List of Unusual Weapons Used During the American Revolutionary War  

The Revolutionary War likely conjures images of the Continental Army and British “Redcoats” meeting on a grassy battlefield. Much of the fighting during the War of Independence did resemble this popular image.

During the 18th century, European armies and the military leaders in the Colonies utilized highly organized battle tactics and formations. Lines of soldiers stood ready to take the place of the fallen. Muskets and cannons were relied on as long-range weapons. Swords became essential at close range. 

While this is the picture of much of the Revolutionary War, less conventional weapons and tactics were also utilized. Some of the “weapons” covered in this article may, at first, not appear to be weapons at all. One “weapon” was purposely a useless item (more on that below). 

The Revolutionary War’s many battles are some of the most reinterpreted events in American history. This list of the lesser-known weapons associated with the War will help you gain a different perspective of the Revolutionary War and the way it was fought. 

1) Pamphlets

The first unusual weapon of the Revolutionary War period is the humble yet influential pamphlet. At first, these colonial documents hardly seem like weapons, but upon further study, we see their importance in the war effort. 

Pamphlets were the social media of the late 18th century. Unlike books that took months or years to write, a 5 t0 48 page pamphlet could be drafted quickly in response to the most pressing social and political issues of the day. 

The most successful pamphlets were published with the right timing. The power of this unconventional weapon lied with its ability to stir up enough public interest to make societal change. 

While some of the most famous Revolutionary War pamphlets were written by famous people, in reality, a pamphlet could be written and published by anyone. 

Homer L. Calkin explains that most colonial pamphlets can be organized into six categories: political principles of the Colonies, propaganda, arguments for or against an independent America, the organization of government in an independent America, Congress proceedings, and military pamphlets about the Revolutionary War’s progression. 

The democratization of news and opinion offered by the pamphlet meant that many people became interested in the affairs of the Colonies and their relationship to Britain. 

Most pamphlets were published between the French and Indian War (or Seven Years’ War) and the Revolutionary War. Many contained responses to the unpopular Sugar Act, Proclamation of 1763, Stamp Act, and Tea Act. 

The most famous and arguably influential colonial pamphlet was Thomas Paine’s Common Sense (1776). In the document, Paine explains the advantages of independence from Britain. In the first few years of its publication, Common Sense sold over half a million copies. 

With such a wide distribution, it is no wonder that colonists took up arms against Britain. Common Sense was even read to soldiers in the Continental Army at the request of George Washington himself. 

2) Guerrilla Warfare

Guerrilla warfare was used before the Revolutionary War during the French and Indian War of the 1750s and 60s. Guerrilla methods included the ambush, hit and run, and sabotage. 

British military leaders organized groups of guerrilla fighters on the frontier during the French and Indian War. Groups like Rogers’ Rangers and Knowlton’s Rangers used skills acquired from Native Americans to complete stealthy backcountry missions. 

Guerrilla warfare first gained influence in the Revolutionary War during the battles of Lexington and Concord. Guerrilla fighters raided British supply lines and spread disinformation to confuse the enemy. 

The greatest use of these methods occurred in the southern colonies in the later years of the War. 

Southern Continental leaders successfully fought the British using guerrilla tactics that spread out numbers of Continental soldiers . The British had a hard time finding the small pockets of Continental soldiers hiding in the dense forests of the southern colonies. 

80% of the Revolutionary War’s guerrilla warfare took place in the South and was favored over traditional European styles of battle. Southern fighters were used to defending themselves against Native Americans and used these less-refined but extremely effective methods against the British. 

3) Quaker Cannon

The Quaker cannon’s strength lied in the fact that it wasn’t a weapon at all. Named after the Quakers, a religious group who opposed war and violence, the Quaker cannon was simply a log painted black and set up to look like a real cannon. 

From a distance, Quaker cannons looked so real that they actually won battles. 

One famous example of a Revolutionary War Quaker cannon’s deceptive power occurred in 1780. Continental Colonel William Washington employed a Quaker cannon against a group of Loyalist opponents who had barricaded themselves in a building. 

He threatened to fire his “cannon” unless they surrendered. The deception worked. The British surrendered without a single shot fired. 

The Quaker cannon was used throughout the Revolutionary War and was utilized again during the American Civil War. 

4) Siege Tower

The siege tower has been utilized in warfare for thousands of years. Since the 13th century BC, armies have built these structures to gain entry into fortified cities and castles. 

Most people associate siege towers with the Middle Ages, but they were used on several occasions during the Revolutionary War as well. 

The first time the Continental Army employed a siege tower was in 1781. Colonel Henry Lee sent 300 Continental troops to attack posts protecting British supply lines. 

Their first target was Fort Watson, a garrison built 40 feet above the main landscape. At first, the Continental troops tried constant musket fire to intimidate the British soldiers inside Fort Watson. 

After this strategy failed to antagonize the British into fighting, Major Hezekiah Maham suggested the use of a siege tower to allow the soldiers to shoot down into the fort rather than up at it. 

The construction of the 18th century siege tower took place overnight. Once completed, the 50 foot tall structure was moved to Fort Watson and the soldiers perched atop it successfully fired on the fort. 

The efforts of Maham and his fellow troops eventually led to the surrender of the British. By gaining Fort Watson, the Continental soldiers not only took out communication between other British posts, but also gained access to stores of valuable ammunition. 

Siege towers would be used again in the Sieges of August and Ninety-Six. 

5) “Turtle” Submarine

The most unusual weapon on this list is the extremely innovative “Turtle” submarine. This invention was the first of its kind, and although it ultimately proved unsuccessful, it kicked off a tradition of innovation in America. 

The Turtle was invented by David Bushnell, a Yale University graduate who had studied underwater bombs. He believed he could create a piece of machinery with the capability to transport underwater bombs to enemy ships. 

Bushnell’s submarine was egg-shaped with only room for one. The operator of the Turtle would maneuver the vessel just below the surface of the water. A pipe supplied fresh air but could also be closed to lower the submarine. 

The Turtle was sent on several missions during the Revolutionary War. The goal of each mission was to place an underwater bomb on the underside of a British ship. 

Although the Turtle was a feat of engineering, the submarine was ultimately unsuccessful. It was lost during the Battle of Fort Lee when the sloop carrying it was gunned down. 

Several life sized replicas of the Turtle can be viewed at museums like the Connecticut River Museum. 

6) Tomahawk

The tomahawk was a standard weapon of the Native American groups who originally lived in North America. The weapon was adopted by colonists and the British during the French and Indian War and later in the Revolutionary War. 

Rogers’ Rangers and other backcountry fighters (described above) relied on the tomahawk as a close combat weapon. The tomahawk was preferred over guns for this type of fighting. 

Guerrilla tactics and tomahawks complemented each other nicely. Rangers and other fighters would alarm their enemies with gunshots and then rush at them with tomahawks. 

Revolutionary War officers of the Continental Army were required to carry either a knife or tomahawk as a close range weapon. The British relied on this Native weapon as well. The British Light Infantry battalions especially preferred the tomahawk to other bladed weapons.