Our 1816 U.S. Infantry Musket found here.
Copied from the 1766 model French musket, the 1795 Springfield infantry musket was the very first official model musket of the United States. Initially with the bayonet lug on the bottom of the barrel, this was rotated to the top of the barrel in 1797 and the look remained more or less the same to the end of the War of 1812. The musket gets its name from the first government armoury of the United States in Springfield, Mass. Today the armoury is a National Park.
This musket aided US troops defend the ramparts of Baltimore were the Star Spangled Banner was written, along with the earthworks around New Orleans under the watchful eye of Andrew Jackson. However its greatest test was with Winfield Scott at Lundy's Lane in 1814. Thousands of US troops stood face-to-face against British regiments exchanging volley after volley of musket fire well into the night.
Since then the musket has been made famous by its use on the U.S. Infantry insignia since 1924, commemorating its importance as the first US infantry musket. For this reason, our reproduction has become a popular retirement or change-of-command gift for the United States Infantry. Some units and bases have used our Springfield muskets to create an impressive life-size version of the US infantry insignia. Wow.
As noted below, we are honored to have provided our replica for permanent display at the Pentagon.
