Flashguard for trade fusils

One problem with Tulle Fusils is they have no frizzen bridles on the pan and flashguards come loose easily. Other old time trade locks have a similar problem. some people solve this with a special screw that helps hold it in place, but here is a simpler method I have devised. It requires a small strip of thin brass sheet, a brass escutcheon pin and some solder.

The brass strip is about a third of an inch wide, when its finished it is like an upside down J and it hooks over the pan. The nail also helps keep the flashgaurd from traveling down. Because the J hook is thin brass the flashguard can be forced down quickly if needed to get at the touch hole. The brass nail helps keep the hook in place. I just drill a little hole in the flashgurd, about a 1/4 inch in and 1/8 an inch from the bottom edge of the guard, trim the nail, bend it over a little ans solder it tight, then I fold the J and trim it so it fits the over the pan. This method seems to allow the hammer to move with no obstruction

Re-enactment Shelter

Currently "oil cloth" leanto's and "trail tarps" are popular with Native re-enactors and frontier re-enactors, but there really is not a lot of documentation of oil cloth "trail tarp" use among Native Americans in the 18th century. Iron tent pegs and laid rope seem like a waste of resources in a shelter in the context of the period so when its used in a trail tarp "lean to" or "plow" it stands out as a compromise to me.

Documentation shows Indians slept out in the open when traveling and didn't worry that much unless they had decided to stay in a place for awhile. Former Kahnawake captive Col James Smith describes this shelter: "As stormy weather appeared, I ordered Jamie to make us a shelter, which he did by erecting forks and poles, and covering them with cane tops, like a fodder house." This sounds a lot like the 3 sided leantos I've made since boyhood, after seeing one in Larry Dean Olsen's "Outdoor Survival Skills" book. These kind of lean-tos don't require any cordage to build. Another quick shelter Smith and a Kahnawake friend for a winter hunting camp he describes: "The next morning we cut down a lynn tree, peeled bark and made a snug shelter, facing the southeast, with a large log betwixt us and the north west; we made a good fire before us, and scaffolded up our meat at one side." Not a single mention of oil cloth or canvas. Father Rasles mentions that the Abenaki Penobscot he travels with merely wrap up in the birch bark mats they are carrying when they travel between winter inland hunting camps and spring coastal fishing camps.

One of my new projects is to create a re-usable, portable shelter made from natural materials based on the three sided leanto design. It will use weak cordage (jute string) to hold together and get covered by cat-tail or rush mats. Of course at re-enactments and rendezvous we are assigned a plot in the field and not free to find a good natural sleeping place so whatever I use must be portable.

On another front I want to design and make some portable slab camp furniture. I love the folding slat back chairs, particularly after running around all day in the field...and I might make some one day, but I want to use logs and sticks for my camp.

Left Eye Dominant and right handed

For many years I've known that I'm left eyed and right handed. It doesn't seem to affect tomahawk throwing or archery. However, despite hours at the range, my fusil marksmanship was deplorable, and I always seemed to miss in the same spot. I talked to a lot of people with the same situation, right handed and left eyed. Half advised closing the left eye when shooting (which I was doing) and half advised switching. One person suggested shooting left handed with my right handed flintlock and seeing how it worked.

So I gave it a try at the range on Sunday, shot some normally, they all ended up at about 7'oclock outside the bull. Then I switched to shooting left handed. At first I thought I'd pulled and missed entirely...then I noticed the problem...I hit the bull dead on, right in the center. With amazement I just continued to tear up the bull while shooting left handed. Then I switched to right handed and the shots all ended up in the lower left at 7 oclock, outside the bull. It was pretty tricky shooting and always getting a face of smoke and flint shards, but the proof was enough to convince me.

Also some notes on hawk and knife throwing, which I got rusty on:
-7 paces my best range
-always follow through
-look down and around softly, then quick focus on target and throw
-Staring too long at the target usually results in a miss
-Knife, doing better with a blade grab

Indian Discipline described by James Smith

American Indian Discipline and method of War:
The business of the private warriors is to be under command, or punctually to obey orders
--To learn to march a-breast in Scattered order, so as to be in readiness to surround the enemy, or prevent being surrounded
--to be good marksmen, and active in the use of arms
--to practice running
--to learn to endure hunger or hardship with patience and fortitude
--to tell the truth at all times to their officers, but more especially when sent out to spy the enemy." Smith p 157

Concerning officers. They say that it would be absurd to appoint a man an officer whose skill and courage had never been tried--that all officers should be advanced only according to merit--that no one man should have the absolute command of an army--that a council of officers are to determine when, and how an attack is to be made--that it is the business of the officers to lay plans to take every advantage of the enemy-to ambush and suprise them, and to prevent being ambushed and suprised themselves--it is the duty of officers to prepare and deliver speeches to the men, in order to animate and encourage them; and on the march, to prevent the men at any time, from getting into a huddle because if the enemy should surround them in this position, they would be exposed to the enemy's fire. It is likewise their business at all times to endeavor to annoy their enemy, and to save their own men, and there fore ought never to bring on an attack without considerable advantage, or witout what appeared to them the sure prospect of victory, and withthe loss of few men." Smith p158

"He said as the art of war consists in ambushing and suprising our enemies, and in preventing them from ambushing and suprising us..." p104-105 Smith

"I scattered my men about forty rod along the side of the road, and ordered every two to take a tree, and about eight or ten rod between each couple, with orders to to keep a reserved fire, one not to fire until his comradehad loaded his gun--by this means we kept a constant, slow fire, upon them from front to rear." Smith p109 note rod=16 feet Smith is leading rangers, but as he says "I taught them Indian discipline, as I knew of no ther at that time, which would answer the purpose musch better than British." p 107

"General orders are commonly given in time of battle, either to advance or retreat, and is done by a shout or yell, which is well understood, and then they retreat or advance in concert. They are generally well equipped and exceeding expert and active use of arms." Smith p 151

"...Each man is to fight as though he was to gain the battle himself." Smith p 151

"When they go to battle they are not loaded or encumbered with many clothes, as they commonly fight naked, save only breech-clout, leggings and mockasons." Smith p 151

"...They have all the essentials of discipline. They are under good command and punctual in obeying orders: they can act in concert, and when their officers lay a plan and give orders, they will cheerfuly unite in putting all their directions into immediate execution; and by each man observing the motion or movement of his right hand companion, they can communicate the motion from right to left, and march abreast in concert and in scattererd order, though the line may be more than a mile long, and continue, if occaison requires, for a considerable distance, without disorder or confusion." Smith p 150

"They can perform various necessary manuevers, either slowly, or as fast as they can run: they can form a circle, or a semi-circle: the circle they make use of, in order to surround their enemy, and the semi-circle if the enemy has a river on one side of them. They can also form a large hollow square, face out and take trees: this they do, if their enemies are about surrounding them, to prevent from being shot from either side of the tree." Smith p.150

"There is no such thing as corporeal punishment used, in order to bring them under such good discipline: degrading is the only chastisement, and they are so unanimous in this, that it effectually answers the purpose." Smith p 151


Smith, James, 1737-1812. "An account of the remarkable occurences in the life and travels of Col. James Smith during his captivity with the Indians, in the years 1755, '56, '57, '58 & '59" Cincinnati, 1870