American Revolution - French Revolutionary Wars - Napoleonic Wars
First produced for the British Infantry in 1768, the second model or Short Land Brown Bess was in the result of a slow evolution of the first model of 1728. The final version of the 1st model in 1756 was quite similar to the 2nd model except the barrel's taper was less pronounced and the it's length was reduced to 42 inches.
The Short Land Brown Bess saw extensive use throughout the American Revolution and continued its dominance in the British Army until the 1790s when it gave way to the 3rd Model or India Pattern Brown Bess. That said a number of this black powder muzzleloader continued to be used by some regiments until the end of the Napoleonic Wars including the War of 1812.
Washington's troops during the American Revolution were armed with great numbers of this musket, especially after the surrender of the 15,000-strong British Army under General John Burgoyne at Saratoga in 1777. It, along with Long Land Brown Bess and the 1766 French Charleville, was part of the top three muskets used in the war by American Continental forces.
