The following is derived primarily from Humphrey Bland’s A Treatise Of Military Discipline (1759 edition). Although we have adopted the capability to represent Massachusetts Provincial soldiers in both King George’s War and the last French War, the majority of events we will do will be of the latter period (exceptions will be events we do on our own, and at Fort No. 4). Provincial soldiers before King George’s War employed a loading method in which the musket was primed from a separate primer, such as a powder horn, with the main charge only contained in the cartridge. By King George’s War the British Army had adopted the method of including extra powder in the cartridge and using this to prime. Provincials going to Louisbourg were ordered to use this method. Since powder horns continued to be carried throughout that war and into the next, it can be assumed that old habits were hard to break, and that soldiers loading on their own continued to prime from a horn. However, the world of reenacting intrudes on our attempts at historical recreation. Due to the dangers involved, it is certainly forbidden to load powder in the muzzle from a horn, and thus use of powder horns in a reenactment for any purpose is discouraged. It is simply safer, easier and faster to prime from cartridge. Powder horns may be carried for show (and can be used to prime before battle to burn oil out of the flash hole), but priming from cartridge is better all around, and is consistent with the whole period we are covering.

A second point concerns the use of this discipline by provincial soldiers, particularly snow shoe companies on the frontier. The short answer is that they had very little use for it. These disciplines were designed to take ignorant European peasants and train them for linear tactics employed in open terrain. The emphasis was on mindless obedience to commands. automatic motions, especially in loading, controlled fire, and synchronized movements. None of this had any application in patrolling the backs of towns on the Maine/New Hampshire frontier line, or long range scouts or raids. In fact, these disciplines taught a form of warfare that was dangerous, even suicidal when faced with the reality of la petite guerre. Recently this has created confusion and misunderstanding among some historians ignorant of the purpose of military training. There is a journal written by a Massachusetts soldier during the Louisbourg campaign in which he describes the New Hampshire soldiers arriving at Canso (the staging area). He says they were landed and then “taught the use of the firelock.” Historian John Ferling used this to support his thesis that provincial soldiers were ignorant amateurs who didn’t even know how to fire a gun. However, I have to conclude that Ferling does not know much about the military training manuals of the period, otherwise the word “firelock” would have set off warning bells. In their everyday writing (journals, petitions, letters, etc.) New Englanders rarely if ever used the term “firelock” in describing a weapon (I’m trying to cover myself with a qualification, but in all honesty I don’t remember a single instance). The only place it appears is in the British manuals of the period. The New Hampshire soldiers at Canso were not being taught how to use a weapon, they were being taught linear tactics from the British manuals, and probably as much to give them something to do than from any hope the would become effective linear tactic soldiers (Pepperrell wrote of drilling the soldiers to keep them from being idle).

Did they know this stuff? Do we have to know it? Yes to both questions. They would have been exposed to this during militia training days. Part of the day was taken up with inspections, another part by target practice (something that was practical), another part in drill using these manuals, capped off by a mock battle in which these line movements provided some choreography (and must have very amusing). We have to know it because there will be times when we have to perform ceremonial functions, and operate with other units performing the same or similar manuals (at Ticonderoga the troops often march into the fort for a ceremony, and you can expect several ceremonies at Louisbourg). Also, by the very reasonable fact that battles for the public must be in the open (otherwise they can’t see the battle, which kind of defeats the point), we will be called on to fulfill the duties of line troops, firing volleys, wheeling and turning and whatever. Under those circumstances, most of us have no desire to look like a bunch of idiots.

So, study this manual, and practice on your own. Part One will contain the manual of arms, Part Two loading and firing instruction, Part Three will be the marching maneuvers. Please note that the following does not contain any info on the bayonet. It was extremely rare for provincial soldiers to have bayonets, certainly a whole company would not have them unless they were fortunate to get the infrequent issue of English muskets. Most provincials carried a myriad of weapon designs, including many hunting style weapons, and they carried an edged weapon (hatchet or sword) for close in work, which believe me was very rare. War in the woods normally involved fire fights, not hand to hand combat. Anyway, as they had few bayonets, they probably skipped the bayonet section, as shall we (If you will be carrying a bayonet and would like to know the proper method of fixing and unfixing, I will be glad to teach you on a one to one basis.).

Before beginning I have to acknowledge the work members of the recreated 78th Regiment from Maryland who put together a modern interpreted manual for reenactors. It contains much common sense, and the common sense stuff I have appropriated without shame (Bland’s manual was checked for every position for confirmation). I have a copy of this manual if anyone is interested.

Part I: Manual of Arms

1. Position of a Soldier (Also the position of SHOULDER YOUR FIRELOCKS)

Body square to the front, head turned slightly to the right (for keeping dress, the right hand man looks straight forward), right hand straight down to side, the back of the hand to the front. The musket is carried on the left shoulder, the barrel to the front, lock to the left, the butt held in the left hand with two fingers under, the middle finger on the swell of turn of the butt, and the thumb and forefinger on the tang of the butt. The butt is held against the hip bone. The musket is held almost straight, with the loop of trigger guard just below the left breast.

Note: Whenever you fall in, it should be in this position. Whenever you are commanded to shoulder firelock, you will return to this position.

2. Rest Your Firelocks (3 motions)

  1. Grab the wrist of the musket with the right hand, turning the musket so the lock is to the front, barrel to right. The left elbow will be pointed out somewhat.
  2. Raise the musket with the right hand, turning as you do so the lock is to the right, barrel to the rear, the cock the height of the breast, the barrel perpendicular. As you do this release your left hand and grab musket just above frizzen spring, elbow close to body. Note: this the position of “Recover.”
  3. Pivot on the heels, without moving from position, so the left foot points to the front, and the right foot points to the right. As you do this, bring the musket across your body, and downward to your right side, the cock at level of waist, the top or comb of
    butt lying along your thigh, and the barrel tilted slightly forward (lock is still to right, barrel to the rear.) Note: This is the same as “Present Your firelocks”

3. Order Your Firelocks! (3 motions)

  1. Slide the left hand up the musket to height of shoulder, pressing the barrel into shoulder (and thus bringing it perpendicular), and move butt to the outside of the right leg.
  2. Lower the musket with your left hand while you release the right and grab musket near the muzzle (for musket cut to fit a bayonet, this would be where the wooden stock ends, for those not cut for bayonet, about four inches below muzzle). The right hand should be at the height of the chin.
  3. Pivot heels so feet return to position of a soldier while you release your left hand and lower musket to ground with right. The butt should be next to right toe.

4. Ground Your Firelocks! (4 motions)

    1. Turn musket with the right hand so lock is to the rear while you turn half way to the right, placing your right foot against flat side of butt, toe facing directly to the right.
    2. Step forward thirty inches with left foot. As you step slide your right hand down the barrel to the swell of stock (or about as low as you can extend your right arm comfortably), lay musket on ground, bending right knee so lower leg lays on top of musket. Head and eyes are facing forward, left hand hanging straight down.
    3. Stand up, keeping body half turned to the right.
    4. Turn body to the front, swinging toe of right foot over butt of musket.

5. Take Up Your Firelocks! (3 motions)

  1. Half turn to the right, swinging right toe over butt and laying right foot along butt
  2. Step forward thirty inches with left foot. Bending your right knee so lower leg lays on top of musket, take hold of musket with right hand. Head and eyes are facing forward, left hand hanging straight down.
  3. Stand up, keeping body half turned to the right. Slide right hand up to the end of the stock.
  4. Turn body to the front, moving your right for into position and assuming ORDER YOUR FIRELOCKS

6. Rest Your Firelocks! (3 motions)

  1. Turn right hand so the barrel is cradled between thumb and fingers, and slide hand down musket as low as you can without constraint
  2. Raise musket straight up with right hand, and grab with left, the little finger on frizzen spring, the left arm straight across stomach
  3. Release right hand and grab wrist of stock, pivoting on heels so right toe is pointing to right, and the left toe pointing to the front, and the top or comb of butt lying along your thigh, and the barrel tilted slightly forward (lock is still to right, barrel to the rear.)

7. Shoulder Your Firelocks! (2 motions)

  1. As you pivot your heels to face front, let go with left and bring musket across body with the right hand, turning it so the barrel is to the front, and then grab the butt with left hand
  2. Drop right hand to right side

8. Poise Your Firelocks! (2 motions)

  1. Grab the wrist of the musket with the right hand, turning the musket so the lock is to the front, barrel to right. The left elbow will be pointed out somewhat.
  2. Drop your left hand to your side while you left the musket up before your face, barrel perpendicular, lock the height of the face (lock is still to the front), right elbow bent, upper arm close to body

9. Rest Upon Your Arms! (3 motions)

  1. With right hand lower musket straight down as low as right arm will permit, and grab with left hand at the height of the chin.
  2. Lower musket further and grab with right hand at the end of the stock (for weapons not cut for bayonet, this would be about four inches below muzzle).
  3. Lower musket to the ground, and slide left hand up under the right, elbows close to body.

Note: This is used as position of Parade Rest

10. Poise Your Firelocks! (3 motions)

  1. Lift musket straight up with right and grab with left just above frizzen spring
  2. Raise musket to height of Poise with left hand, while you release right hand and grab musket at wrist.
  3. Drop left hand to your side

11. Shoulder Your Firelock! (2 motions)

  1. Bring musket into left shoulder, turning it so the barrel is to the front, and grab butt with left hand
  2. Drop your right hand to the right side

12. Present Your Arms! (3 motions)

Same as No. 2

13. Shoulder Your Arms (2 motions)

Same as No. 7

14. Secure Your Firelocks! (3 motions)

  1. Bring right hand over and grab wrist of stock
  2. Release left hand, and reach up and grab the musket by bending left elbow only, the forearm laying along side of musket
  3. As you drop your right hand to your right side, swing musket down and forward, so the butt is behind the left shoulder and the muzzle is pointing to the ground

Note: In Bland this is done from REST YOUR FIRELOCKS. The first motion would be to bring it to poise, the second motion would bring the musket into left shoulder, barrel out, while you grab it with the left as described in the second motion. The third motion is the same.

15. Shoulder Your Firelocks! (3 motions)

  1. Swing up the musket with the left hand while you bring right over and grab wrist
  2. Release left hand and grab butt
  3. Drop right hand to your right side

16. Rest Your Firelocks! (3 motions)

Same as No. 2

17. Club Your Firelocks! (3 motions)

  1. Release right hand and crisply swing musket butt forward and upward (you do this by simply turning left hand at wrist so the back of the hand is now to the rear and the thumb is pointing down), grab musket with right hand as low as you can without constraint while you turn on your heels and face front.
  2. Release left hand as you bring musket across body, lifting it as you do and turning lock to the front. Grab with left at end of stock, the hand at the height of the waistbelt
  3. Drop right hand to right side as you slant musket to left shoulder

18. Rest Your Firelocks! (3 motions)

  1. Grab musket with right hand at height of shoulder and bring it perpendicular (off the shoulder)
  2. Release left hand and lower musket with right as you turn it so barrel is to the front. Grab with left just above lock, back of the hand to the rear, thumb pointing downward
  3. As you turn on your heels to the position of rest, release right hand and crisply swing butt forward and down, bringing butt into right leg and grabbing wrist of musket with the right hand, assuming the position of REST.

19. Shoulder Your Firelocks!

Same as No. 7

20. Support Your Firelocks! (3 motions)

  1. Grab wrist of stock with right hand (keep low, near comb of butt, to allow room for left arm)
  2. Release left hand and bring forearm up under the cock and above the right hand, the left hand is laid flat on chest pointing upward toward right shoulder
  3. Drop right hand to right side

Note: When you march, the right hand is automatically brought up to hold wrist, when you halt, automatically drop right hand again. By the way, this is not in Bland, but in other manuals slightly later. It is helpful to change positions on a long march.

21. Shoulder Your Firelocks! (3 motions)

  1. Grab wrist of musket with right hand below left forearm
  2. Grab butt with left hand
  3. Drop right hand to right side

Note: If ordered on the march, this would be only two motions since your right hand will already be holding the wrist

22. Carry Your Firelock in Your Right Hand (2 motions)

  1. Reach up with right hand and grab just below swell (or balance point if your weapon doesn’t have a swell)
  2. Release left hand and drop to your side while you bring musket across to the right, the right arm straight down, the musket held on a slant with the muzzle up and to the front

Note: This comes from the officers fusil manual, but obviously a practical carrying position.

23. Shoulder Your Firelocks (2 motions)

  1. Bring musket into left shoulder with right hand while you grab the butt with the left
  2. Drop right hand to right side

Part II: Loading and Firing

The following long loading sequence was used for training purposes. We will run through this and be familiar with it (it is also good for public demonstrations), but in battle the separate commands will not be given, simply PRIME AND LOAD! And rammers will not be used.

1. Join Your Right Hand to Your Firelock! (1 motion)

  1. Grab the wrist of the musket with the right hand, turning the musket so the lock is to the
    front, barrel to right. The left elbow will be pointed out somewhat.

2. Recover Your Firelocks! (1 motion)

  1. Raise the musket with the right hand, turning as you do so the lock is to the right, barrel
    to the rear, the cock the height of the breast, the barrel perpendicular. as you do this
    release your left hand and grab musket just above frizzen spring, elbow close to body.

3. Open Your Pans! (2 motions)

  1. Place right foot 4 inches behind left, right toe pointing to the right, left to the front, and
    turn body fully to the right. As you turn bring the musket across your body so the lock
    is just below the right breast, the muzzle is pointing forward and up, about the height of
    a man’s hat.
  2. With your right thumb push the frizzen forward

4. Handle Your Cartridge! (1 motion)

  1. Bring your right hand to your pouch or cartridge box, and bring a cartridge out and
    hold near your mouth.

5. Open Your Cartridge! (1 motion)

  1. Tear open cartridge with your teeth and hold near the pan (be sure to bite low enough,
    eat powder!)

6. Prime! (2 motions)

  1. Pour some powder in the pan
  2. Place last two fingers of right hand behind frizzen

7. Shut the Pan! (2 motions)

  1. Shut the frizzen
  2. Turn left hand over, swinging musket around and downward. You should stop motion of muzzle with the palm of your right hand. The musket should be lowered as you do this so the left forearm is at the height of the waistbelt (it is a sweeping, downward motion with the left hand). (With besses, allow the musket to slide as well so the swell is just above the left hand). The butt should be above the left toe.

8. Load with Cartridge! (2 motions)

  1. Pour powder down barrel (If wadding for demonstration, drop paper in as well)
  2. Seize rammer with right thumb and forefinger

9. Draw Your Rammers! (3 motions)

  1. Pull out rammer to full extension of right arm, then release and grab rammer at muzzle with back of the right hand up
  2. Pull rammer clear of the pipes, turn it over with a twist of the wrist, and place the butt end against your cartridge box belt (put it against anything but your coat, or you will have a black mark that won’t come out). Slide hand down to within three inches of the butt end
  3. Place the rammer in the barrel

10. Ram Down Your Cartridge! (3 motions)

  1. Grab rammer at midway point and ram down the barrel. Withdraw it half way and grab it backhanded
  2. Pull rammer out of barrel and pull it out, turn it over and place tip end against your cartridge box belt. Slide hand to within three inches of tip end.
  3. Place tip end of rammer in the first pipe, and slide it down to within six inches of being seated, grasp it between thumb and forefinger.

11. Return Your Rammers! (1 motion)

  1. Seat the rammer the rest of the way, and raise the musket with the left so the lock is at the height of the belt, turning it as you do so the muzzle is slanted to the front, and grab it at the wrist with the right hand. You should slide the left down so the little finger is resting on the frizzen spring as you do this.

12. Shoulder! (2 motions)

  1. Face to the front and bring the right foot up, while you bring the musket into the left shoulder with the right hand, barrel to the front, nd grab the butt with the left.
  2. Drop right hand to right side.

13. Make Ready! (3 motions)

1 & 2 Come to Recover (see motions 1 & 2 in the loading sequence)

  1. Step back eighteen inches with right foot and reach up with right thumb and full cock

14. Present! (1 motion)

  1. Level the musket by bringing butt into right shoulder, (in other words, take aim)

15. Fire! (2 motions)

  1. Pull the trigger
  2. Place right foot 4 inches behind left, right toe pointing to the right, left to the front, and body faced fully to the right. The lock is just below the right breast, the muzzle is pointing forward and up, about the height of a man’s hat. grasp cock between thumb
    and forefinger

At this point, you will ignore the first three commands because you are already there. The next command in the long loading sequence would be:

1. Half-Cock Your Firelock! (1 motion)

  1. Pull cock to half-cock position
  2. Handle Your Cartridge!
  3. Open Your Cartridge!
  4. etc., etc., etc.

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The vast majority of the time you will be given a simple “Prime and Load,” and you will go through the loading sequence, without ramming, automatically. The sequence will look like this:

1. Half-Cock Your Firelock!

2. Handle Your Cartridge!

3. Open Your Cartridge!

4. Prime!

5. Shut the Pan!

6. Load with Cartridge! (No wadding, no rammer)

7. Shoulder!

  1. Raise the musket with the left so the lock is at the height of the belt, turning it as you do so the muzzle is slanted to the front, and grab it at the wrist with the right hand. You should slide the left down so the little finger is resting on the frizzen spring as you do this.
  2. Face to the front and bring the right foot up, while you bring the musket into the left shoulder with the right hand, barrel to the front, nd grab the butt with the left.
  3. Drop right hand to right side.

To finish a firing sequence you would be given the following series of commands:

Half-Cock Your Firelocks!

Shoulder Your Firelocks!

Secure Your Firelocks!

Shoulder Your Firelocks!

Shut Your Pans!

(with a sweeping motion bring over your right hand, fingers extended and together, and
shut pan, dropping your right hand to your right side)