You mean that you argued this whole thing because you lack the ability to read? Not once did I say "You could be any rank with the Bess"..
I said, "With the proper use of a musket you can be any rank you wish."
Which, obvious to pretty much everyone, was a joking, sarcastic remark meaning that with the proper use of a firearm, you can be any rank you like. I forgot I was talking to a worthless Torey, I should have typed a bit slower.
Ah well, so much for my reading skills...
Your fusil has sold.... fusil..., for your fusil to have been a Bess, it would've needed to accept a musket, and a bayonet lug. It may once have been a Bess, and the parts were Bess, but alas, it was not a musket as it was sans the ability to sport the bayonet.
LD