16051 - Continental Line Standing Defending No. 2 1777-87

Continental Line/1st American Regiment Standing Defending, 1777-87, No.2

France supplied large quantities of Charleville 1777 muskets to the newly formed Continental Army. The Charleville was a fine musket with a range and accuracy equivalent to, or better than, its contemporaries, however it played a dual role on the battlefield. Obviously as a ranged weapon, but also as a polearm in hand-to-hand combat. Given the slow rate of fire of flintlock guns, a hedge of bayonets could provide  protection for musketeers against fast charging cavalry. When employed as a makeshift spear, the Charleville’s general length and weight made it quite formidable in melee quarters. When all else failed, it was sturdy enough to be turned into a club, easily handled by the general infantrymen.