Page 192 - (DK) Smithsinian - Military History: The Definitive Visual Guide to the Objects of Warfare

190 WEAPONS OF THE REVOLUTIONARY

ONET 1680–1815 AND NAPOLEONIC WARS ▲ BRITISH HEAVY DRAGOON Officers in the French chasseurs,

Armies in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars fought with a range
of weapons including bayonets and cannon. The massed infantry used muskets,
and only the specialist regiments of sharpshooters carried rifles. Swords were
PISTOL 1747
hussars, and dragoons generally
carried flintlock pistols similar
the preferred weapon in a cavalry charge, except for light cavalry regiments,
Date 18th century
to this British example. One of
1
Weight 2 ⁄2lb (1.2kg)
two loaded pistols, for emergency use, while dragoons often regarded the
plate, which could be used as a
club in hand-to-hand fighting.
carbine as their principal weapon.
Barrel 12in (30.5cm)
Y who carried lances topped with pennons or flags. Many cavalrymen also had Origin UK a pair, it has a heavy brass butt
Caliber .65in
AND BA Barrel band secures
Striking steel
the barrel to the stock
FLINTLOCK ▲ INDIA-PATTERN MUSKET Striking steel and ▲ AUSTRIAN MUSKET In 1798, Austria introduced a
Date 1797
new flintlock musket to match
Date 1798
Origin UK
the latest French gun of this
open pan cover
Origin Austria
type, the Modèle 1777.
Weight 9lb (4.1kg)
Weight 9 ⁄4lb (4.2kg)
1
Barrel 39in (99cm)
3
Caliber .75in
Jaws to
Caliber .65in
hold flint Barrel 3 ⁄4ft (1.14m)
The British Army introduced the India-Pattern
musket, the final form of the “Brown Bess,” in
1793. A simplified version, it was cheaper and
quicker to produce.
▲ CARBINE MODEL AN IX French cavalrymen
Date 1801 carried a smoothbore
flintlock carbine. This
Origin France
An IX model was manufactured
Weight 7 ⁄4lb (3.3kg) at Charleville, the French
1
Trigger guard Barrel 3 ⁄4ft (1.15m) government armament factory,
3
in year nine of the Revolutionary
Caliber .69in
Sling swivel calendar—that is, 1801.

▲ HEAVY DRAGOON Napoleonic-era carbines
CARBINE PATTERN 1770 had shorter barrels than
Date c.1805 earlier models. Each
Battle- dragoon clipped the
scarred butt Origin UK carbine to his belt, from
Weight 8 ⁄2lb (3.9kg) which it hung next to Leather grip
1
Barrel 26in (66cm) the thigh.
Caliber .75in
Steel
Cock

▲ PRUSSIAN 1809 The 1809 Pattern musket was the
PATTERN MUSKET Prussian equivalent of the British
Trigger Date 1809 Brown Bess and the French Charleville.
Unlike its competitors, it had a brass
Origin Germany flash guard around the pan as standard. Three-
Weight 8 ⁄4lb (4kg) Most of these flintlocks were later barred hilt
3
Barrel 3 ⁄2ft (1.04m) converted to percussion.
1
Caliber .75in