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Author Topic: Pistols in colonial America  (Read 2492 times)

Offline Ironhand

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Pistols in colonial America
« on: March 15, 2012, 09:14:05 AM »
Found an interesting bit of research on pistol usage during colonial times.

I especially like the 80 year old guy who took on the Brits

Pistols appear in the hands of non-militia members who engage in guerilla warfare
against the British at the start of the Revolution.  â€œSamuel Whittemore, aged eighty years,”
upon seeing British soldiers marching towards Concord, prepared by oiling “his musket and
pistols and sharpening his sword.”  When the soldiers returned,  
 Whittemore had posted himself behind a stone wall, down Mystic Street about four hundred and fifty
feet….  The distance seemed an easy range for him, and he opened fire, killing the soldier he aimed
at.  They must have discovered his hiding place from the smoke-puff, and hastened to close in on
him.  With one pistol he killed the second Briton, and with his other fatally wounded a third one.  In
the meantime, the ever vigilant flank guard were attracted to the contest, and a ball from one of their
muskets struck his head and rendered him unconscious.  They rushed to the spot, and clubbed him
with their muskets and pierced him with their bayonets until they felt sure he was dead….  
Whittemore lived eighteen more years, dying in 1793 at the age of ninety-eight.  :rt th

http://www.impsec.org/~jhardin/gunstuff ... merica.pdf
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Re: Pistols in colonial America
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2012, 09:24:25 AM »
Quote
They rushed to the spot, and clubbed him
with their muskets and pierced him with their bayonets until they felt sure he was dead….
Whittemore lived eighteen more years, dying in 1793 at the age of ninety-eight.

 :shock:
Al
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Offline sse

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Re: Pistols in colonial America
« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2012, 10:10:05 AM »
Quite a story...
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Offline Roaddog

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Re: Pistols in colonial America
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2012, 06:32:04 AM »
Now tha's one tough ol' coot. I'm glad he was on our side.
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Puffer

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Re: Pistols in colonial America
« Reply #4 on: April 05, 2012, 01:07:19 PM »
Do Not mess with a "Proven Battlel tested Old Warrior" !!!!
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Offline chuckpa

Re: Pistols in colonial America
« Reply #5 on: April 14, 2012, 05:46:40 PM »
That's my kind of guy, we need some of them today and as puffer said don't mess with an old warrior!
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Chuck Beasley
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