Fowling with a minutemans fowler

Herman A. Karl

In spring 2014 I had a conversation with David Wood, curator of the Concord
Museum in Concord, Massachusetts, about replicating the Samuel Dakin, Jr. fowler in
their collection. David graciously permitted me to photograph and measure the fowler.
Samuel Dakin, Jr. was a Lincoln minuteman. The Lincoln minute and militia companies
were the first to reinforce the Concord minute companies at the North Bridge 19 April
1775. The gun and Dakins powder horn were acquired by the museum sometime
between about 1850 and 1880 (email communication, David Wood, 2014). Dakin
purportedly carried it at the Concord Battle. The only documentation that links the gun to
the Concord Battle is the 1912 catalog of the collection that states, Fowling Piece, used
as a musket by Samuel Dakin at Concord North Bridge, April 19, 1775.
The fowler is in relic condition. The maker is unknown. My build is a close
approximation of the original and not a bench copy. I endeavored to give the metal and
wood a slight antique finish suggesting a gun that was used frequently for a decade or
more. It was cleaned and cared for, but developed a patina of use (Fig. 1). When new the

Figure 1. Herman Karl holding first bird taken with Dakin fowler.

gun was of very high quality with engraving on the barrel simple carving on the wrist
behind the tang and on the forearm behind the tail pipe. Six moldings decorate the full
length of the stock. The extremely poor condition required interpretation of several
features most notably the length of the original barrel and the engraving at the breech end
of the barrel (Karl, in review). The original barrel was crudely cut to 36. Research
suggested that it was likely over 50 and I ordered a custom 20 gauge barrel 55 long
from Ed Rayl of West Virginia. The engraving was so degraded that it was not possible
to decipher the details. John Schippers, based on research of other period guns, engraved
an appropriate design (Fig. 2). The overall length is 71 and it weighs 8.4 pounds, the
barrel and trigger guard are almost certainly French in origin, and the lock appears to be
an early Germanic export.

Figure 2. Engraving by John Schippers

The primary purpose for building the fowler was to use it as my personal firelock
during events and reenactments as a member of the Lincoln Minute Men
(http://www.lincolnminutemen.org; https://www.facebook.com/lincolnminutemen/). The
Lincoln minutemen assembled about 400 yards from my home and marched to Concord
19 April 1775 (Fig. 3). As an avid black powder shooter I looked forward not only to use
it in reenactments but also to fire live ammunition and hunt. Figure 4 illustrates the fine
potential accuracy of the gun. My first opportunity to use the gun as a fowler (charged
with 70 grains FFG, an over powder and cushion wad, and one ounce of number 5
bismuth shot capped by an overshot wad) was December 3, 2016.
My shooting club, the Timberdoodle Club in Temple, New Hampshire, holds an
annual event called the Frostbite Shoot, which simulates a British driven pheasant shoot.
These shoots reached their apex during the Edwardian era and became a fixture on the
social calendar of the aristocrats and landed gentry (Ruffer, 1977). Shooters were located
at pegs (stations) in the swale at the bottom of a hill or highland. Beaters drove the
pheasants toward the peg and at the crest of the hill the birds would take flight over the
pegs. In the highlands partridge were driven through the heather toward the guns waiting
in butts. These were community events that involved entire villages. The bag went to the
villagers. Since we lack an aristocracy we have to make do with a modified version. The
Frostbite is a very challenging shoot with birds flying often 40 yards and higher at speeds
exceeding 45 mph (faster with the wind behind them) as well as many variations in
between. A high tower replaces the hill. At the Timberdoodle the tower, hidden from
view of the guns, is in an apple orchard. The shooters are positioned at pegs around the
perimeter of the orchard. Shooters rotate around the pegs so every one experiences the
different terrain and shooting lanes. Also, depending on weather conditions the birds
may favor certain sectors with some sectors seeing lots of birds and others few. By
rotating every one gets some shooting.

Figure 3. Dawn Tribute. Members of the contemporary Lincoln Minute Men assemble at dawn on Patriots
Day at the location where the original Lincoln minutemen assembled to march to Concord 19 April 1775 in
tribute to them.

Living up to its name the early December shoot was cold and very windy and
birds flew fast and high. The Dakin, of course, is cylinder bored and not choked.
Cylinder bore is effective to about 30 yards meaning the pattern is dense enough to put
sufficient shot into the bird (or clay target) to kill it. Consequently, I let birds beyond 30
yards go for practical and ethical reasons as its only a waste of shot to try to hit them and
theres a great likelihood of wounding them.
I had five chances at birds within range out of 200 birds flown. The first
opportunity the wind was so great that it blew the prime out of the pan!!! The second
resulted in a bird dead in the air (Fig. 1). The third opportunity resulted in a bird dead in
the air. The fourth opportunity resulted in a miss. The last opportunity resulted in a flash
in the pan. That one was painful as it was a shot dead on at the money bird. Each
shooter chipped in $20 to the kitty, which had about $300. The money bird is identified
with a red ribbon streaming behind it. The bird was coming directly at me about 25 yards
up my favorite shot. I had it dead to rights. Then click fizz!!! The trials and
tribulations of flintlock shooting! Good thing it wasnt a charging redcoat (which, by the
way, is simulated at an annual fun event for the Lincoln minutemen)!

Figure 4. Potential accuracy of fowler

Im very pleased with the performance of the Dakin. Its slow to get swinging,
but once its moving the momentum keeps it going forcing one to follow through, which
is essential. Its not a responsive upland gun and presents an entirely different dynamic
than my other muzzle loading shotguns. I suspect shooting flying, however, was not a
sport practiced by the practical Yankee yeoman farmers when hunting to put meat in the
pot. Even so I may try it over my two English setters next season. One of my favorite
upland guns is an original circa 1826-1830 Westley Richards flintlock side-by-side. It has
modern dimensions, fits me perfectly, and is a delight to shoot; the English gun makers
knew what they were doing. The critical thing, especially with a flintlock, is to focus on
good fundamentals and then the bird drops and the clay breaks. Most important is not to
look at the sight and focus entirely on the bird letting hand-eye coordination work.
Its a unique experience to use this citizen soldiers fowler hunting, as Samuel
would have to provide for his family. Its a privilege to carry it in the spirit of a minute
man defending his rights as a free man when I, in company with my fellow Lincoln
Minute Men, march to Concord on Patriots Day to join other minute and militia
companies at the North Bridge to reenact the events of 19 April 1775.

References

Karl, Herman A, in review, A minutemans fowler and powder horn: Man at Arms, for
the Gun and Sword Collector.

Ruffer, J.G., 1977, Big shots: Edwardian shooting parties, Debetts Peerage, London, 144
p.