A Socially Distanced Alternative?

Matchlock Musket or Brown Bess? 

As debate rages whether the Prime Minister will reduce social distancing from 2m to 1m tomorrow, I think we may have the answer for our visitors. Like many other businesses, we at the Museum have a range of posters and floor stickers in production, hazard tape at the ready and a socially 2m safe layout in the pipeline. Or perhaps we should consider alternatives to ensure people don't get too close...

Let me introduce you to the Brown Bess, or 'British (Long)

Land Pattern Musket' to give it it's proper name, used between 1722 and 1838. There are plenty of variations to this flintlock weapon, but at a metre and a half long, it is well on its way to being a useful tool in social distancing. Although the length of the Brown Bess did decrease during its long and illustrious history.

The Brown Bess was the standard musket of the British military, used in battles such as Culloden and Waterloo. It was the first mass-produced weapon for the Army as they began to standardise their weapons, as it increased its Empire across the globe. It was one of the longest serving weapons of the British Army with earlier flintlock varieties later replaced by the more reliable percussion cap. Muzzle-loaded, it weighed around 11 pounds and could fire up to four rounds per minute although it was more likely to be two to three. Although its range was up to 300 yards, it was most effective between 50 and 100 yards. 

This was the weapon that soldiers of the 34th (Cumberland) Regiment of Foot would have used at Arroyo dos Molinos in 1811, and the 55th (Westmoreland) Regiment of Foot would have used at Ticonderoga in 1758. The men would have been trained in musket drill, biting the cartridge and pushing the frizzen to open the pan. They would have lined up to produce massed volleys due to the inaccuracy of the weapon, then followed these up with bayonet charges. Very different to the soldiering of today.

Although in 2020 soldiers still use bayonets, but not the 17" socket bayonet of the 18th/19th century. Obviously, with such a long musket, it becomes a very good socially distancing weapon!  This now not only provides a significant distance between you and the other person, but the pointy end can be used to effectively keep folk at bay. Perhaps this is a bit extreme, and when we get round to reopening I should just stick to the posters and hazard tape!