In 1774, a war between England and Massachusetts Bay Colony appeared inevitable. In preparation, Massachusetts militiamen relied upon muskets obtained from various sources: inheritance, the French and Indian War, the Siege of Louisbourg, and commercial markets.
The result was a variety of weapons of different caliber, origins, and values.
Thus, as Massachusetts soldiers marched off to war on April 19, 1775, it would not have been uncommon within the same militia company to see hunting guns, English muskets, Dutch muskets, American-made muskets (with parts from several sources), and French muskets.
On February 26, 1775, a confrontation occurred in the port town of Salem, Massachusetts, today known as “The Salem Affair.” Although many historians gloss over this event, it nearly triggered the start of the American Revolution and accelerated Massachusetts’ wartime preparations.
