors Illustrated Encyclopedia of the American Revolution by Neuman and Kravic,P65 No.2 English Light Dragoon Carbine,variation 31+ bbl.,cal. unknown signed I Ludlam on lock
"Battle Weapons of the American Revolution" by George C.Neuman ,P.71 21 mm.,English Officer's Fusil,40 in. bbl.,.74 cal.top bayonet stud,brass mts.signed Ketland on lock
"Weapons of the American Revolution" by Warren Moore,P.89 Officer's Cavalry Carbine,37in. bbl, mounts unknown,belt hook, Brown Bess styling lock signed Buckmaster,{private contractor Ca.1760}
"American Military Shoulder Arms" Vol. I,Colonial and Revolutionary War Arms,Part III,065 British Military Shoulder Arms, .F, Officers'Fusil,PP.243-246. This gun is the ultimate in British Officer's Fusils from the Revolutionary War
[url] period.Made[/url] by John Fox Twigg and silver mounted [hallmarks-1777-1778] it has a 37 7/8 in. bbl in .674 cal.,sling swivels[possibly original],bayonet lug 1 1/4" behind the muzzle, muzzle extension 2 1/2"walnut stock,escutcheon engraved with unidentified coat of arms,high relief floral and shell carving on the tang surround,and martial panoplies engraved on the guard bow,butt piece tang,and near the toe of the butt piece.This is one of the finest officer's fusils known.
Rich,Mike, I hope this helps.
Tom Patton
