 |
| Bill and Ranger Adrian
firing |
The Battle of Kings Mountain
is unusual in that the Loyalist side primarily used muskets and the Patriot
side primarily used rifles. So part of the story of the battle is comparing
these two weapons.
 |
| rifle & musket in Kings Mountain
National Military
Park’s museum |
THE RIFLE
 |
| from Kings Mountain
National Military
Park brochure |
Frontier men owned flintlock
long rifles to hunt for food and kill varmints. These custom-made weapons were
often the most expensive thing a man owned. They were rifled – grooves inside
the barrel spun the lead ball – making them accurate to over 200 yards. They
took about 1 minute to load. The steps were to pour black powder from a powder
horn into a measure, then pour it down the barrel. Then cut a cloth patch, wrap
it around the lead ball, and ram it down the barrel. That took time and effort,
as it needed to fit tightly to catch the grooves. Finally, pour black powder
from a powder horn into the pan.
THE MUSKET
The British Land Pattern
Musket (aka “Brown Bess”) was a flintlock military weapon.
 |
| from Kings Mountain
National Military
Park brochure |
It was mass produced and
given to British soldiers and Loyalist militiamen. It was accurate to only 75
yards, as it was smoothbore and shot an undersized ball so it could fire many
shots before cleaning. It used a premade paper cartridge with a lead ball and
black powder, so could load and fire in 15-20 seconds. The steps were to tear
the cartridge end with your teeth (yes, soldiers needed 2 opposing teeth!),
pour some powder into the pan, drop the cartridge into the barrel, and ram it
down the barrel. The musket could also mount a bayonet on the end of the barrel
for hand-to-hand combat. More people were killed in the Revolutionary War with
the bayonet than with a musket ball.
THE BATTLE
The Battle of Kings Mountain
is often portrayed as a battle of musket versus rifle.
 |
| painting by Dan Nance |
The Loyalists on the top of
the ridge primarily had muskets. The Patriot frontier militiamen surrounded the
Loyalists on the wooded slopes and primarily had rifles. The Patriots hid
behind old-growth trees to load and during volleys picked off Loyalists
silhouetted on the top of the ridge. The Loyalists tried several bayonet
charges, but the Patriots just retreated and fired into the flanks, so the
Loyalists had to reform lines at the top of the hill. The advantages of the
musket – firing rate and bayonet – didn’t help the Loyalists due to the trees
and formations, while the accuracy of the rifle did help the Patriots. So the
Patriots won the battle.
CARTRIDGES
We learned all about guns
starting with the cartridge – Barbara rolled hundreds of them.
For kids’ programs they put
a gum ball and Kool-Aid in a cartridge reminiscent of a bullet and gunpowder.
Bill and Ranger Lamar also filled hundreds of cartridges with just black powder
(no lead ball!) for use in weapons demonstrations.
BULLETS
We also learned how to make
bullets. They heated a pot of lead (we now use pewter) over a fire and poured
the liquid metal into a mold. It cools in seconds; then they opened the mold
and dropped the hot ball into a bucket of water.
Bill made bullets one day.
Visiting children love when you give them a bullet they saw made. One visiting
class of 9th graders actually made their own bullets, which they thought was
cool.
GUN TALKS
Bill gave many gun talks,
explaining about the guns and giving observers a chance to see them up close.
They could hold them as long as Bill also had his hand on the gun.
WEAPONS DEMOS
With training by Ranger Leah
and an assist from Ranger Lamar, Bill became Black Powder Certified in the
National Park Service after taking a test and demonstrating safe firing. Now he
too can fire in weapons demonstrations. In the picture below Bill and Ranger
Lamar are firing, while Ranger Leah gives the commands. “Prime and load! … Make
Ready! … Take Aim! … FIRE!”
