Bwtn my place and the old Manor (Pronounced here as "May-ner") Hill Cemetery, is also the site of the Coleman family massacre.
I cannot remember which account (either Wilbarger, Jenkins, or Smithwick) but the oldest Coleman boy had what the chronicler called a "Jager" rifle.
All of us tradionalist know what we refer to as a Jager rifle today. But apparently the key here was it was some form of early flintlock breechloader. It is possible that it may have been a Hall, but I can't help but suspect it was one of the several types of Germanic European sporters that one occassionaly sees from this time period. While rare, they did exist and were available. And personally I think they may have been a bit more acquirable that any of the early American made rifles. But this is only my speculation. I doubt it was one of the "romantic" types that have been made popular the novelists.
I remember someone here asking about weapons on the frontier. I know of the King Rifle that was used at San Jacinto by one of the Kings. It was a plain rifle by Henry Deringer of Philidelphia. Flint. Not a real fancy rifle.
It was found in a barn on the King Ranch back in the 50's. It was owned by the old time gun collector Victor Frederichs of Austin Texas for years. Victor was in his 80's while I was in High School and knew him. That was the early 70's. He also had a Fluck Dragoon that came out of East Austin as well as a Whitneyville Walker that someone had cut the barrel off on.
The rifle was restored by Dennis McDaniels, a good friend who now resides in Hutto Tx. In a personal conversation about this rifle with Dennis, he stated that after he had wormed all the termite poop out of the stock,all he basically had left to work with was a varnished shell.
Another firearm from the Frederichs collection was a Republic of Texas marked M1816 Musket by Tryon of Philidelphia. It was found in a wall of the carriage house of the Pease Mansion in Austin, when the mansion was undergoing a renovation. It had been converted to percussion. Victor had it restored to flint. The lockplate was marked with a Texas star and the letters TEXAS btwn each star point.
More later......
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