This musket by Elijah Waters and Company follows the lines of those they supplied to the U.S. government under an 1808 contract for 5,000 muskets, but comes from one of just 528 sold to Massachusetts through Mass. Militia General Joseph Farnsworth in 1814. The state had previously purchased 1,000 muskets from Waters & Co. in 1813, which had all been delivered by that July. Farnsworth had been involved with the Waters operation for some time and likely used his influence on both parties to get the deal done, particularly when the company was still delivering on its US contract. Whether any of the profit went to him is unknown, but the quick delivery was as likely due to the extra 75 cents per gun paid by the state over the US contract price as to his influence. The company was still short on its 1808 US contract when two more Massachusetts purchases were made in 1814 directly through Farnsworth as J. Farnsworth & Co. The first group, 350 muskets, was delivered on July 28, 1814, the day before the death of Elijah Waters, after which Farnsworth took control of Waters & Co., until he moved to New York in 1815 and Asa Waters, Jr., took over. A second group, 178 muskets, was delivered on December 29, 1814.

This musket has sharp lock plate markings reading “MILLBURY” over “1814” just forward of the cock. (Waters’ 1813 locks had used “Sutton” as the factory location, but the area had broken away from Sutton and recently incorporated as Millbury.) Reilly illustrates a lock plate with the same marking as Fig. 297, noting the omission of a US or eagle indicate a state purchase. Moller also illustrates a musket with a “MILLBURRY / 1814” lock plate in Am. Mil. Shoulder Arms Vol. 2, page 223, noting that those delivered to Massachusetts were marked on the barrel in accordance with the state’s 1805 Proof Law, with a “P” over the inspector’s initials, followed by an “M” over the date. His cited example has a “P/PC” and “M/1814.” Ours shows some shallow pitting on the breech, but the “M/1814” is very clear, as is the “P” to the left with what appear to be the initials “RS” underneath, the same inspector’s initials that show up on at least one of Waters’ 1813 Massachusetts muskets (See also Moller’s Mass. Military Shoulder Arms.)

The wood rates near excellent, with sharp edges on the counterpane and lock apron, a very tight fit to the metal, good surface with nice brown color showing just a few dark streaks that are rather attractive. We see only minor handling marks with just some slight chipping and wear to the ramrod channel above the middle band. The metal is very good overall, with uniform matching brown color and smooth surface with the exception of some shallow corrosion on the breech next to and above the priming pan. The ramrod shows some bright patches, likely from rubbing against the barrel bands when drawn. The mechanics are excellent, with tight crisp action, and the bore is dark, but clean. All bands, springs, swivels, etc., are original and in place.

This is a scarce musket in very good condition made by one of the major early U.S. arms makers of the early 1800s. We should note that Moller’s photo caption in Am. Mil. Shoulder Arms mistakenly gives the total purchased in 1814 as 706, apparently counting the December delivery of 178 guns twice. [sr]  [ph:L]

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