Model 1808 Boarding Pistol
date: label: date made
content: 1814
name: label: maker
content: French, Thomas
notes: label: Description
content: Physical Description:
label: Description
content: This .64 caliber smoothbore flintlock U.S. reconverted boarding pistol was made by Thomas French of Canton, Massachusetts under Massachusetts state contract. It has a full walnut stock and a wooden ramrod with a flared brass tip. It is pin mounted with gooseneck hammer, brass mountings, iron flash pan, and an iron belt hook. It also has a distinct teat at rear of lockplate.
label: Description
content: It is stamped “T. FRENCH” under an eagle over “US” on the lockplate. The barrel is stamped “WNY” and the stock is stamped “MARSH/MA/V.”
label: Description
content: History:
label: Description
content: In 1808, Thomas French and two other men received a contract to produce 4,000 Model 1808 muskets. It is likely this pistol was most likely made for use during the War of 1812 during the fulfillment of this contract. Because of an inspector in Boston, French’s guns had to be “superior weapons” no matter the cost. The Committee of Claims ultimately issued a voucher to French for the additional cost in the production of these firearms.
label: Description
content: This particular pistol however is unique because of the “WNY” stamp. It stands for the Washington Navy Yard. The stamp “MARSH” is thought to be an abbreviation of an inspector’s name. This same stamp appears on many Washington Navy Yard pistols made during this time period.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: Flayderman, Norm. Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms…and their Values, Gun Digest Books, Iola, 2007. 9th edition
label: Description
content: Gardner, Robert E. Col. Small Arms Makers: A Directory of Fabricators of Firearms, Edged Weapons, Crossbows and Polearms, Crown Publishers Inc, New York: 1963, 69.
label: Description
content: Smith, Samuel E. and Edwin W. Bitter. Historic Pistols: The American Martial Flintlock 1760-1845, Scalamandre Publications, New York: 1986, p. 260.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Massachusetts, Canton
setName: label: See more items in
content: Military and Society: Armed Forces History, Military
label: See more items in
content: Military
label: See more items in
content: The Bitter Collection of Firearms
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: The Adriana and Edwin W. Bitter Family Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1986.0024.21
label: accession number
content: 1986.0024
label: catalog number
content: 1986.0024.21
label: collector/donor number
content: P121L
objectType: label: Object Name
content: pistol
label: Object Name
content: pistol, flintlock
label: Other Terms
content: pistol; Firearms; Navy; Flintlock; .60 In; Smooth Bore; Muzzle Load; Sa; Boarding
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood (part material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (part material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 16 1/4 in; 41.275 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall: 2 3/8 in x 16 1/2 in x 6 1/2 in; 6.0325 cm x 41.91 cm x 16.51 cm