Hessian Muskets?

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Does anyone know what type of musket the Hessian forces used during the American Revolution? Did they use the Brown Bess (since they were employed by Great Britain), or did they use something else?

[Adam Helmer]

Mr. 16 gauge,

Prussia and the German states in 1776 had 4 or 8 times as many troops on establishment as did England. Both Prussia and Austria had well developed arms industries providing arms to their armies.

Maybe an internet search on Hessian Arms will provide some infoirmation. I suspect they used a smoothbore musket of about .70 caliber.

Adam

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Hello Adam;
I did an internet search, but unfortunately I didn't come up with much in the way of a 'specific' musket; I did find a source, however, that stated that the Hessian muskets "appear similar to the brown bess, with Charville barrel bands". I also found another source that said that German arms manufacturers built their guns using a variety of locks, barrels, stocks, ect....basically, whatever was on hand (and, I would assume, whatever was captured). This is why I posed the question.....I have found references to "Prussian muskets", but these are from 1806, well after the revolution.

I'll keep searching...............

[Gil Martin]

All the best...
Gil



http://americanhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/collection/object.asp?ID=449