Book Review

By Larry Babits · Originally published May-June 2024 · pp. 67

B O OK R E V I E W A WONDERFUL DATA SOURCE

Continental Arsenal Marks and Stamps – Continental Ownership of Arms and Accoutrements 1776–1798. Rex K. Kessler, MD, Leslie B. Potter J.D., J. Craig Nannos Retired U.S. Colonel, artwork by Don Troiani. Privately published, $65.00. This superbly illustrated study of the marks documenting Continental Army property is expensive but well worth the price. The color photographs include insets showing specific details of marks. This is the “comprehensive pictorial reference book for the Continental Army’s weaponry and accoutrements. The text is minimal as the high-quality photos speak volumes and are augmented by Don Troiani’s art. A basic introduction is followed by a detailed presentation of markings denoting U.S. ownership. This is, necessarily, organized in a chronological fashion as the Continental Congress sought to ensure that public property remained in the hands of those serving in the Continental forces. The second chapter deals with the symbolism behind the arsenal markings and places them into the context of both art and practicality, both before, during, and after the war. It includes images drawn from paper money, flags, seals, and even a lead scrap marked “US” and one of leather with a partial “ST” mark possibly indicating “states.” These are linked with Washington’s orders to “mark arms and accoutrements UNITED STATES, USTATES, and US,” something Greene ordered in 1780 and 1781 in the Southern Theater for a variety of items including saddles “branded U.S.” and “United States” painted on bags in March 1781 (Papers of General Nathanael Greene 7:388) Chapter 3 details arsenal locations within the Continental supply network at the beginning in 1776 and later, in 1778 as production, coupled with army needs and French imports generated a wide variety of slightly different weaponry and accoutrements. The consolidation from parallel, and conflicting, logistical chains of command in 1776, smoothed relationships and left the Continental Army’s supply units drawing from a single supply authority, the Commissary General of Military Stores operating under control of the Board of War. This chapter involves a discussion of arsenal locations, helping to unravel the markings as well as explaining why so much of the included artifactual material is from the Northern Theater. Southern arsenals were late in being designated; even then most of their production was highly perishable materials such as leather, wood, and cloth. Among the leather materials described is a virtually, until recently, unknown “C Factory” cartridge

box that probably represents the Continental Factory in Philadelphia. A surviving box with the mark fits the “new pattern” box inspired by French imports. The term new model, or as found in the Papers of Nathanael Greene, new pattern, represents American production of French style, late (1780-on) boxes produced at factories in a variety of locations, including the Southern Theater. In March 1781, Greene specifically ordered manufacturing cartridge boxes to continue “upon the new plan” for which the Assistant Deputy Quartermaster General should get a pattern, presumably the 29 hole, “new model” (NGP VIII:10-11). The artifacts, some excavated, others highly curated heirlooms, form the majority of the book. They include pistols, powder horns, canteens, leather accoutrements, and tools, as well as US marked hand weaponry such as knives, belt axes, and bayonets. The chief focus is on the shoulder weapons. There is a wide variety pictured with detailed descriptions of the “US”, “U States”, and “United States” stampings. The stampings are, for once, examined closely in terms of size and style. This research provided additional chronological and locational clues about the muskets. They answer, once and for all, the question of whether the US stamping is post-War, but there are caveats related to size and style that become very important. In some cases, the marks cross link to other artifact types including bayonets and belt axes. Two complaints are minor. The size of markings might have been included with the image. The second reflects an historical orientation that has long been felt by folk south of the Potomac River; most of the materials are, seemingly, from the northern states. This is not to demean the incredible work that went into this book, but rather to point out that it now behooves the collectors in the southern states to produce their artifacts. This is what the authors hoped, as they were basically drawing a line saying, “this is what we know today. There is more to come; build on our work.” The authors privately published this important study in only 200 copies. I highly recommend this book to Revolutionary War students, writers, and researchers. L. E. Babits is an archaeologist, living historian, and competitive historic guns shooter. He has authored, or co-authored, books on the French and Indian, Revolutionary, and Civil Wars, focusing on material culture and the private soldier.