▁uses ▁of ▁the ▁term ▁include ▁the ▁newspaper , ▁the ▁Connecticut ▁Cour ant ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 7 7 1 , ▁which ▁said ▁"...   but ▁if ▁you ▁are ▁afraid ▁of ▁the ▁sea , ▁take ▁Brown ▁B ess ▁on ▁your ▁shoulder ▁and ▁march ." ▁This ▁familiar ▁use ▁indicates ▁w ides p read ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁term ▁by ▁that ▁time . ▁The ▁ 1 7 8 5 ▁Dictionary ▁of ▁the ▁V ul gar ▁T ong ue , ▁a ▁contemporary ▁work ▁that ▁defined ▁vern ac ular ▁and ▁sl ang ▁terms , ▁contained ▁this ▁entry : ▁" B rown ▁B ess : ▁A ▁soldier ' s ▁fire lock . ▁To ▁h ug ▁Brown ▁B ess ; ▁to ▁carry ▁a ▁fire - lock , ▁or ▁serve ▁as ▁a ▁private ▁soldier ." ▁Military ▁and ▁government ▁records ▁of ▁the ▁time ▁do ▁not ▁use ▁this ▁poet ical ▁name ▁but ▁refer ▁to ▁fire lock s , ▁fl int lock , ▁mus k ets ▁or ▁by ▁the ▁weapon ' s ▁model ▁design ations . ▁ ▁Popular ▁explan ations ▁of ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁word ▁" B rown " ▁include ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁a ▁reference ▁to ▁either ▁the ▁colour ▁of ▁the ▁wal nut ▁stock s , ▁or ▁to ▁the ▁characteristic ▁brown ▁colour ▁that ▁was ▁produced ▁by ▁rus set ing , ▁an ▁early ▁form ▁of ▁metal ▁treatment . ▁However , ▁in ▁the ▁case ▁of ▁rus set ing ▁at ▁least , ▁the ▁Oxford ▁English ▁Dictionary ▁( O ED ) ▁and ▁Fer g us on ▁note ▁that ▁" brow ning " ▁was ▁only ▁introduced ▁in ▁the ▁early