SW0125 Martial Matters 2: Muskets, Rifles, Bayonets Win Wars -- When in the Right Hands

Seminole Wars Authority

Welcome to Week Two: Martial Matters of the Seminole Wars
with our long-time guest, Jesse Marshall.

In the 1830s, the politicians set the policy, often based on the law. The generals set the strategy. Officers set the tactics. And the troops? They focused on the Manual of Arms so they could fight as a coherent force. They practiced and drilled on everything associated with carrying, loading, and displaying their arms. They left out marksmanship firing, based on government parsimony and the muskets' inherent deficiencies that made target practice all-but futile.

In this episode, Jesse Marshall discusses mechanical and tactical differences between muskets and rifles. He explains why the Hall's breech-loading rifle was a stillborn game changer in the war. And he'll address the ultimate weapon in wars of that era -- the bayonet, and why it was so.

The Hall's 1818 breech-loading rifle was billed as a game change for combat precisely because of its breech-loading capabilities. Its offensive punch did not outweigh problems with extended field use in Florida. It did provide adequate defensive firepower to protect a fort or blockhouse. Courtesy images

Host Patrick Swan is a board member with the Seminole Wars Foundation. This podcast is recorded at the homestead of the Seminole Wars Foundation in Bushnell, Florida.

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