ket . ▁A ▁fire ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 1 ▁at ▁the ▁Tower ▁of ▁London ▁destroyed ▁many ▁mus k ets ▁before ▁they ▁could ▁be ▁converted . ▁Still , ▁the ▁Brown ▁B ess ▁saw ▁service ▁until ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁nin ete enth ▁century . ▁ ▁Most ▁male ▁citizens ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Col on ies ▁were ▁required ▁by ▁law ▁to ▁own ▁arms ▁and ▁am mun ition ▁for ▁milit ia ▁duty . ▁The ▁Long ▁Land ▁Pattern ▁was ▁a ▁common ▁fire arm ▁in ▁use ▁by ▁both ▁sides ▁in ▁the ▁American ▁War ▁of ▁Independ ence . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 0 8 ▁during ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁Napoleon , ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁subs id ised ▁Sweden ▁( d uring ▁the ▁Sweden – Fin land ▁period ) ▁in ▁various ▁ways ▁as ▁the ▁British ▁anx iously ▁wanted ▁to ▁keep ▁an ▁al ly ▁in ▁the ▁Balt ic ▁Sea ▁area , ▁this ▁included ▁among ▁other ▁things , ▁deliver ies ▁of ▁war ▁material ▁including ▁significant ▁numbers ▁of ▁Brown ▁B ess ▁mus k ets ▁for ▁use ▁in ▁the ▁Finn ish ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 8 0 8 ▁to ▁ 1 8 0 9 . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁Mus ket ▁Wars ▁( 1 8 2 0 s — 1 8 3 0 s ), ▁M ā ori ▁war riors ▁used ▁Brown ▁B esses , ▁having ▁purchased ▁them ▁from ▁European ▁trad ers ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁Some ▁mus k ets ▁were ▁sold ▁to ▁the ▁Mexican ▁Army , ▁which ▁used ▁them ▁during ▁the ▁Texas ▁Revolution ▁of ▁ 1 8 3 6 ▁and ▁the ▁Mexican – American