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MILITIA MUSKETOONS From the end of the Revolutionary War until the 1830s, Congress authorized and abolished federal cavalry forces many times. Whether the federal government had a force of cavalry usually depended upon whether or not there was a war or conflict with Indians. When in existence, the federal cavalry was usually designated as "dragoons" or "light dragoons." Throughout this period, heavy reliance was placed on militia mounted units, especially in the many conflicts with the Indians along the western frontiers. Thousands of mounted militia served during the conflict with the Miami Indians in the 1790s, during the uprising of Tecumseh in 1808-1811, along the western frontiers during the War of 1812, during the Blackhawk War in 1832, and in Florida during the Seminole War of 1836. During the War of 1812 there were 395,000 men in the enrolled militiasof the several states. Twenty thousand of these belonged to cavalry troops. Although it is likely that many of the militia cavalry were armed with pistols and sabres, and many have been described as "mounted riflemen," many probably were also armed with musketoons or carbines. Three distinct configurations of musketoons attributed to procurement by individuals or units of states1 militias are discussed in this text. It has been speculated that these musketoons were procured or altered for shipboard use,for use by mounted forces, or for foot artillery.Many ofthese musketoons haveswivel rings and, because of this, it seems most probable that they wereusedby mounted militia units. No documentary information has come to light identifying these arms or by what authority they were procured. Their lack of state or federal ownership markings suggests that they were made for private sale to individual militiamen or militia units. The first type of musketoon was created by shortening New England militia muskets at the muzzle end and installing a large brassbutt plate that is similar to those attributed to the alteration of some muskets issued to Massachusetts under the provisionsofthe U.S. MilitiaAct of 1808. It isspeculated that this musketoon may have been used aboard ship. The second type of musketoon has, until recently, been attributed to some unidentified U.S. Navy procurement in the 1830s. This wasbecause some of the few known examples are equipped with locks made by William Evans that are identical to those he used on his U.S. contract pistols for the navy. Other examples have come to light that are equipped with sporting locks similar to those used in the manufacture of New England militia muskets. At first encounter, examples of the third type of musketoon appear to have been altered from flintlock to percussion. Closer examination of these musketoons , fabricated by the Waters manufactory, reveals that they were originally 146. 328 AMERICAN MILITARY SHOULDER ARMS, VOL. II made as percussion arms. Because they are percussion arms, they would not normally be included in this volume, except that they are of the same "family" of arms as the two previously described types of musketoons and are often mistaken for altered flintlock arms. (TYPE I) MlUITIA MUSKETOON 146.1 Plate 146.1-A This (Type I) militia musketoon wasshortened from a New England militia musket to its present 27V barrel length. It has also been fitted with a large brass butt plate. Because these musketoons were created by shortening existing New England militia muskets, they probably originated in one of the New England states. The alteration included the fitting of a large brass butt plate. Because similar, but larger, butt plates were also fitted to some muskets that had been issued to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and because most of the barrels of these musketoons are stamped with Massachusetts state proof marks, it is speculated that these musketoons were procured for or altered by one or more of the Massachusetts militia units, possibly for use aboard ship. However, at the time this alteration isbelieved to have been accomplished (sometime after 1840), only state-owned arms are known to have been in the hands of the Massachusetts militia. The lack of definitive information regarding the alteration and use of these musketoons means that they can be classified only as"militia musketoons." Only the alteration that created the musketoon from New England militia muskets is described here. Different examples exhibit many of the various physical characteristics inherent in New England militia muskets.Those muskets are described in the introduction to Section 144 of this work. The barrel lengths of known examples of (Type I) musketoons vary from 27" to...

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