Virtual Trivia

Question 4: Marching Along

April 4, 2020

British soldiers carried something nicknamed Brown Bess. It was:
  1. An ammunition pouch
  2. Dark rye bread
  3. A daily rum ration
  4. Their musket

The term "Brown Bess" refers to the smooth-bore, flintlock, Land Pattern Musket used across the British Empire until 1838. The actual origin of the nickname is unknown, but evidence suggests that it had been a slang term for a mistress or prostitute.
The effective accurate range of a "Brown Bess" musket was 50-75 yards… one reason for waiting until you could see the “whites of their eyes.”

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