Dave NeelFlintlocksWed Feb 7 22:19:04 2001 Hayes and Alan:I would say virtually without qualification these men would have been armed with .69 cal. smoothbore muskets of U.S. pattern and production -- Models of 1816 (or 1822)and/or 1835/40 which were not converted to percussion priming. The Confederate Field Manual for ordnance officer reports many of these arms in service, some still flintlocks. I think that it is relatively safe to generalize that next to nothing was imported from Europe that was still flint primed, though many if not most of the inferior quality arms imported were percussion conversions which began life as flintlocks.Mississippi Rifles, or Model 1841 Rifles were percussion arms from the word go. Older Common Rifles, which weren't all that common, were flintlocks, though many were converted."Mississippi" "rifles" — Hayes Lowe, Thu Feb 8 09:33 Another Point — Dave Neel, Wed Feb 7 22:32 "Ball Cartridge" — Hayes Lowe, Thu Feb 8 09:27 I forgot another .70 Cal. — Hayes Lowe, Thu Feb 8 15:54