Revolutionary Era Musket          

This musket, known as a Brown Bess, was carried by a member of the 5th Massachusetts Regiment, led by Colonel Mansfield, and populated by residents of Charlestown, Massachusetts. It was created under the company of Samuel Galton, a Quaker arms manufacturer based in Birmingham, England. From the insignia of the lock plate, we know this musket was created for the British Army under King George III, as it bears the initials GR (Georgius Rex), and an image of the British crown jewels. It was housed in the armories at the Tower of London before being brought to the North American colonies prior to the beginning of the Revolutionary War on April 19th, 1775.