Before writing this the regimental stories original idea was by Nanomat. Please read his before mine as it was his idea in the first place. Since he hasn't been active since April, I would like to make one.
A portrait of Major Patrick Ferguson
Major Patrick Ferguson was a Scottish Officer in the British Army, an officer in the light infantry and the designer of the Ferguson Rifle and leader of the Ferguson Riflemen . He develops the Ferguson Breech loading rifle, a breech-loading Flintlock rifle. He and his band of experimental rifle corps were sent to the colonies to fight in the American War of Independence. He first fought in the Battle of Brandywine (This is a playable historical battle in ETW) on the 11th September 1777 in Pennsylvania after being shot through the right elbow joint.
His experimental Rifle Corps were known as the Ferguson Riflemen after the battle. The rifle became an success, even though it was mechanically complicated and expensive to build.
In 1780, General Cornwallis ordered his men to invade South and North Carolina. The mission was to keep the colonies in the British Empire and make the US stuck in the northern colonies. Ferguson was made Inspector of a loyalist Militia. Ferguson's mission was to recruit Militia in the carolinas and protect the left flank of Lord Cornwallis's main army. After Lord Cornwallis occupied North Carolina, his Elite group of Riflemen and loyalist militia fought numerous victories.
The breech loading mechanism of the Ferguson Rifle.
However, at the Battle of Kings Mountain, it was different. A US militia clashed with Ferguson loyalist militia. The battle went bad for the loyalists on the ridge. Ferguson was shot from his horse and his foot was attached to the horses stirrup. The Patriot Militia dragged him to the enemy lines. Rebels said when they demanded his surrender, he pulled out a pistol and shot the Patriot in defiance, then ended up with 8 musket balls in him.
After the British defeat, the Ferguson rifle was forgotten, but apparently used in the war of 1812.
The Ferguson rifle had many flaws and it would jam easily. However, for 1780, the gun was a masterpiece and the reload rate was excellent. The Royal Ordnance was ordered to make 100 in 6 months but not possible due to the guns complicated system. Only his experimental Rifle Corps had the chance to use them. Breech loaders were effective with Flintlocks. The first practical breech loading rifle which was easy to produce was the Dreyse Needle Gun, a needle gun made by Germany in 1840.
After Ferguson was killed, unfortunately his rifle corps Ferguson Rifles were replaced by muzzle loading Long Land Pattern Muskets.
Trivia[]
In the Road to Independence campaign episode 3, Ferguson Riflemen are in one of the British Armies fighting against you. For some odd reason they are based in Pennsylvania not Carolinas. Unfortunately, the AI don't use them to their full potential.
Ferguson is depicted in a book to give a rifle to a child before the Battle of Kings Mountain, this child would explore the west in the Louisiana purchase era.