Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Any historians watching Sons of Liberty on the history channel?

Not a historical issue but judging by how they handled the boxes of tea they threw overboard and the barrels of gunpowder they stole, as if they were light as feathers, either the men back then were some pretty stout fellows or else those boxes and barrels were empty.

Well, it might be entertaining but it is not history. This just got a bit too far fetched. I think I'll stick to books. The truth is more interesting.

What part did they get wrong?

You can never please some of the cats on here. The show may have not been perfect but I really enjoyed it. It is a good reminder of the events that started our rebellion.

It was good entertainment, but it was far from factually accurate. See the link I posted above. Anytime something is portrayed as a "historical" presentation, most people perceive it as factual. In my opinion, the truth is just as interesting as some stylized and overdone drama.

I caught just a few minutes of it while I was getting ready for work tonight. I did notice when they squared off with the British at Lexington that one of the patriots was lined up ready to fire, but his frizzen was forward. I can't help myself. I notice firearms flubs in movies frequently.

It was good for a reminder of the events but too many coincidental occurrences for art's sake. For the most part I enjoyed it tho.

The personal killing of Dr. Warren at Breeds Hill(IIRC that's where it occurred) by Gage because of a affair was just a bit too much.

The forefathers did a big thing, a brave thing, a wonderful thing and took the ideas in the Magna Carta about as far as it could go. It's been more or less downhill lately (IMHO). Americans might not be the same people we were back then.

Everyone in this country should watch something about the founding or better yet read a good source.

I really enjoyed it for what it was, maybe it will influence some of the uneducated into digging deeper.

On every Civil War battlefield they found many muskets with several rounds jammed down their barrels. Some soldiers in the excitement forgot to use any caps.
$hit happens...

To squeeze that much history into less than six hours, many shortcuts have to be taken.
If it inspires some to punch a keyboard or pick up a history book, great, but they will some find out that the scholars do not agree and over time change their minds. The �Sons of Liberty� have always been a controversial lot.

Didn't see the show but I've done that very thing by accident with my flinter at reenactments. Only happens in rapid (sort of) fire. Common usage at reenactments when loading from wrapped paper cartridges is to prime the pan first and then pour the rest of the powder down the barrel (there would be a ball in that cartridge in the real thing).

Authentic maybe, but means you're loading over a primed pan, not a good thing. I always pour the main charge with the pan open and then prime last from a priming flask before closing the frizzen.

Maybe once or twice out of hundreds I've forgotten and brought the arm to bear with the frizzen open over the empty pan.

On a related note, in "The Patriot" some of the militia turn their heads away from the pan when firing, this is because in that movie they mixed powdered magnesium in with the priming charge to give it a brighter flash for the camera

Birdwatcher