October 30, 2019 The Collection of Steve & Marcy Hench
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/30/2019
According to the description written for Steve Hench by James L. Kochan, this musket is one of about 450 issued in 1766 by the Tower to the 24th Regiment of Foot stationed at Gibralter, to replace a like number lost in service. The 24th Regiment of Foot arrived in Canada and fought in the 1776 and 1777 campaigns and the entire regiment surrendered at Saratoga. Kochan states further that there are at least three examples of regimentally marked Long Lands engraved with a large "24" on the barrel, as on this musket. The others are Dublin Castle-marked muskets with this one being the only known 24th marked Tower musket. Kochan states that according to the records, only 99 of the original 450 Tower muskets issued were still in service with the regiment when it deployed to America in 1776. Many of the arms surrendered at Saratoga in 1777 were taken home as war trophies by the short-term New England militia regiments that composed much of Major General Horatio Gates' Northern Army. The musket was acquired by C. Keith Wilber from a home in Buckland, Massachusetts. Wilbur was the author of "Picture Book of the Continental Soldier". The musket is complete with an old tag from Wilber which reads"carried by Pvt. Parker during the Revolutionary War". According to James Kochan, research conducted in the Revolutionary War records in the National Archives and other repositories indicates that this musket was almost certainly brought back from Saratoga by Private Abraham Parker of Captain Nahum Ward's Buckland Company of Colonel David Well's Regiment (also known as 5th Hampshire Regiment), which served as part of Fellow's Brigade during the Saratoga campaign. Parker was one of only two private soldiers from Hampshire County known to have been at Saratoga and the only one who was part of a Buckland area company. According to an included letter from Eric Schnitzer, the Historian at Saratoga National Historical Park, this musket was definitively issued to a soldier of the 24th Regiment of Foot while in Ireland in 1775 or 1776. He states that with the wrist escutcheon marked "9/21", the musket was issued to a soldier second to last senior company of the regiment. He said that the soldier that it was issued to would have certainly fought at both Battles of Saratoga. The musket itself is a Pattern 1756 Long Land Brown Bess. The tapered round barrel is marked "FG" at the breech for Farmer and Galton. On top, near the breech are two British ordnance stamps and a large "24" for the 24th Regiment of Foot. The barrel shows the crown stamp for British Ordnance. The bayonet lug mounted on top near the muzzle shows period alterations. The round-faced lock plate is engraved "GALTON / 1762" at the tail and is marked in the center with a large engraved crown over "GR" and broad arrow and crown denoting government ownership. The inside of the lock is marked with a crown over "3", a "P" in a cartouche, and "FG" for makers Farmer & Galton. Standard brass Pattern 1756 furniture including a convex sideplate and wrist escutcheon deeply inscribed "9/21" indicating that it was the 21st musket distributed to the 9th company. The full-length walnut stock has the classic British form and Brown Bess "bulge" at the ramrod entry ferrule. There is a small crown and numeral stamped just behind the rear trigger guard tang. Complete with replaced iron ramrod. CONDITION: Barrel retains a mottled grey patina with some heavier corrosion at breech. Mainspring is contemporary replacement. British ordnance proofs show wear but are still visible. Lock is in its original flintlock configuration and shows a matching mottled grey patina with some wear to markings and light scattered pitting. Cock has a period repair and frizzen has been replaced. Brass furniture is polished bright and markings on escutcheon are deep, furniture shows scattered marks from use. Stock shows scattered marks from use and some chipping around pins and minor age cracks. Minor wood replaced around one barrel pin on left side. Stock shows edge wear and a later coat of finish. Sling swivels replaced. The replaced parts were done before the item was sold at Skinner Auctions. Overall, in remarkable condition for the age and service that this musket saw in the American Revolution. An extremely historic Brown Bess identified to a Regiment, a soldier, and to the Battle of Saratoga. PROVENANCE: This musket sold as lot 16 as part of the C. Keith Wilbur Collection at Skinner Auctions on January 24, 2011. Purchased from James L. Kochan. NOTE: The associated Pattern 1768 bayonet in the following lot came with this musket and was also attributed by Wilber to Private Parker. The bayonet marked to the 31st Regiment.
Caliber/Bore
.75 Smoothbore
Manufacturer
Farmer & Galton
Model
Pattern 1756 Long Land First Model
Paperwork
Hang Tag, Provenance, Records