The Morgan Rifles (or Morgan Rifles) were a group of American sharpshooters who became one of the first elite units in the United States. They were a light infantry unit that stood out again and again.
Daniel Morgan, Force Commander, grew up in Virginia. He was reportedly a rebellious type, becoming a captain at a young age and serving as a civilian captain during the French and Indian wars. He once knocked a British ** official unconscious. The British sentenced him to 500 lashes, which was a death sentence for most men. However, Daniel Morgan was too stubborn to die: he escaped the whipping, and later joked that the British miscalculated and beat him only 499 times. This event made Daniel contempt for the British and may have made him one of the most effective commanders in the American Revolutionary War.
Kentucky Rifles (John Spitzer, Walters Art Museum, Wikimedia Commons**).
Daniel Morgan was appointed captain in 1775 and was in charge of a small rifle unit established in Virginia. Morgan had 80 soldiers and 16 officers under his command — these Southern pioneers, all Americans, would be the basis for Morgan's riflemen.
They wore hunting shirts, which made them stand out and quickly caused fear in the people.
At one point, they demonstrated their marksmanship, and the Virginia Gazette reported, "A man had a 5-inch-wide, 7-inch-long plank of wood with a dollar-sized paper bull'seye between his knees." A rifleman 60 yards away fired **8 rounds in a row into the bull's eye without resting. ”
This unit did not carry rifles, but the famous Kentucky rifle (also known as the Pennsylvania rifle or long rifle), built mainly by German immigrants. Rifles are much more accurate than rifles because the rifle inside the chamber rotates and stabilizes the shell better.
Their rifles had a very long barrel, and the caliber of the firing at that time was relatively small. Their effective range is up to 250 yards, which is more than twice that of rifles. However, they are expensive and take a slower time to reload than rifles, as their marbles have to be more tightly embedded in the chamber due to rifles. They also need to be cleaned frequently because the black powder contaminates the holes. However, they have proven to be very effective.
A painting by Hugh Charles MacBarron Jr., Oct. 7, 1777, showing Daniel Morgan's riflemen at the Battle of Saratoga (right). Their shirts make them stand out. (U.S. Army Center for Military History).
When the Revolutionary War broke out in Boston, Daniel led his soldiers on a 600-mile march in 21 days to provide assistance.
Morgan's riflemen found themselves traversing the country, armed wherever they were necessary to fight for independence. They took part in the Battle of Quebec, where the American ** team suffered heavy losses, but Morgan's riflemen and Daniel Morgan were hailed as heroes. Morgan and many of his others were held as prisoners until 1777.
During the Battle of Saratoga, Morgan's riflemen acted as a harassing force, constantly attacking Native American forces loyal to the British. Native American units were used as intelligence gathering forces for the British, and harassment of them by Morgan riflemen prevented them from gathering information. The elite American forces also drove an advanced British unit all the way back to the enemy's main front and attacked from the right flank in the main battle, forcing the British to retreat.
During the Battle of Bemis Heights, Morgan's riflemen clashed with the British ** team, eventually trapping a British light infantry unit between them and a regiment commanded by Henry Dearborn. Another notable achievement of the unit was Benedict Arnold's order to eliminate British General Fraser. Timothy Murphy, a rifleman in the unit, had to climb a tree and fired three shots from 300 yards, killing the man.
In the Battle of Cowpens, Morgan's riflemen again came to the fore. Morgan set a trap to lure the British team to attack early. This leads to a double encirclement. Morgan's riflemen even stopped their feigned retreat and fired a shot at the stormtroopers. In less than an hour, Morgan's riflemen rendered the British ** squad incapacitated.
A statue of Daniel Morgan was erected in Spartanburg, South Carolina in 1881. (excel23 Wikimedia Commons**).
Another aspect in which Daniel Morgan and his riflemen stand out is their use of guerrilla tactics: Morgan can think outside the box, which makes him an invaluable asset.
At one point, when Colonel William Howe and his men retreated through New Jersey, elite troops were assigned to harass them. Morgan's men act as snipers and attack them from a distance. In those days, such a strategy was unheard of. Other times, his men would clash with the royal forces in New York and New Jersey and escape. They will also dress up as Indians, close to the British, and unleash hell before retreating.
Daniel Morgan later served in the House of Representatives** and eventually died in the family in 1802. The enduring legacy left behind by his men – who was also the inspiration for Mel Gibson's character in the film "The Patriots**" – is a testament to his tactical genius and his contributions to his country.