Some might wonder what would have happened if Porter had a couple of machine guns. Others might say that’s ridiculous, because the machine gun wouldn’t be invented until the late 1800s. But was ...

The flintlock pictured here is a typical British "Brown Bess" musket. Marks on the gun indicate that it was used by German mercenaries during the American Revolution. 1637 - First use of firearms ...

The Brown Bess was one of the best-known flintlock guns in military use. Eventually the flintlock was replaced by the percussion cap. BBC History Best of History websites The British Museum The ...