Virginia Gazette, Oct. 3, 1777, pub. Dixon: pg.2, Col 2. |
Copied as written, with an f often used as an s; thus ufual=usual and eafy=easy. WILLIAMSBURG, October 3. CAPT. THOMAS ROWLAND, of Botetourt, last week, in this city, made an experiment of his new method of loading and firing rifles, which fhows that rifles may easily be loaded and difcharged in as fhort a time as mufkets generally are, with their ufual certainty as to aim, and with triple execution in time of action. He fhot twelve balls into the compafs of a large handkerchief, at the diftance of fifty yards, in four difcharges of his piece, in the fpace of 52 feconds. Several of the balls were within fix inches of the centre, and but three of the twelve would have miffed a man's body. In another experiment, after firing thirty balls in ten difcharges, his rifle appeared as clean and cool in the barrel, though it was not wiped during the experiment, as if it had not been fired more than once. Capt. Rowland's method is looked upon as a va- luable difcovery; having rendered that instrument of death, which is al- ready to much dreaded by our enemies, capable of being infinitely more deftuctive and terrible, and that by a fimple and eafy operation. |
The Board request you will be pleased to point out to them such Regulations in Regard to the Pay & Appointments of Messieurs du Portail, de la Radiere, de Laumoy & du Guvion as are suitable to their Rank & the Nature of their Employment as Engineers. I have the Honour to be, with the greatest Respect, your very obed Serv, Richard Peters Secy RC (DLC) 1 Although Washington reported in his October 11 letter to John Page that Rowland was "to make some Experiments to day," the board's letter was later endorsed: "Ansd. 15th. Capt. Rowlands invention not usefull." Washington, Writings (Fitzpatrick), 9:35G55. Washington's reply has not been found and the nature of Rowland's "Experiments" has not been ascertained. Page 72 OCTOBER 7, 1777 Available at American Memory http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/index.html |
ROWLAND GENEALOGY REPORT |