Committee of Safety musket

[George]

In about 1975 I clipped an article from Gun Report, “Samuel Barret, Patriot Gunsmith, Concord, Massachusetts”. It detailed his activities during the revolution, and included pictures and description of one of two existing original muskets made by him. I thought the martial minded among us might enjoy seeing it.





From the article:

“Insofar as is known, only two authenticated Barrett muskets have survived the attrition of time. One of these is in the Claude E. Fuller Collection at the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Oglethorpe, Georgia, which is under the control of the National Park Service. The other musket is privately owned.
“Both of these muskets are of the Brown Bess type and are die-stamped “S. Barrett,” on the lock plate. The maker’s name is in raised letters in a sunken panel, which is located forward of the hammer. The lock plate bears a die-stamped wavy line border. This border stamp is also used to make a decorative frame around the name panel. Without question, these muskets were made at Barrett’s Mills.
“The musket in the Fuller collection has a grooved sight at the breech which extends into the barrel tang. It has a knife-blade sight four inches from the muzzle. There is a bayonet lug underneath the barrel. The rounded pan is integral with the lock plate and has a relatively high fence. Behind the hammer, there appears to be the outline of a pine tree. The brass sideplate is six inches long and has a line engraving around the edges. On the wrist of the stock, there is a plain, brass escutcheon. The forward end of the trigger guard terminates in an acorn finial and there is a line engraving around the entire plate. The bow of the trigger guard bears the engraved design of a rattlesnake, with the head and rattles clearly visible.
“The musket is unique in that the original owner’s name, “Daniel Everit,” is inscribed on the engraved butt tang.”

Spence

 

[Artificer]

Thanks for posting that. That stock looks to be sort of in the French Style?

The neat thing about Committee of Safety Muskets or Muskets that were made for American Militia use in the AWI, could have been almost anything available prior to that time.

Here are some more examples:
http://nramuseum.org/the-museum/th...n-i/committee-of-safety-flintlock-musket.aspx
http://www.jaegerkorps.org/NRA/American Made Muskets in the Revolutionary War.htm

Gus

 

[matt denison]

Thanks for posting that. That stock looks to be sort of in the French Style?

The neat thing about Committee of Safety Muskets or Muskets that were made for American Militia use in the AWI, could have been almost anything available prior to that time.

Here are some more examples:
http://nramuseum.org/the-museum/th...n-i/committee-of-safety-flintlock-musket.aspx
http://www.jaegerkorps.org/NRA/American Made Muskets in the Revolutionary War.htm

Gus

Great links, thanks.

 

[Ray-Vigo]

That's exactly what I thought on looking at that stock. The curve has that "New England fowler" type look to it, which I guess is not surprising. Neat gun. I love this sort of one-off military stuff. Not your more usual Brown Bess.

 

[Artificer]

I very much agree the musket Spence illustrated has the more graceful lines of a fowler.

Also, just noticed the bayonet lug on the bottom of the barrel and the sight set further back on the barrel for a "French Style" bayonet.

Gus

 

[Loyalist Dave]

That second link in Gus' reply is pretty detailed. There are a few other articles that show the same guns including the hardware. One of the things that I considered with my India-origin LLP Bess is that if they ever banned it because of the barrel, I would simply retro-fit a Colerain "Dutch Musket" Barrel to my gun. The DMB's are octagon to round though .75 caliber, so it would from a distance sorta "look right" but then upon closer inspection be "odd"..., and I'd stamp the barrel tang and the tail of the lock "US", and thus have a captured Committee of Safety musket (as a loyalist, who knows what they would have issued me, eh?) Several of the extant examples are mostly Bess hardware, but with other parts from other guns, cobbled into a working piece.

LD

 

[Artificer]

Like your idea of adding a Dutch Musket barrel, if you had/have to do it.

To everyone,

Just noticed the escutcheon plate on the gun Spence illustrated. Overall and even if some parts of that gun came from earlier guns, it has very pleasing esthetics for a Musket. Somewhat surprising for a Musket made in 1777 when the AWI was in full swing. Is it known if Barrett had a local or Colony/State contract for making military muskets?

Gus

 

[George]

Is it always true that Committee of Safety muskets were patched together from preexisting parts? This one seems well designed, the various functional and decorative elements well matched and tied together, and with the owner's name engraved on the gun. What are the chances this was purpose made for this individual of original parts?

Spence

 

[Artificer]

Spence,

Looking at the gun you illustrated does not seem to me to be made of patched together parts. It looks to have been made by someone who was very used to making Fowlers (Not Muskets) and was then asked to make muskets for the war. That's why I wondered if anyone had more information on the gunsmith.

Gus

 

[George]

There is a fair bit of info on the gunsmith in the article, but not as related to his gun making...his war record, family history, sketchy description of his shop, etc. He was actively involved at North Bridge and saw some service after that. He was a prominent citizen, a business man, sawmill and grist mill owner, blacksmith and gunsmith.

The musket owner, 19 year-old Daniel Everit, also saw considerable service, beginning in 1778.

Spence

 

[Artificer]

Does it happen to say if the gunsmith had any more people working for him? A single gunsmith could have gotten local or colony/state contracts, but it was more likely when they ran a multiple person shop.

Gus

 

[George]

It doesn't sound like a one man shop.

The business was first at least Deacon Thomas Barrett and his son, Samuel, whose name was stamped on the lock plate. The article says Deacon Thomas and his father before him were blacksmiths and gunsmiths, and that Samuel followed in the family tradition.

"Sometime before the outbreak of the Revolution, the Barretts began the repair and manufacture of firearms, in addition to their general blacksmithing. In the beginning, they did not stamp their arms with the Barrett name. This occurred later.

"Among their employees was one, Joseph Swain, son of the Reverend Joseph and Elizabeth (Chipman) Swain of Wrenham. Young Swain was a skilled blacksmith and gunsmith, who had been recommended to the Barretts by Dr. Joseph Warren of Boston, a cousin of Swain's by marriage."

During the search for military supplies by the British troops in Concord, they concentrated on the Barrett's shop...

"Since it was common knowledge that the Deacon and his son, Samuel, were making and repairing guns, it is reasonable to suppose that the British, through their Tory Spies, were also aware of it."

The elder Barrett died in 1779, and his two sons, Samuel and Amos continued the business.

Spence

 

[Artificer]

That IS interesting. So the two muskets known by him may not have been the only ones he/they made.

Gus

 

[Ray-Vigo]

That article from George Neumann has been around a little while and is pretty good. Lots of nice pictures, similar to his books.

I think if had a fully custom gun built today, it would be based on one of those committee of safety muskets- something sort of different from the norm today.

 

[George]

The article from Gun Report which I'm posting about was by Willard C. Cousins.

Some more specs for those interested in the gun.

Length 59"
Barrel 43", .72 caliber
Lock 6 1/2" x 1 3/8"
Butt tang 4 1/2"
Trigger guard 10 1/2"
Furniture Brass
Stock Cherry

Spence

 

[rich pierce]

Is it always true that Committee of Safety muskets were patched together from preexisting parts? This one seems well designed, the various functional and decorative elements well matched and tied together, and with the owner's name engraved on the gun. What are the chances this was purpose made for this individual of original parts?

Spence

There's a good chance it was all purpose built. Like all phrases, Committee of Safety musket means different things to different folks. Strict historians mean a musket made to order for a colonial Committee of Safety and to their specifications. They were often marked clearly. Others use the term to mean any colonial-made musket, probably used in the Revolutionary War, and often cobbled together from a mishmash of existing and new parts. I prefer to call that sort of gun a composite gun or a militia musket, feeling they were likely made by gunsmiths for militia members who suddenly needed a functional musket that met the requirements of the colony when they were mustered.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Is it always true that Committee of Safety muskets were patched together from preexisting parts? This one seems well designed, the various functional and decorative elements well matched and tied together, and with the owner's name engraved on the gun. What are the chances this was purpose made for this individual of original parts?

Spence

There's a good chance it was all purpose built. Like all phrases, Committee of Safety musket means different things to different folks. Strict historians mean a musket made to order for a colonial Committee of Safety and to their specifications. They were often marked clearly. Others use the term to mean any colonial-made musket, probably used in the Revolutionary War, and often cobbled together from a mishmash of existing and new parts. I prefer to call that sort of gun a composite gun or a militia musket, feeling they were likely made by gunsmiths for militia members who suddenly needed a functional musket that met the requirements of the colony when they were mustered.

Another similar thread is going on AWI rifle-muskets. I posted the following there:

In the years prior to the actually start of the AWI, especially in more southern small towns, the English could not maintain large armies. Therefore only smaller detachments were used to patrol and keep the citizens subdued. These were often led by sergeants rather than high ranking officers. To keep their arms working and supplied with ammunition local blacksmiths and craftsmen were utilized to do this work. Of course, they were not paid. Moulds for casting were given to the craftsmen to do the casting but were taken back afterwards. It was illegal for the citizens to keep any of the balls, punishable by whatever order the seargent decided, up to death. Same with repairs to the arms. However, many times extras would be made and hidden. In this way some citizens were able to make enough parts and ammunition to later assemble and use for the revolution. Not much of stretch to believe this musket was a product of a scenario just like that. We should never lose sight of the the brave and hardy stock Americans are descended from. Did I hear someone say "birth of the 2nd Amendment"?

 

[George]

Source for that scenario?

Spence

 

[Okwaho]

Well said Rich and I think a correct statement.I have a nice original flintlock musket probably from Conn.{cherry stocked}with parts from English,French and possibly Dutch or German guns.The barrel is 40 in.and .75 cal.with front sight doubling as a bayonet lug.I date the gun possibly prior to 1777 when the French shipments began arriving and the gun is still Bess influenced rather than French influenced.The gun may possibly be a Sargeant's musket carried in lieu of a halberd or partisan.

I think also that far too many students and collectors tend to apply the term committee of safety to any firearm made and used by American forces.True committee of safety firearms are extremely rare having been used up early by American soldiers desperate for weapons.

Tom Patton
I welcome responsible differing opinions

 

[Rifleman1776]

Source for that scenario?

Spence

It was in a historical fiction book I read on my Kindle last year. I am terrible at remembering authors and titles. But do retain content. Go figger..... :idunno:
I'll try to retreive it and will post if I do. The main settings were South Carolina and Florida. Well done and well researched book.