Powder Horn Depicting the Siege of Boston 1775 by Mike Burke

This horn depicts a snapshot of the hasty fortifications thrown up around Boston in the wake of the battles of Lexington, Concord and Bunker Hill. The towns of Cambridge and Roxbury, where the New England army was encamped, are shown in detail, as are the British fortifications at Boston Neck, and the armada of warships which sailed into Boston Harbor to aid in suppressing the rebellion. It is based on several horns made by semi-professional carvers during the time of the Siege, primarily those owned by William Latham and Jesse Starr, and is typical of those churned out in large numbers to satisfy the demand for souvenirs of this momentous event.

Though the architecture of the horn is a little more involved than most, all the shaping was done with knives and files, including the spiral carving at the spout and cherry base plug. As on Latham's original (one of at least two owned by him), an iron staple is driven directly through the bottom edge of the horn to provide a means of attaching the strap.

Copy and photos supplied by Mike Burke.