Inventing the Breech Loading Rifle

One of the First Breech Loading Rifles was created by a British Revolutionary War Colonel who specialized in raising Tory militia for the Crown!

Patrick Ferguson was the man! He developed the breech loading rifle in 1775 but was called to service during the Revolutionary War before he could fully sell it's benefits to the British Army which decided to only make 100 of the rifles to test. Why it wasn't an easier sell? Who knows? Then again, with guys like Howe, Clinton, Sandwich and the Coward of Minden, Lord George (Sackville) Germain in charge, it isn't any wonder! The first field test of the rifles was on American soil and failed when the rifles began to explode because they were issued the wrong size ammunition.

The story is told that Ferguson did have General George Washington in his sights with the breech loader before the Battle of Germantown but decided it would have been ungentlemanly to pick off the officer whose back was turned to him!

Ferguson was also the commanding officer (and ONLY British Regular present) with the Tories who were mowed down at the Battle of King's Mountain, where he was still innovating, using a whistle to direct his troops because severe injuries to both arms left him holding his horse's reins in his teeth, not allowing him the luxury of opening his mouth to shout orders.

The brave Colonel Patrick Ferguson died during the Battle of King's Mountain and was buried there.

The "downfall" of Ferguson's breech loading rifle was that warfare had not developed past throwing more bodies at the enemy than they could. Also, the never ending enemy of progress, "that's the way we always do it" prevailed. Finally, there were many who thought such weapons inhumane because, believe it or not, it was not a "fair" fight. This would be analogous to our present world view that weapons of mass destruction are evil!