A rare British musket that was only weeks away from being turned into molten iron will become a centrepiece exhibit at a famous Hamilton museum. The musket, turned over to the museum on Sunday, is in extremely good condition and has several intriguing initials carved into it. The public will get its first look at the historic weapon June 3 when the museum celebrates its 25th anniversary of the re-enactment of the Battle of Stoney Creek.
Known as a Brown Bess India Pattern, the musket was manufactured for British troops in the 1760s and issued to the soldiers who fought the Americans in the War of 1812. The owner had turned in the Brown Bess, along with several other weapons of potential historical significance, during last month's police amnesty. All 1,254 guns collected by police were headed for a steel foundry blast furnace at the end of the month.
Hamilton's newspaper sent photos to historians, museum curators -- including the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa -- pleaded with Hamilton police not to destroy the weapon. Contacted by police last week, the owner agreed to donate it to a local museum because of its possible link to the Battle of Stoney Creek. The owner decided it would be best placed with Battlefield House museum. The owner said he bought the musket from an antique gun dealer 30 years ago.
Police will now give local curators a list of all weapons turned in to check for potential historical treasures. Three or four other muzzleloading weapons handed over by the Brown Bess owner may also escape the smelter.
Battlefield House museum, a national historic site, commemorates the June 6, 1813, Battle of Stoney Creek when British forces attacked and repelled invading American troops.
Later,
Kenaz
