Weapons and tactics

Weapons and tactics

The most important weapons of the Revolutionary War were the flintlock musket, the rifle, and the cannon. The musket discharged a large lead ball and could fire three or four rounds a minute. A bayonet could be fastened over the muzzle of a musket. Rifles had much greater accuracy than muskets. But rifles took longer to reload, which made them less efficient in battle. American frontiersmen improved the rifle's value by their skill at rapid loading. Cannons hurled shells long distances and blasted soldiers at closer range.

On the battlefield, soldiers lined up shoulder to shoulder, two or three rows deep. Their muskets had little accuracy beyond about 60 yards (55 meters). For that reason, the attackers advanced as far as possible before shooting. After firing several rounds, the two sides closed in for hand-to-hand combat with bayonets. The battle ended when one side broke through enemy lines or forced the other side to retreat. In the early years of the war, the Americans had few bayonets, which gave the redcoats an enormous advantage.

Excerpt from the "Revolutionary War in America" article, The World Book Encyclopedia © 1999