Beschreibung:

A CASED PAIR OF 15-BORE IRISH FLINTLOCK OFFICER'S PISTOLS BY MCDERMOTT, DUBLIN, CIRCA 1796-98 WITH SIGNED SWAMPED OCTAGONAL REBROWNED TWIST SIGHTED BARRELS STAMPED WITH IRISH REGISTRATION NUMBERS AND EACH WITH GOLD LINE AT THE BREECH AND GOLD-LINED TOUCH-HOLE (BOTH RELINED), ENGRAVED TANGS EACH INCORPORATING THE BACK-SIGHT, SIGNED ENGRAVED FLAT LOCKS (ONE COCK AND STEEL REPLACED) EACH WITH SAFETY-CATCH (ONE REPLACED), ROLLER, SEMI-RAINPROOF PAN (BOTH RELINED), AND STEPPED TAIL, FIGURED WALNUT HALF-STOCKS (MINOR BRUISING) NUMBERED RESPECTIVELY '1' AND '2' IN SILVER BEHIND THE LOCKS, CHEQUERED BUTTS, ENGRAVED IRON MOUNTS INCLUDING SPUR TRIGGER-GUARDS WITH PINEAPPLE FINIAL, ENGRAVED SILVER BUTT-CAPS, SILVER ESCUTCHEONS OPPOSITE THE LOCKS ENGRAVED 'MAJ.R LOMBARD. N.H CORK REG.T', SILVER BARREL-BOLT ESCUTCHEONS, HORN FORE-END CAPS (ONE REPLACED), AND ONE ORIGINAL STEEL-TIPPED RAMROD (THE OTHER REPLACED): IN LINED AND FITTED MAHOGANY CASE WITH ACCESSORIES INCLUDING THREE-WAY FLASK COVERED IN RED LEATHER, THE LID WITH FLUSH-FITTING CARRYING HANDLE 15.5/8IN. (39.7CM.) MAJOR LOMBARD, FOR WHOM THESE PISTOLS WERE MADE, DIED ON 27 MAY 1798 AT THE BATTLE OF OULART HILL, NEAR GOREY, CO. WEXFORD. HE WAS SECOND-IN-COMMAND OF THE NORTH CORK MILITIA UNDER COLONEL FOOTE WHEN ON WHIT SUNDAY, 1798, AN INSURRECTION BROKE OUT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF FATHER JOHN MURPHY A DETACHMENT OF THE NORTH CORK MILITIA SIGHTED THE REBELS ON 27 MAY ON OULART HILL. COLONEL FOOTE, A VETERAN OF THE WAR IN AMERICA, DECIDED TO CALL FOR REINFORCEMENTS AND ARTILLERY TO BE BROUGHT UP FROM WEXFORD BEFORE RISKING AN ATTACK. AS COLONEL FOOTE WROTE THE REQUEST FOR REINFORCEMENTS, MAJOR LOMBARD, WITHOUT HIS PERMISSION, GAVE THE ORDER TO CHARGE. MAJOR LOMBARD, TWO OTHER MAJORS, THREE LIEUTENANTS, AN ENSIGN, AND ONE HUNDRED AND THREE MILITIA MEN DIED IN THE ENSUING FIGHT. THIS BATTLE HERALDED THE BEGINNING OF A REBELLION THAT WOULD LAST FOR A YEAR