Tactics and Weapons of the Revolutionary War

Weapons and Tactics of the revolutionary war

start

index

7. Dragoon Pistol vs. Flintlcok Pistol

1. Tactics Intro

2. Famous Quote

8. Thanks

3. Flintlock Pistol

4. Muskets and Musket War Strategy

5. Gallery

6. How to load a musket

Baiting and Cornering an Army

the Tactics of the revolutionary war

This tactic involved half of one army acting as a decoy, while the other half snuck behind enemy lines, and cornered the enemy. Then, they started firing, and the enemy was caught off guard. Most of the time, the army that snuck used the decoy would win. The key point would be that the army using the Bait and Corner strategy would have to be larger than the army they were cornering. This strategy would often be used by the British, as they had an overall larger army, which allowed for more firepower.

*Sorry this slide is so boring. The fun part comes later!

There are many different tactics in the Revolutionary war. It depended on the terrain where the army was fighting.

Guerilla Fighting

Guerilla Fighting included fighing behind the cover of trees or large rocks. Armies would hide behind the trees or rocks, peek out, fire, reload, and then do the cycle again. This cycle continued until the enemy was all dead, or they retreat. This strategy was used mainly by the Americans, but sometimes used by the British. Most of the time, the British were fighting on unfimiliar ground, while the Americans knew the ground well because that is where they lived.

Linear Formation

This tactic was used when they were fighting on terrain that was just flat. This incuded fighting on a plain. The armies would line up in rows of 2-3. The first row would kneel down, while the second and third row stood. Both armies would look at each other, and most battles would start when the general in command gave the command to load weapons and fire. This was used by both the British, and the Americans. Both of them marched within 30 yards of each other. Then, their commander would give the order to fire, and then reload, and then fire again. This process would occur until an army surrendered, or all of the opponent army is dead.

Don't fire till you see the whites of their eyes!

Israel Putnam

This qoute was said because General Putnam knew that the muskets his men had did not have accuracy until they were only 30 yards away, so in fancy terms, he said do not fire until they are within range.

Flintlock Pistols

Flintlock Pistols were among the most common guns in the Revolutionary War. They were very small, and could be concealed almost anywhere on the body. Some examples would be in a soldiers haversack, or in a high ranking officials pocket or boot.

This is a Flintlock Pistol

The Square Formation

The Musket

Alongside fighting in lines, troops would form a square with around 5-10 men per side. They would stick their bayonets out, and stab them into horses and enemy men. They would mainly start forming a square formation when the opponents cavalry would start charging at them. One problem of not creating the square would be that the cavalry from the enemy can pick off soldiers one by one, as opposed to the soldiers creating the square formation. Then, the cavalry cannot ride through the square.

Another weapons that both sides used in the war were muskets. Both the British, and the Colonists used Linear Formations to line up and shoot the musket with the best results.Muskets had a longer range than pistols, but still not that big of a range to where you could just hide behind a tree and snipe off enemy troops. This meant that when armies fought, they fought in a "gentleman's honor" sort of way, and both of the opponent's army, and your army would fire at the same time. Whatever side had troops left when the other team didn't, would win. The battle could also end when the other army surrendered.

Muskets and Pistols

Did You Know?

Occasionally, a soldier would forget to recover their ramrod, and would end up shooting it at their opponents, acting as it is another projectile.

how to load a musket

Step 1

Step 3

First, you need open the pan of the gun, and take the paper cartdrige out from the cartdrige box. Then, you need to pour half of the gunpowder into the pan.

Then, slide out the ramrod from its holder, and ram the powder into the barrel of the musket with a lot of force. Then, recover the ramrod, by putting it back in it's original place.

Step 2

Step 4

Set the gun butt on the ground, and pour the remainder of the powder down the barrel of the gun.

Finally, cock the lever back all of the way, and you are ready to shoot. After you have shot, go back to step one.

Flintlock Pistol

VS

1. The Flintlock pistol was used on both sides of the war. Both the British and the Colonists used the Flintlock Pistol.
2. The British versions of the Flintlock Pistol had more brass than the American Flintlock Pistol.
3. They were accurate until 15 feet.

Dragoon Pistol

1. The Dragoon Pistol would sometimes be a part of a dou, which would be the same pistol, but one for your right hand, and one for your left one.
2. The Dragoon Pistol has a caliber of 58-60.
3. The pistol is named after a Dragoon, or a horse soldier
4. The Dragoon Pistol shot lead balls, which would hurt wherever you are shot.

thanks!