This musket comes out of Maine and mostly follows the "Windus Pattern" used by the East India Company in the 1770s to early 19th century. This pattern was already in use by the EIC before the British military adopted the similar sized India Pattern. The barrel has the EIC heart shaped merchant mark and "GRIFFIN & TOW 1779 to MS" on top along with London private proof and view marks offset to the left around the barrel maker's mark "JG." A second "MS" stamp is on the left stock flat. The ramrod is also marked "MS." The buttplate and stock are the correct Windus pattern. However, the side plate is a little different, and the lock appears to be out of a French Model 1763 or 1766 musket. It has a faint "D" by the pan and no other visible markings. Many muskets were assembled from a mix of British, French, and American parts during the American Revolution and after. When Maine became a separate state from Massachusetts after the War of 1812, it received a group of the former state's muskets to arms its own militia. Two muskets from that lot with "to MS" markings are in the Maine State Museum, another 1779 dated EIC musket by Griffin & Tow is in the Smithsonian, and an EIC musket by Wilson from 1777 with "to MS" markings is part of the Springfield Armory Museum collection. Other 1770s EIC muskets with "MS" or "MASS" markings are also known in private collections. These muskets would have first been used by the EIC, likely for ship defense, and then been issued to New England militiamen after it was acquired by the Americans either through trade or force. Some have indicated these muskets were taken from an EIC ship captured by American privateers; the Smithsonian indicates support for this theory via their inclusion of their "Short Musket, East India Company" in their "On the Water" exhibit as part of a discussion of American privateers attacking EIC ships during the War of 1812. Given that these muskets all seem to date to the late 1770s, they may have even been captured during the American Revolution and used by the Massachusetts militia during both the fight for independence and the War of 1812. Privateers were more important to the American war effort than they are often given credit for. Gunpowder, firearms, and other scarce and crucial supplies were captured from British supply ships and merchant vessels by privateers. Over 3,000 British vessels are believed to have been captured during the war. The Continental Army and various militia units depended on captured goods, especially early in the war. New England and the East India Company had a contentious relationship in the Revolution and War of 1812. The patriots that participated in the Boston Tea Party dumped over 340 crates of EIC tea into the harbor in response to the Tea Act which gave the company a monopoly on the tea trade with the colonies and the taxes on that tea that were part of the Townsend Act. Their ships, laden with valuable cargo including firearms and gunpowder, were prime targets for American privateers during both wars.

Very good overall as period assembled for miltia use with moderate oxidation and dark patina along most of the iron, period filing marks under the patina on the lock, absent front sling swivel, replaced barrel pins, cracked trigger guard tang and barrel tang, chipped front ramrod pipe, cracking on the right ahead of and below the lock as well as some other hairline cracks, some chips, and general scratches and marks. The lock will not lock up at full-cock when installed in the musket, but it functions properly when not installed indicating some interference by the stock, likely due to the cracking.