Original Item: Only One Available. This is a private purchase flintlock officer's pistol made by JOHN WATERS of London and Birmingham who worked from 1767 until 1810. John Waters was renowned for his invention of the patented spring bayonet and release found on both pistols and

blunderbusses.

This is Dragoon pistol, it is .65" smoothbore and has the regulation 12 inch barrel. It is fully brass mounted and still retains the original brass tipped ramrod with worm assembly to the rear. The lock plate is very clearly marked WATERS. The oval brass escutcheon is engraved-

LIEUT. M. SHANAHAN, R.I.

This Lt. Shanahan of the Royal Irish was an Officer on Wellington's Headquarters Staff in the Peninsula War in Portugal/Spain from 1808 until 1812. His role was as a scout to cross the lines to map the French positions and his "Wellington" signed orders still exist in the IMA private collection together with his ivory-hilted sword. A photocopy of the Order will be included with this pistol.

Unfortunately he was very badly wounded on assignment in 1812 and was returned to his home in Ireland where he was mustered out of the Army in 1813 and of course was not present at Waterloo unfortunately.

It is interesting to note that Lt. Shanahan's father was an Architect that was well known to the Wesley family in Ireland both socially and in business. The Duke had been born in Ireland at Dangan Castle in 1759, so this may explain how the lowly Lt. Shanahan got onto Wellington's General Staff in the Peninsula.

A rare private purchase flintlock Dragoon pistol by a top line maker named to a known documented Officer on Wellington's General Staff in the Napoleonic Wars!