Double-Barrelled Flintlock Shotgun

- Captain Cook - American Revolution  -  Exploration and Frontiersman -  War of 1812  - Battle of the Alamo

The double barrel flintlock shotgun really started to be common place shortly after the French and Indian War (1760).  It's efficiency as a fowling piece was almost immediately recognized by sportsmen.  However having a second shot also had its military applications, and this was not lost on the famous explorer Captain James Cook.  Anytime a conflict was expected with the local population, Captain Cook was noted taking out his trusty double-barrelled firearm.  It was the firearm in his hand when Captain Cook was killed in Hawaii in 1779:  "A ruffian making a stroke at Capt Cook, was shot dead by the Captain himself, who having a double-barrelled gun, was aiming at another,..." when he was struck to the ground and stabbed (Journal of Captain Cook's Last Voyage... pub.1785). 

The advantages of a double barrel shotgun were realized by other Naval officers.  Indeed as late as 1836, one U.S. Military scholar recommended the U.S. Marines should be equipped with them while aboard ship (read more here ). On land, there are accounts of Light Infantry officers carrying double barrelled flintlocks.  For example, Captain Richard Ferguson used one in the Battle of the Chateauguay in 1813.   However probably its most famous use was at the Battle of the Alamo.  Texans armed themselves with whatever they had including double barrelled shotguns and a history of the battle written 12 years later suggests many had this firearm (read more here) .  That was certainly the case for the Alamo's famous commander, Colonel William Travis who put his double barrelled flintlock to heavy use, and had recommended it as the principal firearm of the Texan cavalry.