"Revolutionary Rangers": The Role of Morgan's Rifleman

[Shooter30-06]

I just completed reading "Revolutionary Rangers" by Richard B. LaCrosse which is about Dan Morgan's Rifleman and their role in the northern frontier.  In buying the book I first hoped to get better information on the marksmanship test given to those interested in joining.  Sadly, the book was completely silent on this question.

The second question for which I sought clarification concerned the use of muskets in the Rifleman corps.  I have heard more than one RWVA Instructor state that some of Morgan's men qualified with and used muskets.  This was contrary to my prior research regarding the Rifleman and seems impossible from a perspective of smoothbore capability.  LaCrosse agreed with my prior understanding staing on Page 10: "Some have stated that some of Morgan's men were armed with muskets, but inquiry into this has failed to find any support for this statement."  LaCrosse goes on to state that the confusion probably stems from the fact that frontline line units armed with muskets were often detached to the Rifleman as support.  LaCrosse notes that the source of almost all of the rifles used by the unit was the Pennsylvania gunsmiths, largely of German descent.

This book was largely devoted to naming and briefly describing the Rifleman.  I found it to be pretty dry and would not recommend it unless you are a geneologist.  The discussion regarding Timothy Murphy was interesting and I learned that he did a lot more than help win the Battle of Saratoga.  "Sure-Shot" Tim was everywhere and his exploits read like a Hollywood script.  The author did indicate that 508 Rifleman went to Boston with the first call including Murphy. 

[Ratchett]

30.06,

Thank you for the review! Here is the best I can find so far:

Morgan, COL Daniel
    A Frontiersman and Continental officer, Daniel Morgan was a first cousin of the notorious Daniel Boone. At the early age of 22 his efforts against the British began when he hit back after a British officer had slapped him with the flat of his sword. He later redirected his efforts by receiving a Continental Commission as a captain of a Virginia rifle company on 22 June 1775. His company led Benedict Arbold's march to Quebec from September to November of 1775 and he temporarily took command after Arnold had been seriously wounded in the leg. Taken prisoner during that engagement, Morgan was paroled the next summer and exchanged in the fall. On 12 November 1776 he was commissioned Colonel of the 11th Virginia Regiment. He joined General Washington's army in April 1777 and raised a force of 500 sharpshooters known as Morgan's Continental Rifle Corps.
Morgan's Continental Rifle Corps
    These riflemen possessed expert marksmanship abilities and were very proficient in Indian fighting tactics. They were regarded by Washington as "chosen men, selected from the army at large, well acquainted with the use of rifles, and with that mode of fighting which is necessary to make them a good counterpoise to the Indian." (Quotation from Battles of the American Revolution by Curt Johnson) Under his leadership, Morgan's Rifle Corps played a key role in the Battle of Saratoga. In that battle, the riflemen were used to initiate fires on the American side, targeting key personnel such as officers and artillerymen. After the close of the Battle of Saratoga, Morgan rejoined the main American army outside of Philadelphia at White Marsh. At the winter quarters of Valley Forge, his 11th Virginia Regiment was brigaded with the 7th under Brigadier General William Woodford. Morgan's regiment was present, but not engaged, at the Battle of Monmouth. Allegedly due to poor health, Morgan resigned his commission on 18 July 1979. Congress ordered that he report to General Gates in the Southern Theater, but he declined. After hearing of the American defeat at Camden, Morgan joined Gates late in September of 1780 at Hillsboro. On 13 October 1780 he received a commission as a Brigadier General, and he led his elite corps of riflemen to victory at the Battle of Cowpens 17 January 1781. He resigned again on 10 February 1781 before returning to support Lafayette's efforts to end British raiding of Virginia. He later commanded militia units during the Whiskey Insurrection of 1794 and was elected to Congress in 1797. ("Encyclopedia of the American Revolution;" David McKay Co., New York, 1966.)

ADDED: Just Wikipedia'd--- "What set Morgans Riflemen apart from other companies was the technology they had with their rifles. They had rifled barrels with thin walls and curved grooves inside the barrels which made them light and much more accurate than the British muskets. Morgan used this advantage to initiate guerrilla tactics by which he first killed the Indian guides the British used to find their way through the rugged terrain and also to kill the British officers that led the troops. While this tactic was viewed as dishonorable by the British elites, it was in fact an extremely effective method that created chaos and discord for the British Army."

[Kaylee]

Yes, thank you!

I've a copy of that, and am afraid I've just not taken the time to read it. The biographies look interesting, but yes - light on technical material.

I love LaCrosse's other book, "The Frontier Rifleman." It's full of little gems of the first American Riflemen. Skimming it, I can't find reference to Morgan's test there either, although there are as you say a couple mentions to the effect that riflemen absent musket-armed support were easily overrun by light infantry.  Hrmm.. have to keep looking. I think you're right though, I can't imagine that test being given with a musket.

I do recall -
A. several accounts of frontier riflemen showing off my holding a target mark - a silver-dollar sized target pasted on a roof shingle, if memory serves - between their knees for their compatriots to shoot.  Distance approx. 60 yards.

B. The usual practice at least in later years seems to have been whenever possible to shoot in prone with a support.

A bank was rais'd to hide our breasts,
Not that we thought of dying,
But that we always like to rest,
Unless the game is flying.
The Hunters of Kentucky, written 1821 about the 1814 Battle of New Orleans

[asminuteman]

 in the history section under the title "Daniel Morgans test"

"He [the captain] to a board of a foot square and with chalk drew the shape of a moderate nose in the center and nailed it up to a tree at one hundred and fifty yards distance, and those who came nighest the mark with a single ball was to go [become a member of the company]. But by the first forty or fifty that fired, the nose was all blown out of the board, and by his company was up [had the full compliment of men] the board shared the same fate." John Harrower, June 1st, 1775, an indentured servant serving as a teacher at a plantation school in VA. He describes the process for the selection of men for a rifle company from VA when too many men show up to volunteer.

Pvt Doyle
Member Morgan's Riflemen Company  / 11Th Virginia Regiment
morgansriflemen.com


This IS one of several qualifying tests..........
Also, the regiment was about riflemen, however marksmanship 1st and fore most got you in.
Many "Ranger" sites have been unearthed, finding of all things, 18" sections of cut off .75 cal smooth bore barrels......huh go figure.....easier to wheeled a short weapon in the heavy forest?

I know of many folks with folwers taking deer 150-200yrds....
I know an SI in California who IS quite dangerious with his bessie.....and its only a weekend Appleseed thing for him!

I ring steel @ 50yrd with a .58 cal smooth bore pistol......9 of 10?.....it can be done folks

don't short change a charcoal puffer in the hands of a marksmen