On the other hand, there is evidence that life in the
army was not without its compensations. Enforced dwelling in the
open air saved men from diseases such as consumption and the
movement from camp to camp gave a broader outlook to the farmer's
sons. The army could usually make a brave parade. On ceremonial
occasions the long hair of the men would be tied back and made
white with powder, even though their uniforms were little more
than rags.
The men carried weapons some of which, in, at any rate, the early
days of the war, were made by hand at the village smithy. A man
might take to the war a weapon forged by himself. The American
soldier had this advantage over the British soldier, that he
used, if not generally, at least in some cases, not the
smooth-bore musket but the grooved rifle by which the ball was
made to rotate in its flight. The fire from this rifle was
extremely accurate. At first weapons were few and ammunition was
scanty, but in time there were importations from France and also
supplies from American gun factories. The standard length of the
barrel was three and a half feet, a portentous size compared with
that of the modern weapon. The loading was from the muzzle, a
process so slow that one of the favorite tactics of the time was
to await the fire of the enemy and then charge quickly and
bayonet him before he could reload.
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