Blunderbusses (Pirogue-Mounted)

Two blunderbusses were mounted on swivel pivots on the sterns of the two pirogues (large open boats) that accompanied the keelboat upriver. A blunderbuss is a short, heavy smoothbore firearm with a distinctive flared (funnel-shaped) muzzle, designed for close-range defense. The flared muzzle assisted in rapid loading, especially in the chaotic conditions of a boat under attack. Like the swivel gun, the blunderbusses served primarily for signaling, saluting, and celebrations because their large caliber produced impressive smoke and noise. Clark specifically suggested obtaining two blunderbusses “hung on swivels in the stern” of the barge, and Lewis agreed. They were not carried overland after the keelboat returned to St. Louis.