Thomas Rowland's Rifle Experiment

Captain Rowland Goes to Washington
...to George, that is.



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.


Letters of Delegates to Congress: Vol. 8 September 19, 1777 - January 31, 1778


Board of War to George Washington

Sir War Office York Town Octr. 7th. 1777 I have the Honour to enclose by Direction of the Board a Number of Certificates relating to the Bearer Capt. Thomas Rowland who is sent to your Excellency to exhibit his Experiments before you or such Persons as you shall appoint. On his Return he will bring your Certificates of his Performance & Opinion of the Utility of his Scheme. It appears to the Board that the Plan proposed by Mr. Rowland will be useful or they would not have have troubled your Excellency with the Matter especially as many Persons have claimed your Attention when Speculations have been either ingenious without Utility or merely calculated to get Money from the Public. The Board have furnished Mr. Rowland with a Sum of Money to bear his Expences & leave it to you either to employ him at Camp or send him back as you shall think proper.1
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




Although the nature of Rowland's Experiments were not known when the above
letter was archived, it's clear from the news clipping of October 3, 1777 that it was
Thomas'new method of loading and firing a rifle, which had been demonstrated in
Williamsburg a few days earlier. Thomas and his rifle were apparently not appreciated
by General Washington, but three years later, in January 1781, in response to a call
for help from General Nathanial Greene, Thomas and his
Botetourt Rifles took part
with other militia
in the battles against Cornwallis in North Carolina.






ROWLAND GENEALOGY REPORT


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