The Military Equipment of the Plymouth and Bay Colonies, 1620-1690

Abstract

A T no time in American history have weapons been more important than they were from 1620 to 1690. They protected the early colonist from the attack of wild beast or savage, and were the means of providing him with food and clothing and with many of the commodities which he sent back to England. Because of this importance of arms, the colonists were forced to purchase the most efficient arms that Europe produced; evolution of types proceeded rapidly, and the Americans soon outdistanced the Europeans in superiority of weapons and in skill in using them.' Since the contemporary writers only occasionally refer specifically to the type of arms used, it is necessary to trace this evolution through indirect reference. For the sake of convenience in following their development, the arms of the early settlers may be divided into three major categories: defensive armor, edged weapons, and projectile weapons. A completely armed man, particularly in the earlier years, was usually equipped with one or more articles from each of the three groups, the combination of corselet, sword, and musket being the most common.2