Description:
Cased pair of flintlock dueling pistols which belonged to Major Hugh Maxwell (1733-1799) of Charlemont, Massachusetts (now in Heath), made by Robert Wogdon (1733-1813) of London. The golden era of the dueling pistol in Britain lasted from around 1770 to 1850; by 1780 it was stated that "pistols are the weapons now generally made use of." Robert Wogdon was the most celebrated of the manufacturers of flintlock dueling pistols, whose object was to make a nicely balanced, fine handling, accurate and often intentionally beautiful pistol. Wogdon began working as a gunmaker in London in 1765 and opened a shop in the fashionable Haymarket at the end of 1774. His dueling pistols were considered the best because of their accuracy; after his death it was discovered that Wogden bent his barrels lightly to made the bore true. Atkinson estimates the number of lives claimed by Wogdon pistols in the "many hundreds," earning Wogdon the sobriquet of the "patron of that leaden death." Those deaths included Alexander Hamilton (1757-1804) in his duel with Aaron Burr (1756-1836) in 1804, and American naval hero Stephen Decatur (1779-1820) in an 1820 duel. The matched, custom-made set is housed in an English walnut case lined with green Irish baize, with a brass plaque on top inscribed, "Major Hugh Maxwell / Charlemont / 1779." The two gold-mounted pistols have 10" octagonal steel barrels engraved "Wogdon London," the gold lock plates are engraved "Wogdon," and sections of the hardware has ornamental engravings, mostly as rosettes. One of the two ramrods is probably a replacement and one pistol has minor splitting to the stock. Accessories include a bullet mold, gunpowder flask with a storage compartment for bullets, cleaning rod, eight bullets, and eight flints. The 1920 PVMA catalogue lists three items said to be from Maxwell: "Flint Lock Musket. Carried in the Revolutionary War by Col. Hugh Maxwell of Heath, the maternal grandfather of the donor." (donor Col. Roger H. Leavitt, Charlemont); "Piece of home-made Linen. From the Revolutionary Flag of Col. Maxwell. Also one of the thirteen stars from the same." (donor Miss Abbey Maxwell, Charlemont); and "Facsimile of a Note of Hand issued by the treasurer of the State of Massachusetts Bay to Maj. Hugh Maxwell, dated July 1, 1780." (donor Francis T. Maxwell, Rockville, Conn.). Maxwell's family emigrated from Ireland to Bedford, Mass. in 1733; he married Bridget Monroe of Lexington in 1759 and moved to Charlemont (area now in Heath) in 1773, where he was a farmer and surveyor. He served in 5 campaigns during the French and Indian Wars; in early 1775 he was appointed lieutenant of a minute-men company and marched to Cambridge after Lexington, joining Prescott; made captain in May 1777; fought at Bunker Hill; served Prescott's regiment near New York and later Bailey's 2nd regiment, where he was made major July 1777; made lieutenant colonel of M. Jackson's 8th regiment Aug. 1, 1782; and was at the siege of Boston and battles of Trenton, Princeton, Saratoga, Monmouth, and Morrisania in 1781. He was town clerk of Heath 1791-1799; Justice of the Peace in Hampshire County 1785-1799; and died on the return journey from the West Indies on October 14, 1799.
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