"Left or right handed 18th century fusiliers?" Topic

There is a difference in the way fusiliers or musketeers hold their weapon in marching pose.
Sometimes in their left hand towards their left shoulder or sometimes in their right hand towards their right shoulder.

Some companies even differ the nation by the way the weapon is held: in the right hand or in the left hand.

Was their a common way throughout the nations to hold your weapon?

It is more likely later on in the century, as armies adopted cadenced marching. Prior to that, who knows?

I just figured that with them marching every where they would change shoulders for relief of thar arm

It's also affected by the lock ( tends to dig into yer shoulder) and as almost all military arms are righthanded, usually carried lock up on left shoulder. For relief one can move to the Carry, Support, or Trail.

No Duc,

there is no common way, some held by the lock, some below the lock, some by the stock, some by the butt of the weapon, left or right handed is a good question need to check that one myself. I am thinking only left……will check

check out the drill manuals for a better illustration of the different nations if you have them available

cheers
Matt

In France it seems that varies with grade: at least during parades privates & corporals carried their musket on the left shoulder (from the time musketeers carried the musket rest in their right hand) while sergeants (& probably grenadiers officers) carried their musket on the right shoulder like previously they had carried their halberd.

You are talking about three different drill positions, although many figure manufacturers use them as variations of the "marching" pose. These three can be seen in the following video, using the British 1764 Manual of Arms (which was not an official drill book, but was widely used):

YouTube link

1) Shoulder your firelocks (forward to 0:20); this position is repeated throughout the video.

2) Advance your firelocks (0:24); this pose was mainly used by officers and sergeants.

3) Support your firelocks (0:48); this was a resting position on the march. After a certain time, the men would be ordered to march at ease and could carry the musket more or less how they wanted, or sling it over the shoulder.

YouTube link

Another drill video – around 1:30 is the command "secure your firelocks" which would be a more casual march pose.

Thanks for the comments.
Interesting video Maximus.

The question arose because the Essex 15mm 7 Years War range shows most figures with the weapon on the left side in marching pose, except for the Hungarian musketeer, while Freikorps 15 shows most figures of all nations with their weapon on the right side in marching pose.

Watteau

Would I be right in thinking that on the march there was no specified way to hold the musket and it could be carried on either shoulder but on the battlefield privates in most armies shouldered their muskets on their left shoulder?

Yes. When Marching " at ease" the musket can be carried as you like, or slung. The " position of a soldier" is at attention with the musket on the left shoulder. A musket armed officer or NCO commanding troops would carry his musket/fusil at the " advance", in the right hand with his hand gripping round the wrist of the stock and around the trigger guard.

Thanks Brouilly and Spontoon for this clear explanation.
That coincides with what I thought at the hand of drill manuals and old paintings.

I can't speak for other nations, but the English position for shoulder was always on the left side (Bland's, Cumberland and the 1764 manual). There are variations used on the march to ease the weight, such as slope, support, or trail arms. Not sure how much slinging the musket was done as that isn't very comfortable.