Spanish Arms
The documented use of Spanish firearms throughout the Americas for decades before the arrival of the English or the French give historical significance to these weapons that is seldom acknowledged. It is difficult to comprehend the oblivion that has fallen upon escopetas, fusils, trubucos and pistolas that were used in the 16th and 17th centuries during the discovery, conquest, and exploration of the American Continent. It is not very well understood how much of America the Spanish actually held in the 1600's. St Augustine was the beginning and that was almost a 100 years before the English showed up and by the time the English settled Jamestown the Spanish had already established post's all the way into New Mexico. Vicksburg, Natchez Mississippi, Memphis, Tennessee and St. Louis were all started as Spanish outpost. The Spanish supported the Americans in the Revolution by giving France 1,000,000 livres for military equipment to be sent to America. The 17th and 18th Century use of Spanish weapons is well documented. Spanish Miquelet parts have been uncovered in the archaeological sites of the Iroquois Seneca villages that were destroyed in 1687 (upper New York). During the Revolution Spain shipped powder and military equipment into New Orleans which had 2,100 Spanish troops who captured Pensacola from the British and also went north and attacked the British in Detroit and St. Joseph. They outfitted George Rogers Clark and his Illinois Regiments expedition, to capture British posts in Illinois and Indiana with Spanish Jackets, hats, cartridge boxes, belts, muskets and powder. In the War of 1812 Andrew Jackson wrote about finding several hundred “rusty escopetas” in New Orleans which he issued to his troops just before the battle of New Orleans. If you are interested in Spanish arms, we highly recommend “Spanish Military Weapons in Colonial America” by Brinkerhoff and Chamberlain and “American Military Shoulder Arms” by George Moller. The Contributions made to American History by Spanish Weapons are incalculable. We wish to Thank James Lavin and Compton Laboe for all their help and kindness with this section.
Spanish Catalan Musket (619)
Spanish Musket (641)
Early Spanish Martial Powder Horn (546)
Spanish Catalan Style Escopeta (505)
Early Spanish Carbine (687)
1752 Spanish Infantry Musket (622)
Spanish Light Military Escopeta (776)
1789-1791 Spanish Infantry Musket (506)
1789 Spanish Military Carbine (647)
1803 Spanish Musket (780)
Mexican Baker Rifle (775)