Hessian (and other north German) officers prized speed in loading the musket. Being able to overawe the enemy with superiority of fire was an important part of psychologically winning a firefight in the eighteenth century. Frequently, though, soldiers stopped listening to their officers’ commands during the process of loading and firing as fast as they could. Officers decried this practice, which they called Plackerfeuer. | Infanterie Regiment von Bose

1777 Charleville Flintlock Musket | Practical Shooting and a Brief History of America’s 1st Military Firearm — I Love Muzzleloading