While the History at Home programs at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park will soon be coming to a close, several events are still on tap for the rest of the month.
On Wednesday morning, Seasonal Interpretive Ranger Steven Knapp hosted a program and demonstration on the musket used by British soldiers during the Revolutionary War, commonly called the “Brown Bess.”
The 70 caliber musket, whose modern day equivalent would be a 20 gauge shotgun, was standard issue for British infantry soldiers during America’s fight for independence, Knapp said.
While the weapon was not known for accuracy, it was faster than American rifles, Knapp said.
“Your goal is not accuracy, your goal is to get off as many shots as you can,” Knapp said. “I’ve tried target shooting with a musket and I can’t hit the broad side of a barn.”
The musket also offered a shorter shot distance than the American rifle, according to Knapp. The Brown Bess could fire a shot approximately 50 yards while the rifle could shoot up to about 100 yards.
Speed and versatility were the greatest assets to the Brown Bess.
“Trained British soldiers could get off three or four shots a minute,” Knapp said. “With the American rifle you would be lucky to get one or two a minute.”
The Brown Bess also offered combat options that the American rifle did not.
British soldiers could affix a bayonet to the rifle barrel to effectively become spearmen in close combat. American soldiers using rifles often carried weapons such as knifes, axes or tomahawks for hand-to-hand combat, Knapp said, adding those weapons have a much shorter reach than a bayonet fixed musket.
The thick, heavy stock of the Brown Bess, which was often outfitted with a metal butt, could also serve as a club in hand-to-hand combat, Knapp said. American rifles were not fashioned to use bayonets and with thinner stocks using one as a club could result in the rifle breaking, Knapp said.
Despite its advantages in close combat, Knapp said the Brown Bess was out matched at distance fighting by the American rifles. With a greater accuracy and the ability to shoot a greater distance, revolutionists armed with American rifles were able to pick off specific targets.
“In the Battle of Cowpens about 80 percent of the British officers were dead by the time the soldiers reached the line,” Knapp said. “The British soldiers were not trained to think for themselves so when their officers were gone they didn’t know what to do.
“You could always pick out the British officers pretty easily because they were so well dressed,” Knapp added.
The presentation on firearms used in the American Revolution is just one of the special programs that Knapp is hosting as part of the History at Home series.
Below is a schedule of the remaining events in the History at Home program series:
Friday August 19th
• 10:30 a.m.: Musket Firing Demonstration — Join Knapp on the back porch of the visitor center for a demonstration of the loading and firing procedure for the Brown Bess musket, the standard weapon of the British army in the Revolution.
• 2:00 p.m.: Carter Mansion Tour — Built by Watauga settlement leaders, John and Landon Carter in 1775, a tour of Tennessee’s oldest frame home is a must! Adults – $5.00 (cash only please); 17 and under free.
Saturday August 20th
• 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.: 18th Century Loyalist Encampment — Join Knapp in the fort to learn the story of those who stayed loyal to England during the American Revolution.
• 2:00 p.m.: Carter Mansion Tour — Built by Watauga settlement leaders, John and Landon Carter in 1775, a tour of Tennessee’s oldest frame home is a must! Adults – $5.00 (cash only please); 17 and under free.
Sunday August 21st
• 2:00 p.m.: Carter Mansion Tour — Built by Watauga settlement leaders, John and Landon Carter in 1775, a tour of Tennessee’s oldest frame home is a must! Adults – $5.00 (cash only please); 17 and under free.
• 3:30 p.m.: For the Old Union: Meet Knapp at the Carter Mansion for an exploration into the lives of those in East Tennessee and Appalachia who supported the Union during the Civil War.
Wednesday August 24th
• 10:30 a.m.: Evolution of the Firelock — Join Knapp on the back porch of the visitor center for an exploration of early firearms. Explore the history of the matchlock, flintlock, and percussion muskets. Investigate the progression of firearms from the 16th-19th centuries, and discover the tactics which surrounded these weapons.
• 2:00 p.m.: Carter Mansion Tour — Built by Watauga settlement leaders, John and Landon Carter in 1775, a tour of Tennessee’s oldest frame home is a must! Adults – $5.00 (cash only please); 17 and under free.
Thursday August 25th
10:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.: Life in the Fort — Knapp will be in the fort demonstrating the life of those who would reside in the fort to defend the nearby settlements against attack.
• 2:00 p.m.: Carter Mansion Tour — Built by Watauga settlement leaders, John and Landon Carter in 1775, a tour of Tennessee’s oldest frame home is a must! Adults – $5.00 (cash only please); 17 and under free.
Friday August 26th
• 10:30 a.m.: Evolution of the Firelock — Join Knapp on the back porch of the visitor center for an exploration of early firearms. Explore the history of the matchlock, flintlock, and percussion muskets. Investigate the progression of firearms from the 16th-19th centuries, and discover the tactics which surrounded these weapons.
• 2:00 p.m.: Carter Mansion Tour — Built by Watauga settlement leaders, John and Landon Carter in 1775, a tour of Tennessee’s oldest frame home is a must! Adults – $5.00 (cash only please); 17 and under free.
Saturday August 27th
• 10:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.: 18th Century Loyalist Encampment — Join Knapp in the fort to learn the story of those who stayed loyal to England during the American Revolution.
• 2:00 p.m.: Carter Mansion Tour — Built by Watauga settlement leaders, John and Landon Carter in 1775, a tour of Tennessee’s oldest frame home is a must! Adults – $5.00 (cash only please); 17 and under free.