Publication: Idaho Archaeologist, Vol. 41, No. 1
Author: Nathan J. May
Date of Publication: Spring 2018
PDF File: May-Top-Shot-Recreational-and-Military-Firearms-of-Fo.pdf
Description
Multiple archaeological investigations on the grounds of Fort Boise, Idaho (1863-1913), now the site of the Boise Veterans Administration, recovered over 1,500 munitions related artifacts. Analysis of two assemblages, one from a historic dump and the other from Fort Boise’s Surgeons Quarters, indicates technological development of the United States Army from the Civil War to the years just before the First World War. The munitions recovered also identify the use of recreational firearms at Fort Boise, which was a popular pastime on the post. Munitions recovered from domestic contexts, such as the Surgeons Quarters, also suggest children were instructed on firearm use and etiquette.