Customer Reviews

Guns on the Early Frontiers: From Colonial Times to the Years of the Western Fur Trade (Dover Military History, Weapons, Armor)

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This is the new 2005 reprint of this classic book originally published in 1957. As the title says, it covers the frontier as it moved from the original colonies to the west.

The first story takes place on July 30, 1609 when a fellow killed a captured Iroquois with a single shot from an arquebus. From there it goes on to to the mid 1800's ending with the first battle of the Mexican War. ==The treatment that the book gives these guns is a combination of technical, especially as this was the time of great improvements from the matchlock of 1609 to Colt's revolvers, and of the history of their use such as that by Walker which resulted in the definition of the Walker Colt. It is illustrated with 58 line drawings that show both the weapons and the people who used them.

This book covers an area that has largely been ignored in other books. It is well written and recommended for readers with this interest.

An excellant history of weapons used by people on the frontier of America. Fur traders, indians as well as those during the Colonial Period. Very useful for Historical Archaeologists, collectors and gun nuts.Clear reading in understandable language.